The EACH Foundation was founded to experiment with a seemingly disruptive philanthropic philosophy, not aiming to prove a better avenue for social change, but to simply point out that unique solutions to today's social ills exist. The idea to alter the paradigm currently dominant in American philanthropy came about by way of believing there to be a better way to give by upending the predominantly exclusive, overly costly, centralized giving model, with an aim to serve the underserved, those who want to give but cannot. These individuals own the foundations we hear about on the news at night: The Ford Foundation, the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; the Zellerbach Foundation; the San Francisco Foundation, etc. These are foundations owned by everyone in society, including even those without a roof over their head and those in prison, for example. But this doesn't get talked about in the board room, no, it is certainly ignored and overlooked entirely and at all cost to those who established the American private foundation, those administrators who run these foundations.  EACH decided to avail the giving process to the everyday people, empowering big-hearted volunteers to make the decisions as to where and how these community assts should be allocated. 

 

We give those in need of giving the power to give, as odd as that paradigm may sound, helping themselves and those in need, simultaneously. We believe that those afflicted with social ills are best able to address social ills in the community. We are an egalitarian, socioeconomically diverse group of 30 civic-minded individuals, striving to make a positive impact in our communities and the World around us. Our philosophy is to bring maximum positive change through genuine volunteerism in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii. 

The EACH Foundation does not have any full-time employees, offering our services, professional or otherwise, pro bono for the good of the community. We meet once per month (via conference call and in person), and we couple with other similarly minded private grant-making foundations to amplify this unique form of giving model. 

Our model is unique in that our Philanthropic Advisors are from all segments of society, from diverse backgrounds, serve two-year terms, appoint their own successor PAs, and have the unfettered ability to give directly to causes that they themselves are passionate about, at their own discretion.

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"To EACH Their Own" informs our open architecture approach to giving--be it a large, small, new, or old charity. We believe that in life you get what you give, that what goes around comes around, and that society as a whole is more important than the wants of the individual. The following ten tenets speak to the mission of the EACH Foundation:  ​

1. We believe in empowering everyday people with the transformative gift-of-giving. 

2. We believe that diversity and inclusivity provide the best path to philanthropic effectiveness.

3. We believe that nonprofits are owned by nobody (but everybody).

4. We believe it’s more efficient to seek out our grantees rather than have them seek us.

5. We believe that our fifty philanthropic advisors are as good at giving as anyone.

6. We believe that giving is the most rewarding and personally enriching act a person can perform.

7. We believe the proper amount to give away per year is 10% not just the IRS required 5%. 

8. We believe in an egalitarian operating structure, our motto being, "To EACH Their Own."

9. We believe in giving full independent grant-making discretion to everyday people, democratically. 

10. We believe in partnering with foundations and change agents to amplify our disruptive giving model.

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(The EACH Foundation closed permanently in January, 2021, after giving out all its assets to over 800 unique charities, but the ideas promoted by EACH will, hopefully, live on, and the volunteers of the foundation are always looking for funding from other foundations or benefactors interested in promoting and renewing this unique form of philanthropy.)