Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation
The Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 1988 and based in Missoula, Montana. The foundation is the major philanthropic organization for The Washington Companies and the Washington family. It strives to better the human condition by supporting programs and services that give people the tools to enhance the quality of their lives and to benefit society as a whole.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1B
+1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$50.0M
+4.4% YoY
Grant Count
547
+0.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$91K
+3.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to invest in people to improve the quality of their lives. The foundation supports a broad spectrum of worthy organizations with special emphasis directed toward programs designed to provide direct service to at-risk youth, economically and socially disadvantaged individuals and families, and those with special needs.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education — Higher education scholarships and funding for two-year, four-year, and graduate scholarship programs
- Arts & Culture — Cultural endeavors that bring people together to share creative talents, intellects, passions, and customs
- Health & Human Services — Programs ensuring access to basic health care services to vulnerable community members
- Community Service — Programs that improve communities where people work, play, and live
Grantmaking
The foundation is highly active in grantmaking. According to recent financial data, the foundation made 502 grants in 2024. Typical grant awards range from $150 to $22,500,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Montana, Washington, and Oregon, with particular emphasis on Montana communities where the Washington family lives and works.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $1,065,856,949
- Total Revenue: $23,741,757
- Total Expenses: $50,639,590
- Total Liabilities: $43,000,000
Historical Impact:
- $499 million+ in grants awarded over 34+ years of operation
- 250,000+ lives touched through foundation support
Funding for the foundation comes from personal contributions from the Washington family and annual contributions from The Washington Companies.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,065,856,949 | $1,052,645,253 | $979,809,616 |
| Revenue | $23,741,757 | $-22,884,591 | $14,908,793 |
| Expenses | $50,639,590 | $53,279,581 | $61,633,129 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $50,860,504 | $48,698,069 | $49,205,950 |
| Net Investment Income | $11,914,433 | $16,249,571 | $21,002,122 |
| Distributable Amount | $51,525,022 | $47,319,038 | $48,804,965 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation
Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation Grants
DENNIS & PHYLLIS WASHINGTON FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Dennis and Phyllis Washington Native American Graduate Fellowship Grant
DENNIS & PHYLLIS WASHINGTON FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Dennis Washington Leadership Graduate Scholarship Grant
DENNIS & PHYLLIS WASHINGTON FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $120,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHYLLIS J WASHINGTON | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| JERRY K LEMON | CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER | 4 | — |
| MIKE HALLIGAN | OUTGOING EXEC. DIRECTOR | 40 | $214,025 |
| KEVIN WASHINGTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KYLE WASHINGTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW K ROSE | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JOE RACICOT | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JON BENNION | INCOMING EXEC. DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced several significant grants in recent periods:
Washington Foundation grants $15 million for Butte hub$350,000 distributed to organizations across Montana
Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation gives $350K to organizations across$2.5 million grant to scale skills-based pathways across Montana in partnership with Education Design Lab
$2.5 million grant from Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation to scale$15 million grant for a Butte hub
$2.5 million grant from Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation to scale$1 million grant to the Boys and Girls organization
$2.5 million grant from Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation to scaleContact Information
Address: The Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation P.O. Box 16630 Missoula, MT 59808
Phone: (406) 523-1888
Website: www.dpwfoundation.org
Note: The foundation does not respond to inquiries regarding business ventures, investment opportunities, economic development ideas, or requests to contact members of the Washington family.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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