Surdna Foundation Inc.

## Mission & Strategic Approach

The Surdna Foundation was founded in 1917 by John Emory Andrus and has been governed by his descendants for over five generations. It is one of America's oldest and most respected family foundations.

Core mission: "Fostering sustainable communities in the United States — communities guided by principles of social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, inclusive economies, and thriving cultures."

Surdna operates with an explicit racial justice lens across all programs. The Foundation's theory of change centers on dismantling structural barriers that limit opportunity for communities of color and low-wealth communities. Three strategic program areas organize all grant-making:

1. Inclusive Economies — Supporting robust, sustainable economies built on diverse businesses owned by people of color and equitable economic development practices. Focus areas include CDFI lending, worker cooperatives, community wealth building, equitable land use, and policy reform for economic justice.

2. Sustainable Environments — Supporting communities of color and low-wealth communities in gaining self-determination over land, infrastructure, and environmental resources. This includes climate justice, community land trusts, energy democracy, and anti-displacement strategies. Surdna takes a justice-first approach to environmental work, not a purely conservation lens.

3. Thriving Cultures — Investing in artists, culture-bearers, designers, and media-makers of color who partner with communities to "radically imagine justice." The Foundation funds cultural organizations as vehicles for social change, not just artistic excellence.

Surdna also maintains an Andrus Family Fund for family-directed giving and a Resilient Organizations Initiative focused on organizational capacity of grantees across programs.

The Foundation has explicitly committed to a racial justice framework since at least 2018, and its 2018–2024 Impact Report ("Journey to Justice") documents this evolution.

## Funding Patterns & Grant Programs

Surdna makes grants exclusively to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications — all grantmaking results from proactive relationship-building by Foundation staff.

Grant size data (IRS 990): - Median grant: ~$60,000 - Average grant: ~$111,112 - Maximum grant: ~$1.4 million - Total grants made: 374 in most recent filing period - Foundation assets: $1.16 billion

2026 active grants (sample):

Grant type: Surdna strongly prefers general operating support — the vast majority of 2026 grants are for general operations, not restricted project funding. Multi-year grants (24–60 months) are standard.

## Peer Comparison

Surdna is positioned among mid-size progressive family foundations with an explicit racial justice orientation:

Key differentiators for Surdna: - One of the few major foundations with 100% explicit racial justice frame across ALL programs - Strong preference for general operating support and multi-year grants (most common = 3 years) - Funds both field-building/advocacy AND direct-service organizations with a movement lens - Unusual combination of environment + economy + culture under one social justice framework - Family-governed, which often means longer institutional memory and more consistent strategy than corporate foundations - More accessible than Ford or OSF for mid-size orgs with $2M-$15M annual budgets

## Recent Activity & Grantee Examples

2026 active grants highlight a strong commitment to:

• Media and journalism for justice: TransLash Media ($610K, 36 months), MLK50: Justice Through Journalism ($350K, 24 months), Next City ($400K, 24 months)
• Black economic power: Black Innovation Alliance ($450K), Black Freedom Fund ($500K, 5-year commitment), Common Future ($675K)
• Climate and environmental justice: Climate Justice Alliance ($500K), Verde ($200K), Georgia WAND Education Fund ($200K)
• Land and heirs' property: Center for Heirs Property Preservation ($500K — addresses Black land loss in the South)
• Arts and cultural organizing: National Black Theatre Workshop ($375K), BLIS Collective ($375K), Village of Arts and Humanities ($150K)
• Economic policy reform: Good Jobs First ($600K — tracks corporate tax subsidies and accountability), Alliance for Justice ($100K)
• Youth justice: National Youth Justice Network ($160K)

Notable 2025–2026 institutional news: - Don Chen serves as Foundation President (as of 2026) - Gary Hall elected as newest board member (November 2025) - Ommeed Sathe named Investment Committee Chair (November 2025) - January 2026: Board members published public statement responding to ICE activities in Twin Cities, demonstrating the Foundation's political engagement - Stephanie Cineus joined as Grants Management Associate (February 2026)

Past notable grantees include: New Growth Innovation Network, Springboard for the Arts, Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education, Pacific Community Ventures, Latino Business Action Network.

## Application Tips & Relationship Strategy

Critical insight: Surdna explicitly states on its website: "We do not accept unsolicited letters of inquiry." This is a firm policy, not a soft preference. Success requires patient, authentic relationship-building over months or years.

How to engage effectively:

1. Map your work to one of three programs — You must fit cleanly within Inclusive Economies, Sustainable Environments, or Thriving Cultures. If you can genuinely align with two programs, emphasize the primary one. The crossover value is a plus, not a reason to be vague.

2. Lead with racial justice explicitly — Surdna's theory of change is rooted in racial justice as a framework, not just a value. Applications and relationship conversations that treat racial justice as a core analytical lens—not an add-on—will resonate. Vague "diversity" language will not.

3. Demonstrate ecosystem connectivity — Surdna wants to know that you are connected to broader movements, not operating in isolation. Show relationships with peer organizations, coalitions, and networks (including Surdna's existing grantees).

4. Target general operating support — When you do reach the invitation stage, frame your request as general operating support with multi-year duration (3 years preferred). Surdna funds organizations, not projects.

5. Engage at convenings and sector events — Surdna staff attend major social justice and funder convenings. Track where staff present or participate and build organic relationships there.

6. Track the grants database — Surdna's public grants database (surdna.org/grants) shows all active grants by program and year. Study the organizations funded in your field to understand exactly what kind of work Surdna supports at what funding levels.

7. Get warm introductions — Request introductions from current Surdna grantees. This is the most reliable pathway to an initial conversation with program staff.

8. Understand typical funding level for your budget size: - Organizations with $1M–$5M budgets: Expect $100K–$300K/year (3-year general operating) - Organizations with $5M–$15M budgets: Expect $300K–$600K/year (3-year general operating) - Larger, field-building organizations may receive $500K–$700K/year on multi-year terms

Best-fit organizational profiles: - BIPOC-led nonprofits working on economic justice, environmental justice, or cultural organizing - Policy advocacy and field-building organizations (not just direct service) - Media and journalism organizations centering voices of color - Community land trusts, CDFIs, and alternative ownership models - Worker cooperative ecosystem builders - Environmental justice organizations led by frontline communities - Cultural organizations using arts as a vehicle for social change - Organizations with budgets in the $1M–$20M range (too small or too large may not fit well)