Liao Family Foundation

The Liao Family Foundation is a newly established private grantmaking foundation based in Bellevue, Washington, founded by Cheen Liao, the co-founder of Synology Inc., a global leader in network-attached storage (NAS) devices and data management solutions. The foundation received its tax-exempt status in August 2025 and is in the earliest stages of its philanthropic operations. With approximately $10.1 million in assets funded almost entirely through a $10.1 million initial contribution, the foundation has the financial capacity to become a meaningful regional funder but has not yet established its grantmaking identity. The foundation's officers include Cheen Liao as President and Treasurer, Hong Wen Charng as Secretary, and Victoria Ann Liao and Valerie Sarah Liao as Directors—all serving without compensation. Given the foundation's nascent status, there is no established application process, no published grant guidelines, and no track record of distributions to analyze. Organizations interested in positioning themselves for future funding should monitor the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings for emerging patterns, build visibility in the Bellevue and greater Seattle nonprofit ecosystem where the Liao family is based, and consider whether their mission aligns with likely focus areas informed by the founder's technology background and Pacific Northwest community connections.

The Liao Family Foundation's financial profile reveals a foundation in its startup phase with substantial capital but minimal grantmaking activity to date. In its 2024 fiscal year (its first filing period), the foundation reported total revenue of $10,126,760, consisting almost entirely of a $10.1 million contribution (presumably from the Liao family) along with $26,697 in dividend income and $63 in interest. Total assets stand at $10,118,584 with zero liabilities. Charitable disbursements in 2024 were just $8,176—a nominal amount typical of newly formed private foundations that have not yet established their grantmaking programs. No formal grants to external organizations were recorded in the 2024 filing. The foundation is classified under NTEE code T20 (Private Grantmaking Foundations), confirming its intent to operate as a grantmaker rather than a direct service provider. The substantial initial capitalization of over $10 million places this foundation in a position to make meaningful grants once its programs are established. Based on the 5% minimum distribution requirement for private foundations under IRS rules, the foundation will need to distribute approximately $500,000 annually in qualifying charitable expenditures to avoid excise taxes, which should drive the emergence of regular grantmaking patterns in coming years.

The Liao Family Foundation operates within a landscape of technology-founder family foundations in the Pacific Northwest. Below is a comparison with peer funders of similar scale and background in the Bellevue and greater Seattle area:

Compared to more established technology-founder foundations in the Pacific Northwest, the Liao Family Foundation is at the earliest stage of development. Its $10.1 million asset base places it in a middle tier—significantly larger than small family foundations like the Ann Wu Liao Foundation but much smaller than major technology philanthropy vehicles like the Paul Allen Family Foundation. The foundation's trajectory will likely follow the pattern of other technology-founder family foundations in the region, which typically take 2-3 years after formation to establish clear program areas and regular grantmaking cycles. The Bellevue area has a notable concentration of Asian American technology-founder philanthropies, and the Liao Family Foundation may find natural alignment with peer funders in this cohort.

The Liao Family Foundation is among the newest private foundations in the Bellevue, Washington area, having received its IRS tax-exempt determination in August 2025. Its 2024 Form 990-PF, updated on January 14, 2026, represents its first public filing and shows the foundation in pure startup mode. The $10.1 million initial capitalization was contributed in 2024, establishing the foundation's endowment. Only $8,176 in charitable disbursements were made during this period—likely covering organizational expenses rather than external grants. The foundation's website at liaofamilyfoundation.org is hosted on Google Sites and is currently a minimal placeholder with no substantive content about programs, mission, or application procedures. The founder, Cheen Liao, continues to serve as President of Synology America Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of the NAS and data storage company he co-founded in 2000 after leaving Microsoft. The foundation's Bellevue office at 13343 NE Bel Red Rd Ste 200 shares an address consistent with Synology America's business presence. No grants to external organizations have been recorded yet, and no mission statement has been filed with GuideStar or other charity databases. Given the IRS minimum distribution requirement of approximately 5% of net investment assets, the foundation will need to begin distributing roughly $500,000 per year in qualifying charitable expenditures, suggesting that formal grantmaking programs should emerge within the next 1-2 fiscal years.

The Liao Family Foundation has not yet established a public grant application process, and no grants to external organizations have been recorded as of its most recent 990-PF filing. This means there are currently no published deadlines, eligibility criteria, or application procedures to follow. However, organizations that want to position themselves for future funding from this foundation should consider several strategies. First, monitor the foundation's annual IRS Form 990-PF filings through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer or GuideStar for emerging grantmaking patterns—the IRS minimum distribution requirement will force the foundation to begin meaningful charitable distributions soon. Second, organizations with connections to the Pacific Northwest technology community, particularly those in the Bellevue and greater Seattle area, may have a natural advantage given the founder's deep roots in the region. Third, given Cheen Liao's background as co-founder of Synology and former Microsoft development manager, organizations working in STEM education, technology access, computer science education, or digital literacy may find strong alignment with the founder's professional interests. Fourth, the foundation's board includes family members Victoria Ann Liao and Valerie Sarah Liao, suggesting this is a family-directed philanthropic vehicle where personal relationships and community connections may drive grantmaking decisions. Fifth, organizations can contact the foundation directly at 425-698-9052 or at their office at 13343 NE Bel Red Rd Ste 200, Bellevue, WA 98005. Until the foundation publishes formal guidelines, prospective grantees should focus on building awareness and relationships rather than submitting formal proposals.