ABOUT THE TSUHA FOUNDATION
The Tsuha Foundation began more than 10 years ago as a grant-making family foundation with a focus on supporting organizations that help people break the cycle of poverty. There are many causes of poverty and many organizations doing important work to alleviate it, and over the years our philanthropic work has led us to three areas of focus within poverty reduction: transformative relationships, systemic change, and the Asian and Asian American community. We believe people living in poverty are more likely to achieve financial stability if they have a strong social support network, so we support nonprofits with a social-capital based theory of change. We believe there are systemic barriers that can keep people in poverty despite their best efforts to escape it, so we appreciate opportunities to fund organizations making systemic change. In 2023, in honor of our founder and our board’s many connections within the Asian community, we added a third focus: grantmaking that reduces poverty in Asian and Asian American communities.
Some examples of what we fund:
Organizations that facilitate friendships across income lines, helping those in poverty to become self-sufficient while also for helping middle- and upper-income people to recognize their role in building a more equitable community.
A global fellowship designed to connect and equip change-makers from low-income countries in Asia and Africa with mentoring and research possibilities.
Nonprofits that provide workforce training, educational opportunities, or scholarships for marginalized communities
Teacher-mentoring programs to improve literacy and educational quality in low-income school districts
We believe in Trust-Based Philanthropy. We build long-term, personal relationships with our grantees and enjoy opportunities to provide support or guidance beyond our financial donation.
We are unlikely to fund an unsolicited grant request; however, if you believe your organization is uniquely positioned within our areas of focus and aligned with our values, contact us. We will respond individually if we would like to explore a funding opportunity with you.