Foundations at a Glance: Marguerite Casey Foundation

In an election year, the Marguerite Casey Foundation has expanded its efforts to get poor people and minorities involved in civic life. In an election year, the Marguerite Casey Foundation has expanded its efforts to get poor people and minorities involved in civic life.

March 18, 2012 | Read Time: 1 minute

What it supports: Low-income families advocating for change

New grant making: The foundation has stepped up giving to groups that encourage low-income people and minorities to vote and take other steps to influence policy. The effort, says Luz Vega-Marquis, the head of the Seattle Foundation, is designed to make nonprofits recognize that voting is a first step for getting people involved in local politics. “What happens in a lot of communities is, groups come in, they register folks to vote, and then they leave.”

Total commitment: The foundation has allocated about $3-million toward the effort over the next three years.

Outlook for 2012: The foundation, which gave a total of $25.4-million in 2011, plans to award the same amount this year.

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About the Author

Maria Di Mento

Senior Editor

Maria directs the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual Philanthropy 50, a comprehensive report on America’s most generous donors. She writes about wealthy philanthropists, family and legacy foundations, next generation philanthropy, arts organizations, key trends and insights related to high-net-worth donors, and other topics.