Sapling Fund

Goals and Strategies

Through the Sapling Fund, young Laird Norton family members (ages 14–20) 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 offers leadership opportunities for the next generation. 

Grantmaking Process

Sapling Fund grants are guided by a “for youth, by youth” philosophy. Grants support programs and organizations that involve youth in their programming; specific priorities change each year as new cohorts of Sapling members collectively identify shared priorities for the year’s grantmaking.

Our grantmaking is by invitation only, organizations are nominated by Sapling Fund members based on the current year's giving priorities. Typically, all grants are awarded in June each year.

Current Grant Partners

All Hands All Hearts

All Hands All Hearts (Mattapoisett, MA)
​For general operating support. All Hands and Hearts provides community-inspired, volunteer-powered disaster relief. When a natural disaster strikes, AHAH arrives early and stays late to address the immediate and long-term needs of affected communities. AHAH works alongside the local residents and deploys a unique volunteer model to enable direct impact — helping families and communities recover by building safe, resilient schools, homes, and other community infrastructure.

CONVOY OF HOPE

Convoy of Hope  (Springfield, MO)
For general operating support. Convoy of Hope is a faith-based organization with a driving passion to feed the world through children's feeding initiatives, community outreach, and disaster response. In partnership with local churches, businesses, civic organizations, and government agencies, Convoy strategically offers help and hope to communities around the world.

Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps ​ (Portland, OR)
For general operating support. Mercy Corps works to achieve a real and lasting impact in the world’s toughest humanitarian emergencies. Their programs provide young people with the tools, resources, and services they need to succeed and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities. Mercy Corps offers social and emotional support to address high levels of stress, and connects youth with job training and opportunities that are demand driven. They create safe spaces that serve as refuges from difficult and dangerous circumstances, and partner with tech start-ups to create and scale digital employment solutions for youth.

Save the Children

The Save the Children (Fairfield, CT)
For general operating support. Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. They work in the United States and around the world to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes and children are most vulnerable, Save the Children are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

world central kitchen

World Central Kitchen (Washington, DC) 
For general operating support. World Central Kitchen responds to natural disasters, man-made crises, and humanitarian emergencies around the world. WCK is a team of food first responders, mobilizing with the urgency of now to get meals to the people who need them most. Deploying their model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real time, WCK knows that a nourishing meal in a time of crisis is so much more than a plate of food—it's hope, it's dignity, and it's a sign that someone cares.