Who We Are

“Early in my life, I was taught that to give is to receive… It gives me heartfelt pleasure to know that this foundation will continue to serve my personal mission of healing and helping others who have not had the same opportunities.”

— Ron Naito MD, Founder

Based in Portland, Oregon and created in 2019 by Dr. Ron Naito, the Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation continues his legacy of healing by supporting nonprofit organizations that strengthen, protect, and transform our communities and our planet.

Our grants support organizations working all over the world to mitigate the climate crisis, reduce health disparities, and build communities that are socially equitable and environmentally sustainable. We also support Oregon-based arts and education initiatives, particularly those focused on under-resourced communities.

Our grants are trust-based. Because we respect the expertise of our nonprofit partners and understand that they know best how to spend their funds, all of our grants are unrestricted. To reduce barriers to application, we also try to keep our forms straightforward, review applications on merit rather than on presentation, and always welcome questions and feedback.

In life as in medical practice, Ron was committed to continuous learning, to balancing analytical rigor with compassion and empathy, and to listening quietly to others’ concerns and experiences before trying to help. This foundation aspires to follow in his footsteps.

The Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation is based within the unceded territories of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla and many other Tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River and who live here today. We acknowledge that we are guests on this land and strive to support Native-led and Native-centering organizations.