Zachary Woodard Foundation
The Zachary Woodard Foundation (d/b/a LightZ of Hope) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) (EIN 84-3775200) that donates 'LightZ' to children facing serious illness and disabilities. The organization presents mission, donation, and recipient nomination pages and uses the LightZ of Hope brand across sites. Contact details and a nomination form for recipients are available on the site.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Organizations or individual families delivering direct financial or medical assistance to children with serious illnesses or disabilities, or local charities and clinicians able to nominate eligible children.
Good Fit
- • Provides one-time or short-term financial or medical aid to children with serious illness or disabilities.
- • Can be nominated by a clinician, school, social worker, or community partner.
- • Has concrete, individual-level service examples or case stories (e.g., direct support to a child/family).
- • Operates in any U.S. state — the funder has supported recipients across many states.
Geography
In the latest year the foundation funded recipients in 14 states and the majority of dollars went to out-of-state recipients (about 81%), indicating a multi-state/national footprint rather than a single local focus.
Recipient Variety
Sixty-seven distinct recipients were funded in 2024 (with 58 new recipients that year) and past years show similar patterns, including both individuals and charities, so the observed recipient set is broad even though the mission focus is narrow.
New Applicants
Across three years the foundation added many new grantees (125 new in 2023; 58 new in 2024) and publishes a nomination/contact form on its website; however, it states funding is limited to preselected (nomination-based) recipients, so direct unsolicited applications are constrained but new entrants clearly do enter via nomination.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
