Conru Foundation

The Conru Foundation is one of the more unusual family foundations operating at its asset level ($39.6M) — openly accepting unsolicited applications, awarding exclusively general support grants, and funding across the full political spectrum. Founded by technology entrepreneur Andrew Conru (Stanford PhD in mechanical engineering, founder of FriendFinder Networks) and governed by just two uncompensated officers, the foundation operates with the lean decisiveness of a founder-led venture rather than the bureaucratic caution of a traditional endowment.

The giving philosophy is grounded in Enlightenment values: truth, evidence, and free inquiry. The foundation's stated mission is the promotion of freedom of speech and religion through open discourse on diverse philosophical topics. In practice this translates to a portfolio spanning civil liberties organizations across the ideological spectrum (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, Turning Point USA, Drug Policy Alliance, Electronic Frontier Foundation), scientific and educational institutions (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Northwestern University), Seattle arts organizations (Gage Academy of Art, Seattle Theater Group, Pratt Fine Arts Center), environmental groups (Post Carbon Institute, Conservation Coalition), humanitarian causes (Doctors Without Borders, Charity Water, RAINN), and faith communities (St Paul's Lutheran Church, Queen Anne Lutheran Church).

For first-time applicants, three structural realities are decisive. First, all 133 recorded grants are for general support — there are no program-specific or project grants. Do not design a project narrative; write an organizational case for why your mission merits unrestricted investment. Second, repeat relationships drive the bulk of dollars: more than 20 organizations appear multiple times, and the foundation's five largest grantees account for over $2.5M of the $6.1M total. Position your first application as the beginning of a long-term partnership and reference multi-year ambitions. Third, Washington state organizations hold a decisive geographic advantage — 62 of 133 grants (47%) are to WA-based groups. Out-of-state applicants must compensate with exceptional issue-area strength or national significance.

The application entry point is an email to nonie@conruartfoundation.org with a brief description of your initiative and its alignment with the foundation's mission. No portal, no LOI template, no stated deadline. The rolling review and informal process favor organizations that communicate concisely and compellingly before being asked for more.

The Conru Foundation's grantmaking spans FY2019 through FY2023 in available IRS data, with total verified giving of approximately $7.5M across five years — an average of $1.51M per year. Annual totals have been volatile: $1.13M (FY2019), $1.65M (FY2020), $2.07M (FY2021, peak), $915K (FY2022, sharp contraction), and $1.76M (FY2023, strong rebound). The FY2024 990 is not yet filed, but assets grew from $36.5M to $39.6M against $7.66M in revenue, suggesting continued and growing grantmaking capacity.

Across 133 recorded grants totaling $6.15M, the median grant is $25,000, the average is $46,210, and the range runs from approximately $2,000 to an estimated $300,000 per individual grant (National Progress Alliance received $900,000 across three separate grants). The foundation's own metadata confirms a maximum grant of $250,000 and a minimum of $2,000. The $25,000 median means most organizations receive a single five-figure general support check.

Geographic breakdown: Washington state captures 62 of 133 grants (47%), with Seattle arts and civic organizations forming the densest cluster. California is second (20 grants, 15%), followed by Indiana (9 grants, concentrated at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and St Paul's Lutheran Church), DC (6), Oregon (5), Wisconsin (5), New York (4), Pennsylvania (3), Wyoming (3), and Arizona (3).

By issue area (estimated): - Civil liberties and free speech: ~28% of total dollars — led by National Progress Alliance ($900K), FIRE ($400K), Center for the Study of Partisanship & Ideology ($200K), Turning Point USA ($125K), and Claremont Institute ($110K) - Conservation and environment: ~14% — Conservation Coalition ($330K), American Lands Project ($300K), Post Carbon Institute ($175K) - Arts and culture: ~13% — Seattle Theater Group ($250K combined), Gage Academy of Art ($171K), Pratt Fine Arts Center, Artist Trust - Education (higher ed): ~12% — Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology ($530K), Northwestern University, Penn State, Bowling Green State - Faith communities: ~8% — St Paul's Lutheran Church ($380K), Queen Anne Lutheran Church ($60K) - Social services and humanitarian: ~8% — We Heart Seattle ($100K), Sound Discipline ($90K), Doctors Without Borders, Charity Water - LGBTQ+ and women's health: ~5% — RAINN, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Fistula Foundation, Lava Mae - Digital rights and media: ~5% — Electronic Frontier Foundation ($50K), Internet Archive, Documentary Foundation

The Conru Foundation's most distinctive characteristic within this peer group is its accessibility. All six foundations hold similar assets ($39.5-39.6M range) and share the same NTEE category (T22, Philanthropy & Grantmaking), but Conru is the only one with a public website, a named contact, a documented application process, and a stated policy of accepting unsolicited applications from any U.S.-based nonprofit.

The five peer foundations disclose no giving data, maintain no public application procedures, and are likely invitation-only or family-internal grantmaking vehicles. For grant seekers, this makes Conru the sole accessible entry point in its asset peer group. The practical implication: applicants are not competing with a formal prospect pool. They are competing with Andrew Conru's existing personal networks spanning Stanford-connected technologists, Seattle arts leaders, libertarian civil liberties advocates, and conservative think tank relationships. Cold applications can succeed — the grantee list includes many organizations with no obvious personal connection to Conru — but warm introductions through the foundation's ecosystem will meaningfully improve odds.

The most significant recent development is the December 3, 2025 (Giving Tuesday) announcement by the Conru Art Foundation of a five-year, $2.5 million commitment to Seattle's civic ecosystem at $500,000 per year. The initiative introduces the 'Venue Bonus' model: grant recipients receive complimentary access to ArtLove Salon, a newly opened 16,000 square foot event space at 110 Union Street in Seattle, directly across from the Seattle Art Museum. Each event package is valued at over $10,000 and includes professional catering and event coordination, high-end security, and zero venue rental cost for nonprofits. The foundation has set a public goal of hosting 100 civic and charitable events in 2026. Founder Andrew Conru stated: 'Money is essential, but visibility and connection drive real change. We're turbocharging grants by providing capital AND a world-class stage.'

Note that the December 2025 announcement is formally attributed to the Conru Art Foundation, a related arts-operating entity, while the Conru Foundation (EIN 82-1387085) is the primary grantmaking vehicle. The two share leadership and strategic direction under Andrew Conru and Jonathan Buckheit.

The Seattle Times previously reported that the foundation disavowed 'hateful ideology' following a Guardian investigative piece on its grantee relationships — a controversy that appears to have not altered the foundation's cross-ideological giving breadth through FY2023. No leadership changes have been publicly announced. The foundation's prior major initiative was building toward $1.5M+ annually in Seattle arts investments, a goal documented in its Conru Art Foundation materials and now formalized with the ArtLove Salon infrastructure.

The Conru Foundation's informal application process is both an opportunity and a test. There is no grant portal, no standardized LOI form, and no deadline. The entry point — a concise email to nonie@conruartfoundation.org — means your first contact must accomplish in a few paragraphs what most foundations give you 10 pages to argue. Here is how to use that constraint well.

Lead with mission-language alignment. The foundation's stated values are truth, evidence, free inquiry, and freedom of speech. Open your email with a single sentence that connects your organization's purpose to these principles. If your work involves civil liberties, academic freedom, environmental science, community arts, or open discourse, use that language directly and confidently. Do not contort your mission to fit — the foundation funds an authentically diverse portfolio, and forced alignment reads as opportunism.

Make a general support case, not a program pitch. Every recorded grant in the foundation's history is for general support. Submit your organization's overall financial picture (annual budget, primary revenue sources, years of operation, number of people served) rather than a program-specific ask. Conru funds organizations, not projects.

Demonstrate organizational scale and repeatability. The five largest grantees each received between 3 and 5 grants, averaging $100,000-$300,000 per grant. First grants are entry points. Show that your organization is built for long-term partnership: stable leadership, growing impact, multi-year track record.

Emphasize Seattle and Washington state roots where genuine. Sixty-two of 133 grants went to WA-based organizations. Reference your regional footprint, community relationships, and any connections to the Seattle tech or arts ecosystem. Andrew Conru's Stanford and tech background means he values data-driven outcomes — lead with measurable results, not testimonials.

Name a specific dollar amount. The median grant is $25,000 and most first-time grantees appear at this level. A clear, modest first ask ($20,000-$50,000) signals realism and increases the likelihood of a yes. Reserve larger requests for follow-on proposals after a relationship is established.

Follow up. If you receive no response within 4-6 weeks, call (206) 285-7242. The foundation is a lean two-person operation and email may not surface promptly. A polite phone follow-up signals genuine interest.

For Seattle-based organizations: explicitly inquire about the Conru Art Foundation's ArtLove Salon Venue Bonus — the $2.5M five-year initiative announced December 2025 is designed specifically for Seattle nonprofits and may offer event space access in addition to or instead of a direct cash grant.