About Ross Stores Foundation
A pattern stands out in the Ross Stores Foundation’s recent giving: repeated, large grants to national organizations that serve children and communities facing urgent need. Boys & Girls Clubs of America appears multiple times in the recent grants list, including a $1,240,000 youth-program grant in 2023 and a $923,333 grant in 2025, showing sustained support for youth development rather than one-off gifts. The foundation also backed the American National Red Cross with $800,000 for disaster response in 2025 and $400,000 for disaster relief in 2023, pointing to a parallel focus on emergency support.
The grant record also shows a mix of national partnerships and place-based support. First Book received three separate youth-program grants across 2023 to 2025, while organizations such as United Way of Greater Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank appear in disaster-response funding. The foundation’s work centers on service-oriented charities that can deliver youth programming, literacy support, and disaster aid at scale. Its latest 990 year on file is 2025, and annual grants given total $8,975,656.
What Ross Stores Foundation Funds
In youth development, the Ross Stores Foundation has funded several national and local organizations. Boys & Girls Clubs of America received $1,240,000 in 2023 and $923,333 in 2025 for youth programs, while First Book received $344,900 in 2025, $303,900 in 2023, and $272,700 in 2024 for youth programming. The record also includes support for Educational Alliance, Jumpstart for Young Children Inc, and Read to a Child Inc.
Disaster and emergency response is the other clear theme. The American National Red Cross received $800,000 in 2025 for disaster response and $400,000 in 2023 for disaster relief, and United Way of Greater Los Angeles received $350,000 in 2025 for disaster response. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank also appears in a disaster-response grant.
A third theme is literacy and enrichment. First Book is explicitly tied to youth-program funding, and 826 Valencia, Braille Institute of America Inc, and Scientific Adventures appear among the foundation’s youth-focused recipients.
How Ross Stores Foundation Gives
Typical grant size is modest at the center of the distribution, with p25 at $1,306, median at $3,502, and p75 at $20,000. The recent grant list also shows a smaller number of much larger strategic gifts, including seven-figure and high six-figure awards. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, First Book, the American National Red Cross, Educational Alliance, and American Online Giving Foundation Inc, which points to recurring relationships rather than isolated awards. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Unsolicited applications are not indicated in the active programs listed.
