OVERVIEW: The Roth Family Foundation supports a broad range of issues, both in the U.S. and abroad. It has an open application process; however, it has not approved new grants for several years.
IP TAKE: Roth is a modest, progressive grantmaker that tends to support smaller and grassroots groups. However, this is not a particularly accessible foundation. It awards multi-year grants, but not for more than three consecutive years. Roth also awards both program specific and general operating support grants.
PROFILE: Established in 1966 by Harry, Louis and Fannie Roth, the Los-Angeles based Roth Family Foundation supports organizations that advocate for “progressive social change,” both in the US and abroad. The foundation’s Program Areas include Informed Citizenry, Healthy World, and Education Opportunities. Unfortunately, however, many of the subprograms housed within these categories overlap and it can be difficult for grantseekers to know which program is the best fit for their project. Support for women and girls’ reproductive health, for example, falls under three separate program areas.
Grants for Journalism and Media
The Roth Family Foundation supports broadly journalism by making grants to “nonprofit organizations whose programs are innovative and informative for radio, television and other media.”
Grants for Environment
The foundation makes grants for environmental causes through its Healthy World program area. These grants support “nonprofit organizations whose mission and programs address the issues of [environmental justice], and include environmental health education and awareness, community participation, organizing and leadership development, and advocacy for policy reform.” They also fund groups that focus on environmental education, environment-based community beautification, and school and community gardens that benefit low-income and underserved communities.
Grants for Food Systems
The foundation’s grants for food security and biodiversity broadly support nonprofits whose purview includes “local farming and agriculture, providing agricultural education and nutrition, creating economic opportunities and sustainability, and celebrating traditional/cultural foods.”
Grants for Global Development and Global Health
The foundation makes related grants through its Global Program, a subprogram of its larger Healthy World platform. These grants support global initiatives that focus on “areas of water access, women’s and girl’s reproductive health, civil and political rights, and economic development.” Roth only accepts applications for this program by invitation only.
Grants for Women and Girls
Roth’s Reproductive Health, Reproductive Rights, Sex Education subprogram under the Healthy World program supports “organizations whose mission and programs include sexual education, reproductive health education and services, community outreach, and advocacy.” Additional grantmaking for women’s and girls’ reproductive health occurs through the Global Programs funding area. Under the Education Opportunities program, Roth supports “programs that empower [girls] through […] educational enrichment, leadership development, and tutoring, mentoring, and financial literacy.”
Grants for Work and Economic Opportunity
Under the umbrella of its Education Opportunities program, Roth’s Economic Development initiative funds groups that focus on issues of economic justice and economic development. The foundation supports programs on community participation, worker organizing, leadership development, advocacy, and policy reform. The program’s ultimate objective is to fund “a sustainable increase in living standards that include living wages, education, healthcare, and housing.”
Grants for Arts Education
The Roth Family Foundation supports arts education for underserved communities. The types of programs it will fund include those that work to provide “music lessons and instruments, exposure to various genres of music, performance opportunities, real-world career opportunities, and curriculum design.”
Important Grant Details:
Grants are relatively modest and typically fall between $5,000 to $15,000. View past grantees here.
Unfortunately, Roth does not accept unsolicited requests for funding or grant applications for its Global Program. Please note that until further notice, its application process is closed. Grant seekers should check back with the site to see if its grants application status has changed.
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