Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation is a public charity based in Redmond, Washington, that supports work to advance access to health care and education, immigrant justice, and community resilience. Founded in 2008, it is guided by Buddhist principles, while its mission and reach encompass people of all faiths.
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation at a glance
In short: Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation gave $2.1M across 67 grants in 2024 (avg $32K), mostly in Washington. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,122,286
- +23.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 67
- +31.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $31,676
- -6.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $31,500
- Total assets
- $10,879,677
- -5.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (18 of 67, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Washington (96% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Mailing address: 17102 Ne 40Th Ct, Redmond, WA 98052
Phone: (425) 883-3500
Website: https://sylfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation
Health & Education Grants
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation
Amount
Varies (historical awards: $227,500 - $257,500 total per year distributed to 6-16 organizations)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Lotus Scholarship
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Byrd Barr Place ($125K). Together the top 10 received $547K.
Grant Size Distribution
350 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 332 grants of 350 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily focuses on Washington’s King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, with stated exceptions for national immigrant rights advocacy organizations and disaster relief projects. Its Rapid Response Fund is limited to organizations based in those three counties. In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, 3% to California, and 1% to the District of Columbia. The foundation also reported disaster-relief funding for work in Taiwan and Gaza conducted by U.S.-based nonprofits.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 67 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 67 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $36K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $33K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2023) to $2.2M (2022). In 2024 it made 67 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Byrd Barr Place Seattle, WA | Sabbatical Program Support | $125,000 |
| Healthpoint Renton, WA | Capital Campaign, Health and Education Access | $90,000 |
| Together Center Redmond, WA | Justice Fund | $50,000 |
| Asian Counseling and Referral Service Seattle, WA | Sponsorship, Health and Education Access | $43,000 |
| World Relief Western Washington Kent, WA | Rapid response for health access pilot, health and education access | $41,600 |
| Kin on Seattle, WA | Sponsorship, Health and Education Access | $41,000 |
| International Community Health Services (Ichs) Seattle, WA | Health and Education Access | $40,000 |
| Oneamerica Seattle, WA | Sponsorship, rapid response for health access pilot, health and education access | $40,000 |
| Denise Louie Education Center Seattle, WA | Sponsorship, Health and Education Access | $39,000 |
| International Rescue Committee Seatac, WA | Sponsorship, rapid response for health access pilot, health and education access | $37,640 |
Ready to take the next step with Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $10,879,677 | $1,796,335 | $2,601,527 | $2,122,286 | 67 | $1,192,454 |
| 2023 | $11,502,957 | $2,043,207 | $2,322,846 | $1,719,950 | 51 | $660,292 |
| 2022 | $10,801,811 | $1,887,190 | $2,598,773 | $2,168,669 | 96 | $120,036 |
| 2021 | $13,329,663 | $1,856,075 | $2,310,517 | $1,842,700 | 52 | $457,293 |
| 2020 | $12,658,856 | $2,412,683 | $2,256,630 | $1,903,384 | 84 | $541,544 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to combine compassion and philanthropy with strategic grantmaking to advance quality health and education for all. Its stated priorities include equitable health and education access for immigrants and refugees, immigrant justice, emergency support for immigrant- and refugee-serving nonprofits, and community-led grantmaking. Its Lotus Scholarship supports students facing financial hardship, including immigrant and refugee students pursuing college; this is a scholarship program for individuals, not a grant opportunity for outside organizations.
The foundation says it prioritizes smaller, community-based organizations serving low-income immigrants and refugees, and values immigrant and BIPOC leadership and trust-based philanthropic practices. Among its 2024 grantees, Byrd Barr Place describes its work as advancing an equitable future through programs and advocacy, while HealthPoint says it improves health by delivering services and breaking down barriers to access. Asian Counseling and Referral Service describes its work as advancing the health and well-being of Asian and Pacific Islander communities and others experiencing disparities. These are the grantees’ own descriptions of their missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 67 grants totaling $2,122,286. The awards ranged from $5,150 to $125,000, with a median of $31,500. Its filing describes 32 health and education grants, 23 Justice Fund grants, 13 rapid response grants, and 10 community-led grants, alongside sponsorships, disaster relief, and other special projects. It also awarded 33 individual Lotus Scholarships; those scholarships are not grants for outside applicants.
The largest listed 2024 grants included $125,000 to Byrd Barr Place for sabbatical program support and $90,000 to HealthPoint for a capital campaign and health and education access. Other notable grants included $50,000 to Together Center for a Justice Fund grant; $43,000 to Asian Counseling and Referral Service for sponsorship and health and education access; and $41,600 to World Relief Western Washington for a rapid response health access pilot and health and education access.
The foundation says existing multi-year grants will continue to be paid on schedule. It will not accept new applications for its Justice Fund or Health & Education funding streams, but says Rapid Response Grants, Sponsorships, and Community-Led Grants will continue through 2027. Rapid Response funding is for documented, unanticipated emergency needs and may be up to $10,000. The foundation’s website says organizations must be invited to apply and that it does not accept unsolicited requests. Its general guidance invites prospective organizations to submit an inquiry form; for a qualifying rapid-response emergency, the foundation says to contact staff to learn more, with a short application requested if the need fits its criteria. The foundation does not fund endowments, political campaigns, or legislative lobbying, and, apart from its scholarship program, does not provide direct support to individuals.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Fo-Ching Lu as president, Susan Yang as secretary, and Andrew Roberts as treasurer. Directors listed are Heather Edlund, Dexter Kuah, Teresa Piersa, and Huma Zarif. Rachel Allen is listed as executive director.
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation is led by Rachel Allen, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 8 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Rachel Allen
Executive Director
Vice President, Director of Programs & Operations → Vice President, Director of Programs & Ops, 2023
Vice President, Director of Programs & Ops → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$71K (2020) → $99K (2024)
Fo-Ching Lu
President
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dexter Kuah
Director
Director → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Edlund
Director
Director → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Teresa Piersa
Director
Director → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Huma Zarif
Director
Director → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Roberts
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Yang
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Andy Roberts (2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Jack Hung (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Fo-Chi Lu (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $99K, to Rachel Allen (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation
How much does Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation give each year?
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation gave $2.1M across 67 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 51 grants.
What is Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation's typical grant size?
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $31,500, and its average grant was $31,676, across 67 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation that year got $20K on average.
Where does Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation give grants?
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (33 grants), Seatac, WA (6 grants), Kent, WA (6 grants) and Burien, WA (4 grants).
Does Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 67 grants with a stated purpose on Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Justice Fund" (16 grants), "Sponsorship, Health and Education Access" (14 grants) and "Health and Education Access" (11 grants).
Who are Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation's largest grantees?
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Byrd Barr Place ($125,000), Healthpoint ($90,000) and Together Center ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation?
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation reported $10.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.8M.
What does Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to combine compassion and philanthropy with strategic grantmaking to advance quality health and education for all. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation?
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check sylfoundation.org for any change to that policy.
What is Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation's EIN?
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3276872. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 28, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 8, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation funds
Religion Related Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sheng-yen-lu-foundation-morg_0eae028915954483bed6133117cc869a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_263276872_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sheng-yen-lu-foundation-morg_0eae028915954483bed6133117cc869a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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