Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation strives to combine compassion and philanthropy with strategic grant-making to advance and promote quality health and education for all.
We are a public charity and take great care in investing our resources responsibly, scrutinizing every request for funding, and building relationships with all grantees.
In general, we look for organizations that aim to make positive change to ongoing systemic challenges faced by immigrants and refugees. We recognize the expertise and wisdom of our community partners and are committed to trust-based philanthropic practices. For more on how we lead with our values, please review our strategic framework.
Grantmaking Priorities
Our geographic focus area is Washington’s King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, with the exception of national immigrant rights advocacy organizations and disaster relief projects. Preference will be given to smaller, community-based organizations serving low-income immigrants and refugees.
Organizations must qualify as 501(c)(3) entities under the Internal Revenue Service code and should demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Our grantmaking encompasses support for both immediate community needs and efforts at longer-term changes to structural inequalities.
Our Health and Education and Emergent Needs grants provide general operating support, which may include special projects, capital campaigns, community education, and capacity building among other needs. We provide multi-year support in our Health and Education grantmaking.
Health & Education Access
Immigrant Justice
Lotus Scholarship
Empowering Communities
Guidelines on Applying for Grants
Organizations must be invited to apply.
We do not provide grants for endowments, political campaigns, and legislative lobbying.
Aside from our scholarship program, we do not provide direct support to individuals.
We do not accept unsolicited proposals. Please do not call the Foundation to inquire about submitting a proposal.
If after reading the information above you believe you might be a good fit for our grantmaking priorities, please fill out the Inquiry Form below. Foundation staff will review all forms but may not respond to each inquiry. Organizations that have received funding in the past do not need to submit an inquiry form.