We reach our full potential through meaningful relationships.
We believe connection is the key to resilience.
The Sarlo Family Foundation partners with organizations to create the conditions for the wellbeing of young people, their caregivers, and communities.
WE believe
Young people thrive when the relationships and systems around them are supportive and protective.
Children and youth need caregivers whose own needs are met, and communities that are resourced and connected. We understand that societal conditions should open doors rather than close them.
We believe in celebrating strengths and fostering a sense of purpose, which is foundational to one’s mental health and wellbeing. We honor the wisdom that only fresh perspectives bring and recognize that young people are envisioning and leading what comes next.
Youth is not a fixed identity, but a meaningful chapter in the human story. The common thread that unites us is a shared need for relationships that hold us, communities that see us, and conditions that allow us to grow.
we fund
The Sarlo Family Foundation funds initiatives aimed at promoting the wellbeing of young people and their families. We invest upstream, before crisis, and focus on the conditions and models that support thriving.
We look for opportunities to support promising community-led approaches, and collaborate with government and other funders to scale what works.
Geographically, we focus on young people and families across California, with a focus at the county level in the San Francisco Bay Area. We also look for opportunities that drive national change.
Our giving strategy evolves as we learn in partnership with our grantees and the communities they serve. We are currently prioritizing organizations that:
Amplify the lived experience of young people and their families
Have strong, flexible, and goal-oriented leadership
Address the conditions of daily life that help people thrive
Are rooted in and led by the communities they serve
Understand that mental wellness means more than managing challenges — it includes joy, purpose, and the power of culture and connection
Focus on systemic improvement and multi-sector approaches that support youth and family wellbeing
We are
The conditions in which we are born and raised shape us in profound ways. Many come into this world navigating trauma, inequity, and disconnection. Yet through strong relationships, belonging, and a sense of purpose, we can rise to our full potential.
The Sarlo family knows this firsthand. Across generations, we have navigated profound trauma and the ways in which it moves through families. Generational trauma can shape relationships and live long after the original wounding. We have also experienced the transformative difference that professional support and interventions, community, and connection can make. That support, coupled with entrepreneurial drive and access to opportunities, allowed our family to thrive. Our foundation is how we honor that journey and show up for individuals and communities the way others showed up for us.
For over three decades the Sarlo Family Foundation has been committed to understanding and promoting the wellbeing of people in the United States. We believe this is foundational to a healthier and more just society.
Our team is passionate about the work we do because of our own experiences of trauma, resilience and hope. We believe our efforts are most successful when shaped by the lived experiences of everyone we partner with. Together, we can create the conditions for young people, caregivers, and communities to flourish.
WE connect
We identify grantee partnerships through our work in the community, and accept grant proposals by invitation only.