SOURCE OF WEALTH: Seidler Equity Partners
FUNDING AREAS: Global Development
OVERVIEW: Robert and Alecia Seidler move philanthropy through the Ra5 Foundation, a family foundation that believes everyone should be able to live in dignity and security. It supports charitable programs designed to eradicate poverty and empower and assist women and at-risk youth. According to available tax filings, the foundation awarded $348,000 in grants in 2017.
BACKGROUND: Robert Seidler graduated with a B.A. from Georgetown and received his MBA from UCLA. He is a partner and founder of Seidler Equity Partners, a family-oriented private equity fund that provides capital and management support to growing entrepreneurial companies across the United States.
ISSUES:
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT: RA5 Foundation funds high-impact non-profit organizations run by dedicated, passionate individuals who are determined to solve societal problems. It supports charitable programs designed to eradicate poverty and empower and assist women and at-risk youth. For organizations that meet the foundation’s criteria, the charity offers 3-year unrestricted grants and investments. It particularly looks for entities that have already taken that admirable step, have a defined business model, a measurable track record of success, and are looking to scale. Many of the foundation’s grantees work on a global level, including in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
Grantees have included Laboratoria, which “works for thousands of women in Latin America to develop careers in tech that will change their future, while making the industry more diverse” ; Muso, which “builds health systems to save lives by reaching patients faster” ; and Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE), a “social enterprise whose mission is to invest in people and ideas that are typically overlooked (and often taboo) to drive social and economic change.” Through the years, another important grantee has been Casa da Criança Amor & Arte, a “children’s art, educational, and sports community center in Jataí, Goiás, Brasil.”
OTHER: The couple have supported Villanova University, where they are parents.
LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the family to remain laser-focused on helping successful social entrepreneurs scale.
