Stand Together Foundation

Stand Together Foundation focuses on scaling social-entrepreneurship organizations that fight poverty, while the Charles Koch Foundation primarily funds university research and academic programs. Both are funded by Koch family wealth and operate under the broader Stand Together network umbrella, but they target different ecosystems and use distinct grantmaking approaches.

No. Stand Together Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grantmaking organization restricted to nonpartisan charitable and educational activities. It does not fund lobbying, political campaigns, or policy advocacy. The broader Stand Together network includes separate 501(c)(4) entities that may engage in policy work, but the Foundation's mandate is exclusively poverty-fighting and community transformation.

The Catalyst program targets growth-stage nonprofits with proven models and annual budgets typically between $500,000 and $5 million. The Foundation selects organizations demonstrating scalable impact in economic mobility, addiction recovery, criminal justice reentry, and education. Participation includes multi-year unrestricted grants and pro bono consulting from the Stand Together network.

Grantmaking decisions are overseen by CEO Brian Hooks and the Foundation's program team, with strategic guidance from Chairman Charles Koch. The selection process for the Catalyst program involves a multi-stage vetting that evaluates measurable outcomes and leadership caliber, drawing on the network's deep bench of former management consultants and business operators.

Both organizations are part of the broader Koch-funded Stand Together network, but they operate with separate legal structures and distinct missions. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable entity that fights poverty. Americans for Prosperity is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization focused on economic policy and grassroots mobilization. They share funding sources and some network infrastructure but maintain independent boards and strategies.

The Foundation's primary grantmaking vehicle uses traditional charitable grants, not program-related investments or equity. However, the broader Stand Together network has experimented with impact investing through separate vehicles. The Foundation's "venture philanthropy" framing refers to its intensive management support, not its financial instrument.

Funding originates predominantly from Charles Koch and the Koch family's industrial fortune, built through Koch Industries — a Wichita-headquartered conglomerate with annual revenues exceeding $125 billion (per Forbes, 2023). The Foundation also receives contributions from aligned donors within the Stand Together network, though Koch family wealth remains the anchor source.