The Medina Foundation is dedicated to improving lives by funding human service organizations that provide direct support to Puget Sound residents. They focus on addressing a range of human services including homelessness, youth development, education, and economic opportunity across their 14 county funding region. Since 1947, they have granted over $93 million, supporting services and programs to better lives.
The grant program supports organizations in Puget Sound that are aligned with the Foundation's focus areas: ensuring young people's basic needs are met, mentoring and supporting youth through education and skill building, helping stabilize families and individuals by addressing basic needs, preventing homelessness, and offering programs to prevent or reduce effects of domestic violence and abuse. It also aims to help people secure employment, increase income, and build assets through job training, entrepreneurship opportunities, and financial education. Strong proposals demonstrate critical need engagement, strategic planning with clear goals, positive results from programs, driven leadership, and evidence of other support, with grant amounts usually not exceeding 10% of the operating or capital budget, aside from innovative startups. The median grant size is around $25,000.