The Laird Norton family continually promotes the advancement of intellectual growth, business experience and philanthropic focus in order to ensure the excellence of its youngest generations.

Through the Sapling Fund, young Laird Norton family members (ages  14-21) come together to learn about grantmaking, the nonprofit sector, and family philanthropy. The Sapling Fund provides young family members a chance to identify and support causes that resonate with them, and endows future family leaders with a sense of fiscal and social responsibility.

In 2013, LNFF's Sixth Sense committee became the Sapling Fund. Nearly 20 years after sixth generation members of the Laird Norton family started Sixth Sense as a way to give together and learn about philanthropy, the group had its first seventh generation family member join and wanted to find a name that would pay homage to the family’s roots and reflect the learning, growing nature of their work. Since Sixth Sense’s founding in 1998, this committee of young Laird Norton family members has awarded more than $250,000 in grants to 60 youth-focused organizations across the United States.

Sapling Fund grants are guided by a “for kids, from kids” philosophy. Grants support programs and organizations that cater specifically to youth.

Sapling Fund committee members gain valuable fundraising experience by organizing an annual campaign to raise money for their grantmaking activities through contributions from Laird Norton family members. The annual budget supports three to five grant awards each year and an all-family service project organized by members of the committee.

2017 Sapling Fund Grants

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  • Beyond the Grade (TX) $5,000 Beyond the Grade's Rock Band Class gives students a creative outlet while building skills such as creative problem solving, group and self-awareness, peer support, and interpersonal communication. The grant will support their Rock Band Class’s expansion in more schools in the Austin area. 
  • The Coffee Oasis (WA) $4,000 The Coffee Oasis serves homeless youth in Kitsap County through job training, drop-in centers, and a shelter. 
  • Head First Development (UT) $7,200 Head First Development is focused on supporting women and girls from disadvantaged communities in India. The grant will help support 4 student’s attendance at their new Hope Academy, a program for at-risk girls from Kolkata’s red-light districts, providing two-year Clinical Nursing Assistant training.  
  • Kids for Peace (CA) $5,500 Kids for Peace’s mission is to create peace through youth leadership, community service, global friendships, and thoughtful acts of kindness. The grant will provide support to develop and print an interactive Peace Pledge Workbook for kids involved in the Peace Pledge Program around the world, as well as support for the school Kids for Peace is building in Pakistan.
  • New Horizons (WA) $6,000 New Horizons Ministries partners with homeless youth on their journey toward a sustainable future. This grant will support New Horizons Ministries shelter, the Nest, the second largest shelter and day center for homeless youth in WA state providing relief through food, clothing, shelter, and hygiene, and also providing case management and job training.   
  • ZGirls (WA) $6,000 ZGiRLS equips girls aged 11-16 with tools and perspective to build confidence, self-esteem, and metal resilience through group-based female mentorship, ZGiRLS Curriculum, and parental support. This grant will support ZGiRLS’s Summer Adventure Camp scholarship fund.