Careth Foundation Inc.

The CarEth Foundation is one of the most historically distinctive small peace foundations in the United States. Established in 1967 as the Grumman Peace Foundation by Yale-educated conscientious objector George Sterling Grumman, renamed CarEth in 1972 (for his mother Carol and aunt Ethel), the foundation has operated continuously for over 55 years. Sterling Grumman was a Vietnam War opponent who funded early anti-war organizing in Washington DC at the request of Cora Weiss, one of the era's leading peace movement figures. He died in 1978 while hiking in the Himalayas; the board is now comprised of his children, grandchildren, nephews, and non-family members.

The foundation's funding philosophy is articulated with unusual clarity. CarEth believes in making grants without stipulations — unrestricted general operating support for organizations aligned with the mission. This commitment to unrestricted funding, paired with a small all-volunteer structure in Duvall, WA, means CarEth functions as a values-aligned mission partner rather than a program-by-program funder. Their socially responsible investment policy (fossil-fuel divested since the Divest Invest Philanthropy Pledge) and ethical investing commitment further signal a foundation operating on principle, not just program metrics.

The core mission is creating a compassionate world of enduring peace with social, economic, and political equality. Three strategic goals operationalize this: promoting a global community of shared values, empowering those excluded from full participation, and promoting peaceful conflict resolution by addressing root causes. The foundation's history spans Vietnam War opposition, Cold War peace organizing, 1990s civil society building in the US and internationally, and likely more recent work on democracy, human rights, and climate justice.

Organizations in peace advocacy, anti-militarism, grassroots democracy, US foreign policy reform, and international human rights are the natural grantee types. The unrestricted grant philosophy means CarEth is most valuable to organizations that need flexible funding for advocacy, coalition work, or general operations — not project-specific programs.

The CarEth Foundation holds approximately $2.39 million in assets. At the 5% minimum payout level, annual grantmaking plus expenses totals at least $120,000; actual annual grants are likely in the $75,000–$150,000 range depending on administrative costs. For a 55-year foundation that has maintained consistent but not growing assets, CarEth likely receives modest investment returns and distributes regularly without aggressive endowment growth.

Individual grants are likely modest — in the $5,000–$25,000 range — given the foundation's small scale and the volume of organizations in the peace and justice space. The publicly listed grantees from 2010–2016 (visible on website but no longer active) likely included national peace organizations and grassroots advocacy groups. The absence of a current grantee list may reflect the all-volunteer staff's limited time for website maintenance rather than a funding pause.

The unrestricted grant philosophy is significant for grant sizing: CarEth's grants can go directly into operating budgets, advocacy campaigns, or institutional development without project accounting. This makes them particularly valuable for organizations that struggle with restricted funding sources.

Geographic scope is US-focused for democracy and human rights work, with international dimensions for peace and conflict resolution. The Duvall, WA base does not suggest a Pacific Northwest geographic priority; the foundation's history is rooted in national and international peace movement work, not local community philanthropy.

Given the EIN prefix 04- (Massachusetts), the foundation was likely originally incorporated in that state before the board relocated to Washington state — further confirming that geography does not drive grantmaking priorities.

Among peace and social justice foundations, CarEth occupies a rare historical position as a founder-era Vietnam War peace funding organization that has continued operating into the 21st century. Peer foundations in the peace philanthropy space include the Threshold Foundation, the Peace Development Fund, the Samuel Rubin Foundation, and the New World Foundation — all of which have similar histories of supporting movement infrastructure for peace and justice.

At CarEth's asset level, the most relevant national peers are small-to-mid family foundations in the progressive philanthropy ecosystem: the Resist Foundation, the Vanguard Public Foundation, and regional progressive foundations. The unrestricted grant philosophy connects CarEth to funders like the Potlatch Fund, the Bread and Roses Community Fund, and the Liberty Hill Foundation — all of which prioritize general operating support for social change organizations.

The fossil fuel divestment commitment and SRI investment policy places CarEth in the growing network of values-aligned philanthropies that have signed the Divest Invest Philanthropy Pledge. This connection to the divestment movement — alongside the peace focus — likely brings the foundation into contact with climate justice organizations that overlap with peace and justice work.

What distinguishes CarEth from most peace foundations is its founder's origin story (conscientious objector in WWII, ambulance driver, Yale Divinity + Business degrees, Vietnam peace funder) and the continuity of family governance across three generations. This family-driven continuity means the foundation's values are likely deeply held and stable, making it a reliable long-term partner for organizations in its focus areas.

The CarEth Foundation's website is current and maintained as of 2024-2025, with the Divest Invest Pledge commitment still prominently featured. The foundation explicitly states it has been operating "for over 50 years," which from the 2024 vantage point confirms continuous operation since 1967. The board remains active, described as seven members comprising Sterling Grumman's children, grandchildren, nephews, and non-family members.

The grantee list on the website covers 2010–2016, suggesting either the website has not been updated since then or the foundation shifted to a more private grantmaking approach after 2016. The maintained website and active asset base ($2.39M) confirm the foundation is still operating, though the vintage grantee list is a notable gap. Organizations that received CarEth grants in the 2010-2016 period would be the best sources of current intelligence on whether the foundation is actively soliciting new grantees.

The foundation's philosophy section was updated to include the Divest Invest commitment, which suggests website updates occurred at least through the mid-2010s. The peace, democracy, and human rights focus areas remain consistent with the foundation's historical priorities and contemporary movement landscape.

No major strategic announcements or focus area changes are visible. The all-volunteer structure and small asset base suggest the foundation continues operating quietly, distributing grants to trusted organizations without significant public communications.

CarEth Foundation is a values-driven, unrestricted grantmaker with a 55-year history in peace and social justice philanthropy. Approaching the foundation successfully requires genuine alignment with its philosophical framework:

1. Embrace the philosophical language. CarEth's website uses language of compassion, reverence for life, global community, and just peace. Organizations whose proposals use this relational, values-centered language will resonate more than those using technical program language or outcome metrics alone. The foundation was built by a man who drove ambulances during WWII and opposed Vietnam — its ethos is moral and movement-oriented.

2. Focus on root causes. CarEth explicitly seeks to "eliminate the root causes of conflict" and "lessen the existing polarization between the powerful and oppressed." Organizations doing issue advocacy, policy reform, or structural change work are more aligned than service-delivery organizations. CarEth is not interested in treating symptoms; it wants to fund the work that changes conditions.

3. Value unrestricted funding as a signal of trust. CarEth makes grants "without stipulations" — which means they are choosing organizational partners, not program contractors. Your proposal should convey organizational character, leadership credibility, and mission alignment. A clear articulation of what you would do with fully unrestricted general operating support is more compelling than a project budget.

4. Connect to the peace and democracy nexus. CarEth's historical funding spans Vietnam opposition, Cold War peace organizing, US foreign policy reform, civil society building, and democracy empowerment. Organizations working at the intersection of peace and democracy — anti-militarism, demilitarization, foreign policy accountability, democratic participation, or human rights — are most aligned.

5. Contact the foundation directly. As an all-volunteer foundation without a published application process, direct outreach via the website contact form is the right approach. A brief, values-aligned introductory email describing your work and its connection to CarEth's mission is appropriate. Be patient — volunteer-run foundations may have slower response cycles than staffed institutions.