SEATTLE — The Marguerite Casey Foundation announced a plan to donate at least $500 million to charitable organizations by 2036. The foundation established a new annual charitable payout baseline of $50 million, an increase of 50% over its previous decade average.
The foundation distributed $130 million in 2025, drawing funds from its endowment to increase grantmaking. As of April 2026, the foundation reported an endowment value of approximately $825 million.
"A very practical lesson is that we could give out more money and exist for a long time," said Carmen Rojas, chief executive officer of the foundation. "Endowments are resilient," said Daniel Gould, vice president of investments and operations at the foundation. "That resilience should be translated into increased grantmaking."
Between 2019 and 2025, the foundation's annual donations ranged from $23 million to $57 million, according to public tax filings. The Internal Revenue Service mandates that private foundations distribute a minimum of 5% of their assets annually.
The foundation, established in 2001 with funds from United Parcel Service founder Jim Casey, has divested its investment portfolio from private prisons, predatory lenders, weapons manufacturers, and data center developers. More than half of the foundation's endowment is managed by investment professionals from underrepresented racial groups.
The foundation's invitation-only grants cover 25% of recipient organizations' annual budgets for five-year periods. The foundation contributed $3 million to a private fund created by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, which is intended to support universal free child care.
The National Council of Nonprofits characterized the current operating environment for charitable organizations as an existential crisis. A survey of 380 nonprofit organizations in February found that a majority of respondents reported increased difficulty securing foundation grants. Additionally, modifications to Medicaid and federal food assistance programs have increased service demand at many nonprofit organizations. Some charitable funders are adjusting grantmaking strategies following White House statements concerning political violence and proposals regarding university tax exemptions.
No independent assessment was available for this report.