Sapling Fund

Goals and Strategies

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.

Approach

Sapling Fund grants are guided by a “for kids, from kids” philosophy. Grants support programs and organizations that cater specifically to youth and specific priorities change each year as new cohorts of Sapling members collectively identify shared priorities for the year’s grantmaking.

Why Take This Approach?

Sapling Fund committee members gain valuable 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.

2018 Sapling Fund Grants

BEYOND THE GRADE

Beyond the Grade (Austin, TX) $8,200
​To support expansion of Rock Band Class to more schools in the Austin area. This program gives students a creative outlet while building skills such as creative problem solving, group and self-awareness, peer support, and interpersonal communication. Beyond the Grade develops confidence and community in underserved youth in Central Texas through after school music education.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF PUGET SOUND

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound (Seattle/Tacoma, WA) $2,500
To support recruitment and enrollment staff that recruit and train new adult mentors, as well as to support case managers that work with mentors, kids, and families. Big Brother Big Sister of Puget Sound provides children facing adversity with stron and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. 

BOYS HOPE GIRLS HOPE OF SOUTHERN CA

Boys Hope Girls Hope of Southern CA (Irvine, CA) $6,300
To support the College Road program, the educational and college-readiness portion of their programming. Boys Hope Girls Hope helps academically capable and motivated children-in-need to meet their full potential and become men and women for others by providing value-centered, family-like homes, opportunities, and education through college.

NICARAGUAN EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER (CREA)

Nicaraguan Education Resource Center (CREA) (Oakland, CA) $8,100
To support purchase of supplies, transportation, and books, as well as scholarships for youth leaders. CREA inspires rural Nicaraguans through literacy and education with three core initiatives: Library Services, Educational Outreach, and Youth Development. Each initiative enables rural and economically disadvantaged youth to receive critical support from preschool through university. 

KIDS HELPING KIDS

Kids Helping Kids (Santa Barbara, CA) $4,900
To support a partnership with Bombay Teen Challenge (BTC) in Mumbai, India, through the purchase of seven computers and 20 headsets. With this support, BTC students can connect with San Marcos High School students for a virtual tutoring program. Kids Helping Kids is a student run program of San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara that uses concepts learned in AP Economics class to positively affect children locally and globally. ​

KUOW - Radioactive youth + Media

RadioActive Youth Media (Seattle, WA) $2,500
For general operating support. KUOW RadioActive youth produce broadcast features and podcasts for KUOW covering self-selected topics like homelessness, mental health, immigration, and racial identity. RA believes their work is strongest when it rests on a foundation of multiculturalism and racial equity and most of the youth involved in programming have voices not often heard in media (young immigrants, trans and gender-nonconforming, LGBQ people, religious minorities, those with disabilities, and others marginalized by mainstream media).

NOTES FOR NOTES

Notes for Notes (Santa Barbara, CA) $2,500
Notes for Notes designs, equips, and operates recording studios inside after school community centers across the nation, providing youth of all ages a safe place to learn, create, and record music for free. This grant helps support Notes for Notes' Santa Barbara and Ventura studio programs.

RAINIER SCHOLARS

Rainier Scholars (Seattle, WA) $7,500
To support Academic Enrichment programs. Rainier Scholars offers a pathway to college graduation for hard-working, low-income students of color by providing access to transformative educational opportunities. Scholars engage in a proven, 12-year model that brings together the academic preparation, leadership development and personalized support they need to graduate from a four-year college and become career professionals and leaders in our community.

TEDDY BEAR CANCER FOUNDATION

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (Santa Barbara, CA) $7,500
To support a Counseling Group for Children and School Support programs. Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation empowers families living in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties that have a child with cancer by providing financial, educational, and emotional support.