News – Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation

As summer settles in, we hope that you are making time for rest and renewal in these demanding times.

We would like to update you on a shift in our eligibility criteria. As we mentioned in our April letter, we received 366 LOIs in February, far more than we can support even with elevated levels of funding.

We know that, more than anything, our current partners need funding stability in this moment. For that reason, our Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 cycles will prioritize applicants that have received a grant from us in the last three years. This requires pausing applications from new organizations. (Even with these limits in place, we still expect far more requests than we can fund.)

Pausing new applications is a decision that sits uneasily with us: closed doors aren’t inclusive, and we’ve seen funders ossify in their thinking and not show up for their communities as a result. Within the reality of a small foundation with broad goals, a staff of one, and a community of amazing and aligned partners that need support, we will not let that happen. We look forward to building deeper relationships with our current and immediate past partners over the coming months–and we also hope to resume open applications soon.

Meanwhile, we will keep the door ajar for closely-aligned new applicants. If, after reading our priorities/criteria and scanning our recent grants lists, you think we align with your primary strategies, feel free to email us a few sentences about your work. We can’t respond to everyone (we apologize), but if it feels like a good fit, we’ll be in touch. At this time, please reach out only if your central mission focuses on policy change/advocacy, rights or climate litigation, sector capacity building/convening, or other upstream interventions.

Thank you all for your good work. Even if we’re not a perfect fit for you as funders, we remain deeply grateful for your perseverance and kindness

Photo credit: Rogue Valley Farm to School

Amidst all of this upheaval, thank you for staying true to your missions and your communities. Because of your work, everyone—everyone—is healthier, safer, more resilient, and more empowered.

We know that many of you have faced significant and abrupt funding cuts over the last few months. We also know that many of you have been targeted by fear-mongering and that your constituents may be facing immediate threats to their rights and wellbeing.

Please know that we will continue to stand with you and support you. We admire the bravery and love that you demonstrate in your work, and we are proud that you are advancing American ideals while being confronted by their opposite.

While it is impossible for private philanthropy to fill the chasms left by government cuts, we are working hard to be responsive, to move money quickly, and to remove barriers—now is too existential a moment for a wait-and-see approach or for complex processes.

Since our founding in 2019, we have sought to ground our grantmaking in trust, transparency, and accessibility. Most of our funding is already general operating; an increasing amount is multiyear. This year, in response to the exigencies of this moment in history, we have:

Set our 2025 payout to above 11.5% (likely more, given market volatility)
Distributed $1.5m in early responsive and discretionary grants to some amazing organizations (check them out!), with more to come in June and in our fall cycle
Offered accelerated installments of multiyear grants to organizations whose funding has been cut or whose focal communities have been targeted
Shifted our reporting process to prioritize conversation instead of written forms
Reviewed our processes to ensure we’re not asking partners to agree to anything that conflicts with new funding mandates
Continued to streamline and shorten our application process

Still, we are a small funder and recognize our limitations. We received 366 funding requests in our February cycle, more than ever and far more than we have capacity to fulfill. For our summer/fall cycle, we are looking at ways to prioritize current and past partners while still keeping the door ajar for aligned organizations that are new to us. We’ll update you on this soon.

Meanwhile, we know that circumstances remain challenging and that the coming days may see added headwinds. For Oregon nonprofits, if you are not already tuned into the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, their updates, resources, and calls to action are useful and timely. Nationally, the National Council of Nonprofits and the ACLU have similarly topical resources.

Thank you again for everything you do to shore up our communities. We are buoyed by your fortitude and by your deep care for your constituents. Please let us know how we can help: we always love to hear from you and welcome your insights.