Bishop Fleet Foundation
Bishop Fleet Foundation is a private, non-operating foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Established in 1941, the foundation operates as a grantmaking organization supporting nonprofit initiatives across multiple states, with a primary focus on the Pacific Northwest and Western United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.7M
+0.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$138K
+39.6% YoY
Grant Count
40
+17.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
+18.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bishop Fleet Foundation reported a distributable amount of $125K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Education — including higher education, scholarship funds, and educational organizations
- Health care
- The arts
- Youth services
- Human services
- Agriculture, fishing, and forestry
The foundation provides scholarships for local residents pursuing higher education, with individual scholarships limited to $2,500 per student per academic year. Types of support include general operating support and project support.
Grantmaking
No specific application guidelines or deadlines are publicly available. Prospective applicants should contact the foundation directly or consult IRS Form 990-PF filings for additional information.
Grant Range
& Distribution:**
Average Grant
$2,000–$3,000
Review Cycle
are publicly available. Prospective applicants should contact the foundation directly or consult IRS Form 990-PF filings for additional information.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in:
- Washington (primary focus)
- Arizona
- California
- Montana
- Utah
These five states account for approximately 98% of all grants awarded. The foundation has supported 38 unique organizations across its funding regions.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $1.7–$2.6 million (varies by reporting year)
- Annual Revenue: $105,000–$480,000
- Annual Expenses: $128,892
- IRS Ruling Year: 1943
- Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; contributions are tax-deductible
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,746,783 | $1,732,697 | $1,756,343 |
| Revenue | $184,479 | $105,246 | $123,234 |
| Expenses | $170,393 | $128,892 | $123,070 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $145,101 | $105,906 | $98,040 |
| Net Investment Income | $160,096 | $82,691 | $100,090 |
| Distributable Amount | $124,621 | $118,270 | $117,118 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
173 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of Washington ($7,500), Northwest Harvest ($7,000), Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Foundation ($5,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY TEMPE, AZ | SCHOLARSHIP GRANT | $2,500 |
| BIG BROTHERS & BIG SISTERS SEATTLE, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $4,500 |
| CENTRALIA COLLEGE CENTRALIA, WA | SCHOLARSHIP GRANT | $2,500 |
| CITY OF MONTESANO MONTESANO, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| COMMUNITY FOR YOUTH SEATTLE, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| COMMUNITY FOR YOUTH SEATTLE, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| CORBAN UNIVERSITY SALEM, OR | SCHOLARSHIP GRANT | $2,500 |
| EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY CHENEY, WA | SCHOLARSHIP GRANT | $2,500 |
| EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATION UNIT SEATTLE, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,500 |
| FORGOTTEN CHILDREN'S FUND SEATTLE, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Christian W. Birkeland — President & Trustee
- C. Leigh Callaghan — Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer & Trustee
- Kevin Cahoon — Secretary & Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTIAN W BIRKELAND | PRESIDENT & TRUSTEE | 1 | $1,600 |
| C LEIGH CALLAGHAN | VP, SECRETARY, TREASURER & TRUSTEE | 0.5 | $1,600 |
Contact Information
- Address: 1420 5th Ave, Suite 3200, Seattle, WA 98101-2349
- Phone: (206) 623-6172
- Website: Not available
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bishop Fleet Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • **Education** — including higher education, scholarship funds, and educational organizations • **Health care** • **The arts** • **Youth services** • **Human services** • **Agriculture, fishing, and forestry** The foundation provides scholarships for local residents pursuing higher education, with individual scholarships limited to $2,500 per student per academic year. Types of support include general operating support and project support.
How do I apply for a grant from Bishop Fleet Foundation?
**Grant Size & Distribution:** • Median grant: $2,000–$3,000 • Average grant: $2,000–$3,000 • Grant range: $1,000–$10,000 • Maximum grant observed: $7,500–$10,000 **Annual Giving Activity:** • Annual distributions: $89,000–$145,000 • Total grants awarded (historical): 98 grants totaling $295,000 • Recent annual distribution (2024): $145,000 across 40 grants **Application Process:** No specific application guidelines or deadlines are publicly available. Prospective applicants should contact the …
Where does Bishop Fleet Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in: • **Washington** (primary focus) • **Arizona** • **California** • **Montana** • **Utah** These five states account for approximately 98% of all grants awarded. The foundation has supported 38 unique organizations across its funding regions.
What size grants does Bishop Fleet Foundation award?
In 2024, Bishop Fleet Foundation awarded 40 grants totaling $138K — an average of about $3K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Bishop Fleet Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Bishop Fleet Foundation reported a distributable amount of $125K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Bishop Fleet Foundation's EIN?
Bishop Fleet Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-6031057. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bishop Fleet Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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