From Family to Community:
A History of the Satterberg Foundation
1990 – 2012
Founding Era
Forging our philanthropic path.
Our family’s culture and interconnectedness drove our giving as we saw the pressing need for a just society and a sustainable environment. Very early, we committed to a 10% annual payout of our assets—double the IRS requirement.
2012 – 2015
Exponential Growth
Learning to listen to community.
With the passing of a family elder, our assets grew from $4M to $400M. We hired our first paid Executive Director and philanthropic advisors, who helped us establish a culture of listening to the community and taking bold risks.
2015 – 2020
Refining Focus
Hitting our stride as stewards of community assets.
We modified our focus to center BIPOC communities and equity, launching our core support multigenerational funding program that would go on to support more than 200 Grantees.
2020 – 2021
Pandemic Pivot
Reframing stewardship as reparative action.
This reflective moment allowed us to more fully acknowledge the deeply harmful impacts of entrenched racism, and the immediate need for the wealthy to share not just funds but power. The Foundation Board took a back seat to staff in grantmaking, and we created the Reparative Action Fund.
2022 – 2025
Moving Forward
Putting our values into action.
How do we operationalize our beliefs? We remain committed to a 10% payout plus operational expenses, and our grantmaking will continue to evolve based on the wisdom of our non-profit leaders, organizations, and community. Whatever happens, this next stage will be characterized by a continual effort to walk our talk.