Letter from the President

When my brother Paul and I created the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation more than 20 years ago, our goal was simple: To give back to a community we care deeply about.

As lifetime Seattle residents, the Pacific Northwest has played a key role in shaping who we have both become. We've paid special attention to helping those non-profits that nurture the arts, take smart risks, and aid our region's most vulnerable residents. Regional giving is a signature focus of the Foundation. From theaters to food centers to Native American organizations, we are proud to support hundreds of dedicated and diverse non-profit groups in Washington and its neighboring states.

In recent years, our family has been drawn to support projects that reach far beyond our own backyard. Paul has taken a personal interest in pushing scientific research forward, founding the Allen Institute for Brain Science and funding the new Center for Global Animal Health at Washington State University. The Foundation has carved out special funding for international education and conservation projects and is expanding the Allen Distinguished Investigators program, which fuels early-stage, cutting-edge scientific research. We are excited to find new ways to support causes that can truly change the world.

Our family does not look for "safe" funding opportunities – instead we want to support those non-profits that have the potential for great impact. We seek out groups that demonstrate creativity, embrace innovation and inspire people to do their best. We believe that these characteristics are markers of organizations that can push social change forward, whether they are big or small, rural or urban, established or newly formed.

We are proud of our partners and the work that they do to make our world a better place, and look forward to continuing our support for big change in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Jo Lynn Allen
Co-Founder and President, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation