Breaking down barriers, building up solutions.

We believe in a world where all communities have the power to shape their own future.

Our goal is to bring people together to break down barriers that prevent communities from thriving and to support solutions that allow all of us to determine a fair and just future. The Raikes Foundation believes that when we work together and center the voices of young people, we can build a fair society for all.

What We Do

Areas of Focus

Youth-Serving Systems

We focus on areas of work that are essential for young people to thrive: a safe and stable place to call home and access to an educational system that creates conditions for students to succeed. We look for innovative opportunities to invest in communities who are redesigning these systems in partnership with young people.

Resourcing Equity and Democracy

We have a long way to go in realizing a society where everyone has access to the American Dream. Ensuring our democracy works for all of us must go hand in hand with improving our public systems to live up to our country’s promise. We believe a robust, multiracial democracy should—and can—provide the goods, services, and policies needed for our communities to succeed.

  • $201M

    distributed since inception

  • $21.7M

    distributed in 2022

  • 1552

    grants made in the last five years.