444S Foundation
444S Foundation is a private foundation based in Bellevue, Washington. In 2024, it made 31 grants totaling $2,510,625; the listed grant purposes were environmental preservation.
444S Foundation at a glance
In short: 444S Foundation gave $2.5M across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $81K), top state District of Columbia. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,510,625
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $80,988
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $45,774,374
- +3.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (5 of 31, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (22% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to 444S Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1128, Bellevue, WA 98009-1128
Phone: (425) 454-4441
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who 444S Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Biodiversity Funders Group ($275K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
172 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 172 (44%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant-dollar distribution lists 22% for recipients in the District of Columbia, 19% in Alaska, 13% in California, and 9% in Idaho. The filing also lists 26% under “?” without identifying a state. Grantees included organizations based in Canada as well as the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is 444S Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 31 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $81K; repeat grants $81K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $51K repeat.
- 84% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2021) to $3.0M (2022). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Biodiversity Funders Group San Francisco, CA | Environmental Preservation | $275,000 |
| Makeway Foundation | Environmental Preservation | $250,000 |
| The Wilderness Society Washington, DC | Environmental Preservation | $250,000 |
| Winter Wildlands Alliance Boise, ID | Environmental Preservation | $195,000 |
| Alaska Wilderness League Washington, DC | Environmental Preservation | $170,000 |
| Native Movement Fairbanks, AK | Environmental Preservation | $135,000 |
| Cpaws Yukon | Environmental Preservation | $120,000 |
| The Alaska Center Education Fund Anchorage, AK | Environmental Preservation | $115,000 |
| Trustees for Alaska Anchorage, AK | Environmental Preservation | $100,000 |
| Ecojustice Canada Society | Environmental Preservation | $75,000 |
Ready to take the next step with 444S Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $45,774,374 | $5,184,349 | $3,522,449 | $2,510,625 | 31 | $3,058,228 | $4,773,128 | $3,131,235 |
| 2023 | $44,117,326 | $1,682,376 | $3,403,965 | $2,510,600 | 31 | $3,029,374 | $1,307,783 | $2,990,773 |
| 2022 | $45,842,969 | $3,234,022 | $3,828,964 | $2,955,750 | 35 | $3,427,720 | $2,842,778 | $3,039,716 |
| 2021 | $46,426,128 | $8,690,823 | $3,309,602 | $2,285,000 | 37 | $2,697,068 | $8,272,290 | $3,306,708 |
| 2020 | $41,199,657 | $4,900,429 | $3,266,016 | $2,448,000 | 38 | — | $3,904,509 | $2,839,777 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, 444S Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working on conservation, wilderness and public lands, wildlife, and environmental policy. For example, The Wilderness Society describes its mission as protecting wilderness and uniting people to protect America’s wild public lands. The Alaska Wilderness League says it works to protect Alaska’s wild lands and waters through broad support for federal policy action. Native Movement describes its work as engaging community members around Indigenous peoples’ rights, the rights of Mother Earth, and healthy, sustainable communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 31 grants totaling $2,510,625. Grants ranged from $15,000 to $275,000, with a median of $50,000. The largest awards included $275,000 to Biodiversity Funders Group, $250,000 each to Makeway Foundation and The Wilderness Society, and $195,000 to Winter Wildlands Alliance.
Other notable 2024 grants included $170,000 to Alaska Wilderness League, $135,000 to Native Movement, $120,000 to CPAWS Yukon, $115,000 to The Alaska Center Education Fund, $100,000 to Trustees for Alaska, and $75,000 each to Ecojustice Canada Society and the Endangered Species Coalition.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Cynthia Ann Wayburn, William Morgan Roush, James N Sheldon, and Corrie Yackulic as trustees.
444S Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James N. Sheldon
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$36K (2020) → $34K (2024)
Corrie Yackulic
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Ann Wayburn
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Morgan Roush
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Amy Gulick (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $34K, to James N Sheldon (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about 444S Foundation
How much does 444S Foundation give each year?
444S Foundation gave $2.5M across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.5M across 31 grants.
What is 444S Foundation's typical grant size?
444S Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $80,988, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from 444S Foundation that year got $81K on average.
Where does 444S Foundation give grants?
444S Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 22% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Alaska (19%) and California (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Anchorage, AK (5 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants), Boise, ID (2 grants) and Fairbanks, AK (2 grants).
Does 444S Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on 444S Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Environmental Preservation" (30 grants).
Who are 444S Foundation's largest grantees?
444S Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Biodiversity Funders Group ($275,000), Makeway Foundation ($250,000) and The Wilderness Society ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is 444S Foundation?
444S Foundation reported $45.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does 444S Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working on conservation, wilderness and public lands, wildlife, and environmental policy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from 444S Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is 444S Foundation's EIN?
444S Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-6468421. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does 444S Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). 444S Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/444s-foundation-morg_29563aa944ae41e4b0dfdee30a507080
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_916468421_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{444S Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/444s-foundation-morg_29563aa944ae41e4b0dfdee30a507080},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from 444S Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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