OVERVIEW: The Sachs Foundation broadly funds housing, homelessness, economic opportunity, and community development work in the United States and Latin America. It also supports access to quality education and college scholarships for minority and disadvantaged youth in parts of the United States.
IP TAKE: This is an approachable funder that offers many different funding types and accepts applications on a rolling basis. It conducts the majority of its grantmaking through program related investments, and it mainly seeks organizations that are financially self-sustaining or have plans to become so. The majority of its partners are micro-lending-based community funds. However, before applying, the foundation asks that you contact it to discuss your work informally.
PROFILE: The Erich and Hannah Sachs Foundation was established in 1997 by Reynold Sachs in honor of his parents, who emigrated from Germany during the Second World War. The foundation is dedicated to “improving the overall quality of life for economically and/or educationally disadvantaged individuals and families who manifest a genuine desire to help themselves,” and has given away nearly $20 million since its founding. The foundation broadly supports community development initiatives around the world through program related investments, micro-loans, grants and loans to individuals, and grants and loans to founder-driven charitable enterprises (i.e. start-ups).
Grants for Housing and Economic Opportunity
The Sachs Foundation’s program related investments have the primary goal of “strengthening the economic base of low income, disadvantaged communities.” support organizations where “operations promise a substantial likelihood that the funding will be used effectively for charitable purposes, as well as initiate or expand a self-sustaining activity or operation.”
Grants and loans for education, health, and housing are awarded to “individuals and families who demonstrate a willingness and ability to improve themselves and the quality of their own lives,” or to “founder-driven charitable enterprises” at the “start-up or earliest phase” of activities. Past grantees related to housing include the Low Income Housing Investment Fund, the Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara, and Gulf Coast Housing Partners. Microlending and community support partners grantees include Craft3, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, and Global Partnerships.
Grants for Education and the Bay Area
The Sachs Foundation education grantmaking supports quality education, mentoring, and scholarship programs for minority and disadvantaged youth, primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area. It funds four-year college scholarships for San Francisco-based students through San Francisco Achievers and the Meritus College Fund. It also supports innovative educational programs for inner city youth through Project Commotion and Living Classrooms.
Grants for Global Development
The Sachs Foundation’s Microloans initiative primarily supports microlending programs in Central America, South America, and Africa to “develop business and employment opportunities for low income individuals and families.” Some of its partners include Accion International, Global Partnerships, and Friendship Bridge.
Important Grant Details:
The Sachs Foundation’s grants generally range from $50,000 to $250,000. While the foundation conducts grantmaking throughout the United States, Latin America, and in parts of Africa, its domestic grantmaking tends to center around the San Francisco Bay Area. Grantseekers may review the foundation’s Funding History for more information on its grantmaking habits.
The Sachs Foundation accepts applications at any time, but applicants are advised to discuss their plans with foundation staff informally before applying.
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