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Our Latest
November 05, 2025
Beyond Elections: Investing in Strategic State Alignment
Democracy doesn’t begin or end at the ballot box. It takes root when people have the voice, choice, and power to shape the decisions that affect their lives — not just during elections, but every day. That’s the heart of our Resourcing Democracy portfolio—a long-term effort to build lasting power—so communities can stay engaged, organize, and lead long after campaigns end. Yesterday’s local elections—taking place in towns, counties, and states across the country—reminded us that some of the most meaningful decisions about our future are made closest to home. And with midterm elections now a year away, attention and funding will soon shift toward congressional candidates and campaigns. But building a healthy democracy takes more than winning elections. It requires steady investing in the people, relationships, and organizations that keep communities engaged long after the votes are counted. That’s why we invest in state and local organizations that work year-round to bring people together to identify problems, develop solutions, and take collective action that improves the daily lives of working people. And it’s why we’re inviting other funders to join us in supporting the conditions for lasting change—rooted in communities, led by lived experience, and designed to outlast any one election cycle. Building Lasting Power Across the country, local organizations are working year-round to meet their neighbor’s needs—helping families find housing, supporting immigrant communities, or strengthening local schools. Groups like this—rooted in trust and deep local knowledge of the challenges, opportunities, and people driving change—are the foundation of our Resourcing Democracy strategy. We’re partnering with leaders in Michigan, Washington, and North Carolina, as well as national networks, to help everyday people come together to shape a fairer future. Our role is simple: to listen, learn, and resource. We don’t set agendas—we invest in our partners’ ability to do so. Across our priority states, trusted, community-rooted organizations are joining forces around shared goals and long-term priorities through state alignment tables. With multi-year support, they’re strengthening local leadership, identifying challenges, and building the relationships that turn near-term wins into long-term change. As Megan Hess, Co-Director of We The People Michigan, shared during a recent funder briefing we hosted last month, this kind of deep collaboration is about more than coordination. “It’s about trust,” she said – the kind that allows leaders to move together and deliver shared wins for their communities. Megan and her co-panelists, Roxana Norouzi, Executive Director of OneAmerica and Jenn Frye, Co-Director of the Carolina Federation, shared why alignment tables are a powerful model for lasting change. By coordinating across organizations, partners, and coalitions, alignment tables: Bring people together across race, class, and experienceBuild trust and foster collaboration across issues and sectorsStrengthen and sustain strategic partnerships among community-rooted organizationsSet collective state agendas that deliver tangible results for communitiesSustain momentum beyond any single election, issue, or policyCreate the long-term conditions for systems change Alignment tables ensure that no matter who is in office, communities maintain the power to hold their leaders accountable and shape the future they deserve. From Election Day to Every Day Our democracy underpins everything we care about. It is the foundation for strong public schools, safe and stable homes, and real opportunity for every family. Sustaining it requires long-term commitment, not just campaign-season engagement. By investing in the people and organizations building lasting civic power, we can help ensure our democracy works the way it should—for all of us, every day. Learn more about our recent Resourcing Democracy grants here. ###October 08, 2025
The Raikes Foundation Announces Grants to Strengthen Communities and Democracy
Strong communities make strong democracies. When people have the voice, choice, and power to shape the decisions that affect their lives, we all prosper. That belief is at the center of the Raikes Foundation’s Resourcing Democracy portfolio, which has awarded its first set of grants to organizations helping working people come together to shape a fairer future in Michigan, Washington, and North Carolina—and to national partners building the networks that sustain this work across the country. These investments support organizations deeply rooted in their communities—groups that know the challenges, the opportunities, and the people driving change. Together, they are strengthening local leadership, aligning state and national strategies, and building the civic infrastructure needed for a more inclusive and resilient democracy. This kind of progress takes time and trust. While each state and organization has its own priorities, all share a common purpose: organizing beyond short-term election cycles to ensure communities have lasting power and voice. These grants help these partnerships grow, experiment, and adapt as conditions evolve—because durable change happens when communities lead. Here are two examples of what this work looks like in practice. THE WASHINGTON POWER BUILDING TABLE The Washington Power Building Table (PBT) is a partnership of six community-based organizations—Firelands, OneAmerica, Latino Community Fund, The Washington Bus, Washington Community Action Network, and Working Washington—working together to build statewide power in low-income and communities of color in the state. For years, PBT organizations have been on the frontlines—responding to escalating ICE enforcement, supporting immigrant families, and preparing communities for the ripple of effects of federal actions. Their efforts go beyond near-term change: they are creating lasting infrastructure so communities can advocate for themselves and influence decisions that shape their futures. In partnership with other statewide networks, PBT helped lead a successful campaign urging state leaders to use their power to protect immigrant residents. This collective effort led the governor to establish a new immigrant sub-cabinet, ensuring greater coordination across state agencies on immigration-related issues. Their work shows how community-rooted organizing not only responds to urgent challenges—it builds the civic muscle that makes our democracy stronger and more inclusive. GRASSROOTS STRATEGY COLLEGE The Grassroots Power Project’s Grassroots Strategy College shows the powerful role national organizations can play in supporting long-term, community-driven solutions—by amplifying state work, connecting groups across states, and equipping them with the tools, research, and strategies that help them succeed. The fifth Strategy College was a weeklong convening that brought together seasoned organizers from 44 organizations across 11 states. These leaders are advancing a shift away from short-term, reactive tactics toward long-term strategies that make transformational change possible. The convening served as a community of practice—an opportunity for state leaders to learn from one another, share what’s working, and deepen collaboration. In a political and funding landscape that too often rewards competition rather than collaboration, the Strategy College created a unique opportunity for groups to build trust, alignment, and collective vision. It’s a reminder that durable change doesn’t happen in silos—it grows when organizers, funders, and communities invest in one another and work toward a shared future. 2025 GRANT RECIPIENTS: State: Washington Power Building Table Michigan Alignment Table North Carolina: The Carolina Federation Fund Somos Siembra We Are Down Home National: Alliance for Youth Organizing Black Voters Matter Center for Popular Democracy Equality Federation Faith in Action Grassroots Power Project Local Progress Mijente The Mycelium NetworkNarrative Initiative Native Organizers Alliance People's Action ReFrame re:power Rural Democracy Initiative (Heartland Fund) State Power Fund | Organizing Lab We Make the Future Working Families Party ###July 09, 2025
Looking Back, Moving Forward
After nearly six years, I have decided to step down as Executive Director of the Raikes Foundation this fall. It has been the honor of a lifetime to work alongside a team and community of partners committed to putting the American Dream within everyone’s reach. I joined the foundation at a time of profound change in our country. The racial reckoning of 2020 and COVID-19 were defining moments that challenged us to respond with clarity and conviction. With the support and hard work of our staff and leadership, the Raikes Foundation deepened its commitment to racial justice and reimagined what it means to be in partnership—with young people, with community, and with grantees. That commitment is reflected across our portfolios today. Whether it’s improving school funding and student experience in public schools, reducing youth and young adult homelessness, or empowering donors to fund meaningful change in their communities—we are guided by a vision of a future where opportunity is within reach for everyone. During my tenure, we also launched a new portfolio dedicated to advancing people’s ability to shape the decisions that affect their daily lives. A healthy, thriving democracy underpins everything we care about— from education and housing to our collective well-being— and I’m excited to see this work grow and deepen alongside the foundation’s other core initiatives. As I step away from this role, I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be launching a new organization later this year. Our mission is to help mend our fractured civic identity by supporting diverse approaches to organizing and community building, especially in areas with limited philanthropic infrastructure. I will remain closely engaged with our trustees, Jeff and Tricia, and staff over the next several months to ensure a smooth and thoughtful transition. The Raikes Foundation’s mission and values remain as strong as ever. Our work is powered by a remarkable community of partners, grantees, and staff whose dedication and creativity will continue to drive positive change. It has been a privilege to walk alongside them, and I am deeply grateful for the trust and partnership extended to me over the past six years. I am inspired by all that I’ve learned here—by the power of collaboration, connection, and shared leadership. I look forward to celebrating the foundation as it evolves, reaches farther, and makes space for more people to lead, belong, and thrive. With gratitude, DennisJune 28, 2024
The Raikes Foundation Responds To Supreme Court Decision Upholding Criminalization Of Homelessness
SEATTLE, WA – Today, the Supreme Court issued its decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, ruling that cities are permitted to penalize individuals for living unsheltered in public places even where no other options exist. Raikes Foundation Co-Founders Tricia and Jeff Raikes issued the following statement in response: “Criminalization is not the answer to our homelessness crisis. This decision will harm all individuals experiencing homelessness – especially the 4.2 million youth and young adults who experience it each year – by allowing the counterproductive penalization of homelessness. None of us should grow accustomed to our neighbors living unsheltered. We understand the feelings of frustration and concern that can lead community members and elected officials alike to turn to responses centered on criminalization. But criminalization only exacerbates the problem in the long term by increasing barriers to stable housing, employment, and access to services. This is especially true for young people, a population too often pushed into the shadows because of their social and economic realities. Criminalization was the preferred response to homelessness for decades and it has never worked. But we don’t just have to imagine an alternative response—there are proven solutions at work in Washington State right now to reduce youth and young adult homelessness. Without resorting to criminalization, between 2016 and 2022 the number of youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in the state fell by 40 percent. That progress came from coordination with schools, state agencies, organizations, and youth themselves to address the root causes, not the symptoms of this crisis. The Raikes Foundation remains steadfast in our commitment to preventing and addressing the crisis of youth homelessness and building a future where all young people have a safe, welcoming place to call home.” About the Raikes Foundation At the Raikes Foundation, we believe that when we work together and center the voices of young people, we can build a fair society for all. 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 for America. We make grants in four core areas: education, housing stability for youth, racial equity and democracy, and impact-driven philanthropy. Through our grants, we seek to redefine financial impact, support individuals, and promote community agency and solutions to build a more just and inclusive society where all young people have the support they need to achieve their full potential. To learn more about our work, visit https://raikesfoundation.org.June 21, 2024
The Raikes Foundation Announces Gini Pupo-Walker as New Director of National Education Strategy
SEATTLE, WA – The Raikes Foundation today announced the hiring of Gini Pupo-Walker as Director of the National Education Strategy. As Director, Gini will oversee the Foundation’s efforts to advance a K-12 and post-secondary public education system that works for every student. “Gini brings a wealth of proximate and systems leadership to our work for educational equity,” said Dennis Quirin, Executive Director of the Raikes Foundation. “I am confident that under her leadership, the Foundation will continue to make durable, transformative progress toward a public education system that supports economic prosperity, the health of our communities, and our democracy.” Gini comes to the Director role with more than 20 years of experience as an educator and advocate. Currently, she serves as Executive Director for the Education Trust - Tennessee, where she works alongside partners, students and advocates to increase educational opportunity and achievement for historically underserved students. “It is an honor to join the Raikes team, whose ethos and mission are tightly aligned to my own,” said Gini Pupo-Walker. “I’m eager to draw from my experience working across sectors to help advance the Foundation's ambitious goals to build more just and inclusive education systems for students and communities across the country.” Prior to her role at the Education Trust – Tennessee, Gini worked at Conexión Américas as the Senior Director of Education Policy and Programs, where she oversaw their education policy division, P-12 and post-secondary programs in Nashville, and programs for migrant students across the state. She also served as the Executive Director of Family and Community Partnerships for Metro Nashville Public Schools, and as a teacher at the high school and college level for over 10 years in Seattle, San Diego and Nashville. About the Raikes Foundation At the Raikes Foundation, we believe that when we work together and center the voices of young people, we can build a fair society for all. 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 for America. We make grants in four core areas: education, housing stability for youth, racial equity and democracy, and impact-driven philanthropy. Through our grants, we seek to redefine financial impact, support individuals, and promote community agency and solutions to build a more just and inclusive society where all young people have the support they need to achieve their full potential. To learn more about our work, visit https://raikesfoundation.org.
Get to know our partners
Partner Spotlight
True Colors United
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth face unique societal obstacles including discrimination that put them at higher risk of housing instability. While 4.2 million young people experience homelessness each year in the United States, LGBTQ+ youth have a 2.2x greater risk of experiencing homelessness compared to their non-LGBTQ+ peers, all else held equal. True Colors United believes that safe, stable housing is a basic human need, and that in order to develop effective policy solutions to end youth homelessness, young people who have been affected by homelessness must be a part of the solution.
Partner Spotlight
JustFund
Philanthropy often perpetuates the same social and economic inequalities that it seeks to alleviate. The JustFund seeks to realize a new approach to philanthropic grantmaking that is centered in equity and trust. It is the only nonprofit grantmaking solution that removes traditional barriers that prevent grantmakers from moving resources quickly and efficiently to organizations at the forefront of social change.
Partner Spotlight
Equity Accelerator
Founded by Dr. Mary C. Murphy, lead scholar of the Student Experience Project, Equity Accelerator harnesses research, practice, and policy to create more equitable learning and working environments, from college through careers. Equity Accelerator creates and consults on the implementation of evidence-based solutions for equitable institutional and system transformation that are practical, efficient, and have greater potential to be widely adopted and highly effective.
Partner Spotlight
BELE Network
The Building Equitable Learning Environment (BELE) Network is a collective of educators, students and parents, community partners, school and system leaders, and policymakers committed to prioritizing practices and structural changes that improve student engagement, experience, and outcomes. We are reimagining public education and enacting change to ensure every student receives a quality education.