Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies

OVERVIEW: The Oklahoma-based Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies supports groups and projects focused on K-12 education, criminal justice reform, gender and reproductive equity, and democracy and civic engagement. It also supports Jewish community programs in the United States and Israel.

IP TAKE: With over $2.5 billion in assets and hundreds of millions in annual grantmaking, Schusterman Family Philanthropies is a major funder with influence both in the U.S. and globally. In recent years, under the leadership of Stacy Schusterman, the funder created significant new portfolios in criminal justice reform, gender equity, and democracy and voting rights, cementing Schusterman’s reputation as a supporter of social and racial justice. Schusterman prioritizes organizations that serve BIPOC and other underrepresented groups, and is driven by its underlying mission to pursue “just and inclusive societies.” This funder is also known for its collaborations with other major funders—such as The Justice and Mobility Fund—and its willingness “move quickly and innovate” when novel challenges arise.

Schusterman tends to provide multi-year general operating support grants, and it provides additional services to grantees such as capacity building and leadership development. Schusterman does not, however, accept unsolicited grant inquiries or letters of intent. This is not an accessible funder. It’s not particularly transparent, either—while Schusterman posts news and blog stories about its activities and features select grantees on its website, it doesn’t have a comprehensive grants list or database. Tulsa-area grantseekers working in education or community development could try making inroads via Schusterman’s contact form or local networking. Former grantees report positive experiences in terms of Schusterman’s responsiveness and openness to collaboration.

PROFILE: Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies was originally founded as the Schusterman Family Foundation in 1987 by Charles Schusterman, a Russian-born Jewish American businessman who invested in oil and gas, and his wife Lynn. Under Charles’s early leadership, the foundation had a limited focus on their hometown of Tulsa, Israel and Jewish culture. After his death in 2000, Lynn became chair of the foundation and went on to define much of its current grantmaking strategy. Their daughter Stacy took over as chair in 2018 and has since further expanded the foundation’s scope with three new program areas in the U.S.

The foundation’s mission is to “strive for a future in which the United States and Israel live up to their highest ideals and achieve more just and inclusive societies” by investing in “efforts to advance racial, gender and economic equity in the U.S., as well as to strengthen the Jewish community and Israel.” It seeks to “drive and support long-term systemic change through investments in leaders, organizations and U.S. public policy.” Its three main initiatives are Funding in the U.S., Funding in Israel, and Investing in Leaders for communities across the United States and Israel.  

Grants for K-12 Education

The foundation’s Education Program works to provide Black and Latino students access to high-quality and empowering K-12 education.

  • Schusterman’s education sub-initiatives focus on teachers, students and curriculum, as well as learning environments. Its teacher initiative, Excellent Educators, seeks to provide teachers with the training and professional support necessary to give students “a meaningful and affirming education appropriate to their grade level.”

  • The High-Quality Teaching initiative supports programs that provide teachers and students with high-quality, culturally relevant learning materials.

  • The Affirming School Environments initiative backs efforts “to identify and address the many factors that affect how students learn in the classroom and succeed in school,” specifically those related to racial equity.

  • Finally, Schusterman’s Policy and Public Understanding initiative works to amplify the role of educators in policy decisions and strengthen those policies that “foster high-quality teaching, professional development and equitable school practices.”

Past grantees include Urban Teachers, a national organization that fosters teaching skills that effect empowerment, equity and inclusivity in urban classrooms, and Odell Education, which has developed a rigorous literacy curriculum that also fosters creativity and critical thinking in students. This funder has also supported several leading charter school networks.

Grants for Jewish Causes

Schusterman’s Jewish giving is divided between support for the Jewish community and support for Israel. The foundation’s Jewish Community program grantmaking “centers on shaping Jewish experiences that are welcoming and accessible, building a connection with Israel, and promoting a culture of service rooted in the Jewish commitment to pursue justice (tzedek), repair the world (tikkun olam), and treat all people with dignity and respect (derekh eretz).” The program is further subdivided into three initiatives focused on Jewish culture, appreciation and understanding of Israel, and Jewish leadership.

  • The Jewish Life and Values initiative supports “organizations committed to making service a defining element of Jewish life and helping young Jews align with Jewish values as they work to shape more just and inclusive societies.”

  • The Israel Education and Engagement initiative is distinct from the larger Funding for Israel program. The initiative centers on Birthright Israel, Jewish charities, and child-focused programs in Tulsa. It also works to advance understanding of Israel as a Jewish state, the homeland of the Jewish people, and “the only democracy in the Middle East.”

  • The Jewish Leadership initiative supports “rising Jewish leaders” and funds leaders that reflect a diverse Jewish community, including recognizing the role of women, people of color and LGBTQ professionals.

Schusterman’s Funding in Israel grantmaking “is rooted in a proud embrace of the vision of Zionism embedded in Israel’s founding Declaration of Independence.” Specifically, it funds areas where it believes it can make a significant contribution. Its Social Affairs focus area supports organizations serving underserved populations in Israel, as well as Holocaust survivors and the LGBTQ+ community. The Inclusive Society focus area works to “strengthen education, training and employment opportunities” for the country’s Haredi and Arab communities.

The Investing in Leaders program prioritizes grantmaking for Jewish communities throughout the U.S. and in Israel. Its three subinitiatives consist of:

  • A fellowship program for Jewish leaders in the U.S. and Israel.

  • REALITY, which brings “inspiring changemakers” to Israel.

  • ROI Community, “a global network that connects and mobilizes innovative Jewish and Israeli changemakers to address opportunities and challenges in Jewish communities, Israel and the world.”

Schusterman's Jewish community and Israel-based grantees include the American Israel Education Foundation; Honeymoon Israel; Birthright Israel, the Israel on Campus Coalition; Israel21C, Asylum Arts ("a global network for Jewish culture"); Hebrew Union College; IsraAid, the Natan Fund, and the David Project, among many others. Grant seekers can view other past Israel program grantees here.

Grants for Criminal Justice Reform

The foundation’s Criminal Justice program works to end overcriminalization, prioritize community health and safety, and reduce harm. Its grantmaking is conducted through three sub-initiatives:

  • The Ending Overcriminalization initiative works to shrink the “criminal legal system’s footprint by addressing the complex web of policies and practices perpetuating the criminalization cycle,” particularly as it impacts low-income communities of color.

  • The Community-Centered Health and Safety initiative supports “efforts led by Black and brown communities to shape restorative alternatives to criminalization, improve crisis response, and support mental health infrastructure and work with lawmakers to prioritize community-centered care.”

  • The Reducing and Repairing Harm initiative makes grants to “organizations and initiatives committed to building the opportunities and systems that help people directly impacted by mass incarceration to thrive, drive policy change and shape public discourse.”

Schusterman gave $20 million to Enterprise Community Partners, a Maryland organization working to increase housing supply, advance racial equity and build resilience and upward mobility in the community. A list of more grantees in the criminal justice space can be found here.

Grants for Democracy and Civic Engagement

Schusterman’s Democracy and Voting Rights program funds groups and programs working to protect voting rights and access for all citizens. Its three-pronged approach centers on expanding civic participation, with a focus on marginalized groups like veterans, seniors, youths, and people of color, achieving fair and safe elections by advancing voter protections and combatting voter suppression, and building faith in democratic institutions by investing in programs that help citizens build faith in democracy.

Grantees that have received support through this program include Fair Fight Action, All Voting is Local, and Protect Democracy, which works to address foreign interference in U.S. elections and prevent authoritarian threats to U.S. democracy.

Grants for Women and LGBTQ

Schusterman’s Gender and Reproductive Equity program seeks to create “a world in which women have freedom and control over their bodies, equal political and economic power, and safety from violence and harassment in all aspects of their lives.” Like many of the foundation’s other programs, it is subdivided into four smaller initiatives:

  • The Reproductive Freedom and Power initiative supports both regional and national groups working to restore and protect women’s reproductive freedom. It centers BIWOC in these efforts and prioritizes support for organizations led by Black women and women of color.

  • The Economic Power initiative “focuses on advancing paid family leave, accessible child care and equal pay for women, including living wages for low-wage women and women of color who disproportionately work in underprotected or unprotected labor markets.”

  • The Safety and Security initiative seeks to shift the narrative surrounding violence and abuse, and enact structural changes toward violence prevention, particularly for women of color and transgender people who “are often harmed when they access systems such as law enforcement, which can trigger unjust arrest and incarceration, immigration detention, or child protective services.”

  • The Political Power and Leadership initiative works to empower women by encouraging women’s political engagement and power-building.

Past grantees include Advocates for Youth, Futures without Violence, Mothering Justice, Planned Parenthood, SisterReach, Survivors’ Agenda, and Youth Guidance. View more previous gender and reproductive equity grantees here.

Grants for Community Develpment, K-12 Education, and College Readiness

Finally, Schusterman supports smaller groups and projects that serve Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Tulsa program supports the city’s “critical systems,” which include public education, higher education, social services and housing.” Its three subinitiatives focus on providing “opportunities for positive youth experiences and education; pathways to college and careers that prepare young adults to earn a living wage; and efforts to set up families and communities to thrive.”

  • The Youth Experiences and Education initiative supports local school and nonprofit leaders’ efforts to provide K-12 students with high-quality educational opportunities.

  • The Pathways to College and Workforce initiative backs projects and organizations working to provide access to and prepare Tulsa students for higher education.

  • The Family and Community Support initiative supports underrepresented and marginalized groups in the local community by expanding access to quality, affordable housing; alleviating hunger, preventing child maltreatment; protecting and supporting immigrants; amplifying community organizers; and improving conditions and support for Black entrepreneurs.

Previous grantees include Brady Craft, Circle Cinema, Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa Ballet, and Tulsa Children’s Museum. It also gives tens of millions each year to the Center for Leadership Initiatives to support Tulsa’s Jewish community. View more past Tulsa grantees here.

Important Grant Details:

Schusterman grants range widely between $5,000 and $20 million. This funder’s grantmaking amounted to $345 million in a recent year, and Schusterman has given over $2 billion since 1987.

  • This funder does not accept unsolicited grant proposals or requests for funding. Its application process is by invitation only.

  • Schusterman Family Philanthropies does not make grants to individuals.

  • The REALITY leadership program is primarily referral-based, but interested leaders may submit an interest form.

  • Application to the ROI community is based on the recommendation of current ROI members and organizational partners.

  • The Schusterman Fellows program has a referral-based application system; only partner organizations and senior fellows may submit nominations.

Grant seekers may reach out to the foundation via its Contact page. Media inquiries may be directed towards media@schusterman.org.

PEOPLE:

Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).

LINKS: