Cedarmere Foundation
Cedarmere Foundation was a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington, that supported nonprofit capacity building in the Puget Sound region. A family foundation established in Seattle, it operated from 2006 to 2024 and focused on supporting the people and infrastructure nonprofits need to address community challenges.
Cedarmere Foundation at a glance
In short: Cedarmere Foundation gave $1.7M across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $130K), mostly in Washington. 25% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,684,224
- +1172.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- -53.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $129,556
- +2640.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $90,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (3 of 12, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (99% 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 Cedarmere Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
Cedarmere made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2212 Queen Anne Ave N 708, Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 669-4666
Website: https://cedarmerefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cedarmere Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Byrd Barr Place ($1.1M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 122 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Cedarmere’s primary community-partner program supported nonprofits headquartered in the Puget Sound region. In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington and 1% to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Cedarmere Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 12 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $36K; repeat grants $175K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $90K repeat.
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 539% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $132K (2023) to $1.7M (2024). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Byrd Barr Place Seattle, WA | General Support for BIPOC ED Coalition | $1,000,000 |
| Byrd Barr Place Seattle, WA | Capacity Building | $90,000 |
| Communities Rise Seattle, WA | Capacity Building | $90,000 |
| Front And Centered Seattle, WA | Capacity Building | $90,000 |
| Latino Community Fund Seattle, WA | Capacity Building | $90,000 |
| Na'Ah Illahee Fund Seattle, WA | Capacity Building | $90,000 |
| RVC Seattle Seattle, WA | Capacity Building | $90,000 |
| JustLead Washington Seattle, WA | Capacity Building | $90,000 |
| Common Future San Francisco, CA | Capacity Building | $12,000 |
| OneAmerica Washington Seattle, WA | Quick Response Training Grant & Capacity Building | $12,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Cedarmere 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 | — | $19,920 | $1,895,798 | $1,684,224 | 13 | $1,895,798 | $19,920 | $44,399 |
| 2023 | $1,877,891 | $86,210 | $292,298 | $132,375 | 28 | $289,395 | $85,241 | $98,937 |
| 2022 | $2,082,243 | $-267,234 | $330,028 | $184,395 | 23 | $294,646 | $24,906 | $100,397 |
| 2021 | $2,679,870 | $893,488 | $309,688 | $263,500 | 27 | $297,512 | $970,439 | $125,090 |
| 2020 | $2,095,510 | $109,178 | $264,459 | $241,899 | 31 | — | $112,562 | $123,771 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cedarmere Foundation reported a distributable amount of $44K 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
Cedarmere’s stated legacy vision was for nonprofit leaders to be strong and thriving, equipped to navigate an uncertain future with support from a funding community committed to capacity building. Its grantmaking supported nonprofit leadership, organizational capacity, and sustainability. From 2007 to 2023, its primary program made capacity-building grants to nonprofit community partners headquartered in the Puget Sound region. In 2020, trustees directed future grants toward organizations whose missions center on building the capacity of other nonprofits.
The 2024 grants included capacity-building support for organizations such as Communities Rise, which says it provides capacity-building and legal services to community organizations and microenterprises, and RVC Seattle, which says it strengthens organizations led by communities of color. Byrd Barr Place describes its work as advancing a more equitable future for Washingtonians through programs and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Cedarmere reported 13 grants totaling $1,684,224. Grants ranged from $6,224 to $1,000,000, with a median of $90,000. The largest was $1,000,000 to Byrd Barr Place for general support for the BIPOC ED Coalition. Other reported grants included $90,000 each to Byrd Barr Place, Communities Rise, Front and Centered, Latino Community Fund, Na’Ah Illahee Fund, RVC Seattle, and JustLead Washington, all for capacity building.
The foundation’s website states that in its final year it awarded $1.63 million in legacy grants to eight organizations, including a $1 million grant to the BIPOC ED Coalition of Washington. Across 18 years, it reports supporting 51 nonprofit community partners with $3.335 million.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing listed Kathleen D Edwards as president, George O Edwards as secretary, Amy Zimerman as treasurer, and Robert D Watt III, Beto Yarce, and Sarah Tran as trustees. Melanie Matthews was listed as executive director through November 30, 2024.
Cedarmere Foundation is led by Melanie Matthews, Executive Director - since 2024 (on filings since 2023); 1 of 7 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Melanie Matthews
Executive Director -
Executive Director → Executive Director -, 2024
On filings since 2023
20 hrs/week
$65K (2023) → $62K (2024)
Kathleen D Edwards
President
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert D Watt III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Beto Yarce
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Tran
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Zimerman
Treasurer
Vice President → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George O Edwards
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Courtenay Brennan (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Tanya Kim (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Todd Biesold (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Wendy Watt (2020) — 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 $62K, to Melanie Matthews (Executive Director - thru 11/30/24).
Frequently asked questions about Cedarmere Foundation
How much does Cedarmere Foundation give each year?
Cedarmere Foundation gave $1.7M across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $132K across 28 grants.
What is Cedarmere Foundation's typical grant size?
Cedarmere Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $90,000, and its average grant was $129,556, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cedarmere Foundation that year got $36K on average.
Where does Cedarmere Foundation give grants?
Cedarmere Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (12 grants).
Does Cedarmere Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 8% of Cedarmere Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Capacity Building" (10 grants).
Who are Cedarmere Foundation's largest grantees?
Cedarmere Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Byrd Barr Place ($1,090,000 across 2 grants), Communities Rise ($90,000) and Front And Centered ($90,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Cedarmere Foundation fund?
Cedarmere’s stated legacy vision was for nonprofit leaders to be strong and thriving, equipped to navigate an uncertain future with support from a funding community committed to capacity building. Its grantmaking supported nonprofit leadership, organizational capacity, and sustainability. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cedarmere Foundation?
Cedarmere made 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 ↑
How much is Cedarmere Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Cedarmere Foundation reported a distributable amount of $44K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Cedarmere Foundation's EIN?
Cedarmere Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3811488. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Cedarmere 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). Cedarmere Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cedarmere-foundation-morg_38c86e616f504c44ad82e41973cccdfa
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203811488_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Cedarmere Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cedarmere-foundation-morg_38c86e616f504c44ad82e41973cccdfa},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Cedarmere 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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