What We Believe

Committed To Change

Mission-Driven,
Values-Guided

Our commitment to being mission-driven and values-guided ensures every philanthropic decision we make stays true to our purpose and creates lasting, meaningful impact.

Mission Pillars

Esler Family Foundation is committed to healing minds and strengthening spirits in partnership with changemakers worldwide who are advancing mental health, expanding youth opportunity, and bridging economic disparities. At the intersection of mind and spirit, we support solutions that nurture inner well-being and outer stability necessary for lasting social change.

We prioritize mental health services, research, and education to reduce stigma and ensure equitable access for underserved communities. We believe that mental health impacts the ability to engage and achieve, and is foundational to human flourishing.

We invest in a dynamic and equitable future by expanding access to educational and supplemental programs, creating opportunities for young people to develop skills, gain support, and reach their full potential.

We support strategies that address gaps in income, wealth, resources, and opportunities to allow individuals from all backgrounds to build sustainable livelihoods, enhance their quality of life, and contribute to a vibrant economy.

Values

Our values inform all that we do, providing vital guidance and direction for our giving priorities and partnerships.

We hope to build collaborative partnerships that prioritize open and honest communication, mutual trust and respect, and shared learning and vision. We believe that trust and accountability are interwoven; nonprofits need to be able to use funds with discretion and agility to effectively respond to the needs of the communities they serve. Unrestricted giving and multi-year gifts provide flexibility to allocate resources to where they will have the greatest impact, allowing organizations to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and emerging challenges. This approach leads to more impactful partnerships.

We favor approaches that tackle root causes. We believe that to create lasting change in our community and around the world, we must move beyond addressing symptoms and instead focus on preventing problems before they arise. This means we prioritize initiatives that target the policies and structures that create unequal access to resources, opportunities, and well-being. By focusing on these systemic issues, we can achieve the greatest possible impact, creating a more equitable world for everyone.

We provide philanthropic leadership to encourage giving. We understand that our role extends beyond simply providing funds; we want to help our partners expand their reach and impact. To achieve this, we utilize powerful incentives, such as early funding using matching grants to drive catalytic change. These grants are designed to help organizations leverage our initial investment to connect with new donors and motivate current supporters to increase their commitments. By doing this, we help our partners reach their fundraising goals faster and build long-term momentum, creating a broader and more sustainable community of support.

Core Criteria

To maximize our impact and steward our resources intentionally, we prioritize organizations which meet our core criteria.

Program activities are designed to shift life trajectories toward an improved future state, backed by measurable outcomes or a strong early-stage proof of concept.

Does the model show evidence of change?

The intervention introduces a fresh perspective, novel method, or holistic solution to overcome persistent challenges.

How does this address root causes differently?

Individuals with lived experience hold meaningful power in co-designing, guiding, or leading the work.

Are impacted communities driving decision-making?

Key decision-makers combine vision, expertise, and operational skill to build high-performing teams grounded in asset-based culture.

Do leaders cast a clear vision for where the organization is going and how it will get there?

The organization actively leverages cross-sector partnerships and community networks to extend reach, optimize resources, and ensure long-term sustainability.

Are partnerships deeply integrated or simply an informal referral network?

There is strong potential for growth, replication, or adaptation across other communities, cohorts, or systems.

Can the framework be expanded, regionalized, or adopted by others?

“ Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. ”

Arthur Ashe