Sloan Foundation

## Approach Strategy

The Sloan Foundation (EIN 91-1799087) is a private family foundation established in 1997 by Stuart and Molly Sloan in Seattle, Washington. Stuart Sloan built his fortune through a series of major retail and real estate ventures — serving as chairman and CEO of Quality Food Centers (QFC), CEO of Egghead Software, president of Schuck's Auto Supply, and majority shareholder of Pay'n Save drugstores. He currently owns University Village, a premier shopping center in Seattle's University District. The foundation operates as a donor-directed vehicle with no paid staff (both officers receive $0 compensation), reflecting a lean, principal-driven grantmaking model. The foundation's approach emphasizes large, transformative gifts to established institutions rather than broad, competitive grantmaking programs. With $39.3 million in assets as of 2024 and zero liabilities, the foundation is well-capitalized and financially conservative. The Sloans' giving philosophy centers on deep, long-term relationships with a small number of grantees — most notably Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center — rather than issuing many small grants across a wide portfolio. The foundation's primary focus areas include education, healthcare and cancer research, and human services, with a strong geographic orientation toward the Pacific Northwest.

## Funding Patterns

The Sloan Foundation's grantmaking has shown significant variability in both the number and size of grants over recent years. In 2024, the foundation disbursed approximately $2.1 million across a single large grant. In 2023, it similarly awarded roughly $2.0 million in one grant. The pattern shifted notably from 2020-2021, when the foundation issued 22-24 grants annually, suggesting a period of broader community responsiveness (likely COVID-era giving). By 2022, the number contracted to just 4 grants. The foundation's grant range spans from $250 to $3,930,000, with recent years trending toward fewer but larger awards. Revenue in 2024 was $5.8 million, sourced primarily from contributions ($3.5M, 60.4%), dividends ($1.49M, 25.7%), and asset sales ($819K, 14.1%). The $3.5 million in contributions suggests continued active funding from the Sloan family into the foundation. Assets have grown steadily from approximately $9.3 million in 2011 to $39.3 million in 2024, indicating the Sloans continue to build the foundation's endowment even as they make major direct philanthropic gifts outside the foundation (such as the $100 million to Fred Hutch). The foundation's focus areas per IRS filings include Education, Philanthropy/Voluntarism/Grantmaking, and Human Services, with grants distributed across Washington, Massachusetts, California, Hawaii, and other states.

## Peer Comparison

The Sloan Foundation sits in the mid-tier of Seattle-area private family foundations by asset size, with a distinctive pattern of concentrated, high-impact giving.

Unlike most peer foundations that run formal application processes and distribute grants across dozens of recipients, the Sloan Foundation operates as a highly personal vehicle for Stuart and Molly Sloan's philanthropic priorities. The foundation's consolidation from 22+ grants in 2020 to 1-4 grants in 2022-2024 indicates an increasingly concentrated giving strategy, possibly as more of the Sloans' philanthropy flows through direct personal gifts (e.g., the $100M to Fred Hutch) rather than through the foundation entity.

## Recent Activity

The most significant recent development involving Stuart and Molly Sloan's philanthropy is their cumulative $100 million gift to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, announced in July 2025. This built upon their landmark $78 million gift in September 2022 that established the Stuart and Molly Sloan Precision Oncology Institute. The additional $22 million brought their total to $100 million, resulting in Fred Hutch's primary outpatient facility being designated the "Stuart and Molly Sloan Clinic." The Sloan Precision Oncology Institute integrates fundamental biology, technology, immunology, data science, and clinical experience to develop targeted cancer therapies. Stuart Sloan has also been the founding sponsor of Obliteride, Fred Hutch's annual fundraising bike ride and 5K run/walk, since 2013, demonstrating sustained personal engagement beyond financial contributions. Within the foundation itself, the 2024 filing (submitted November 2025) shows continued operations with $2.1 million in charitable disbursements and stable asset management. The foundation's website (sloanfoundation.com) appears to be non-functional as of March 2026, showing only a JavaScript loading screen — which is consistent with a family foundation that does not solicit public applications. The foundation continues to be led by Stuart M. Sloan (President) and Margaret E. Weiland (Secretary), both serving without compensation.

## Application Tips

The Sloan Foundation does not maintain a public application process, open calls, or competitive grant programs. As a donor-directed private family foundation, funding decisions are made personally by Stuart and Molly Sloan and their secretary Margaret E. Weiland. Organizations seeking funding from this foundation should consider the following strategies:

1. Relationship-first approach: The Sloans' giving pattern strongly favors organizations where they have deep, longstanding personal connections. Their decade-plus relationship with Fred Hutch — including Stuart's annual participation in Obliteride since 2013 — preceded their transformative gifts. Building genuine relationships with the Sloan family through shared interests and community engagement is the most viable path to funding.

2. Align with core interests: The foundation's filings show three primary focus areas: education, healthcare/cancer research, and human services. Organizations working in these areas in the Pacific Northwest have the strongest alignment. The Sloans have shown particular interest in precision medicine, oncology, and educational institutions.

3. Think big and transformative: The foundation's recent trend toward fewer, larger grants (versus the 22+ smaller grants in 2020-2021) suggests the Sloans prefer catalytic investments that can transform an institution or program. Proposals should articulate how funding would enable breakthrough impact, not incremental progress.

4. Leverage Seattle networks: Stuart Sloan is deeply embedded in Seattle's business and philanthropic community through his retail career (QFC, Pay'n Save, Egghead), real estate holdings (University Village), and board service (including Rite Aid). Introductions through shared professional or community networks are likely the most effective way to reach the foundation's decision-makers.

5. Do not cold-apply: With no public application form, no listed phone or email, and a non-functional website, the foundation is clearly not seeking unsolicited proposals. Any outreach should be warm, personal, and ideally facilitated through a mutual connection.