Waters Meet Foundation (formerly Empire Health Foundation) is a private health conversion foundation established in 2008 through the sale of Deaconess and Valley Medical, a nonprofit hospital system in Spokane, Washington. The organization rebranded to Waters Meet Foundation to better reflect its commitment to health equity and social justice in the Inland Northwest. It is a 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Spokane, Washington, with 12 employees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$87.8M
+4.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-70.4% YoY
Grant Count
66
+37.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-78.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Empire Health Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Waters Meet Foundation invests in ideas and organizations that improve access, education, research, public policy, and wellness to result in a measurably healthier region.
Vision: Transform the seven counties and three tribal reservations of the Inland Northwest into the state's healthiest region.
Core Values: The foundation emphasizes stewardship, managing assets with integrity to sustain long-term funding of communities while recognizing the health care traditions of the region.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Health equity and dismantling persistent health inequities
- Systemic injustice mitigation
- Community power building and grassroots advocacy
- Housing and homelessness services
- Mental health care and addiction treatment
- Education and research
- Public policy
Grantmaking
The foundation manages a grants portfolio and has made investments across multiple program areas. Recent grantmaking activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Waters Meet Foundation focuses on the Inland Northwest region, specifically:
- Seven counties in Eastern Washington
- Three tribal reservations in the region
- Primary operations in Spokane, Washington
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $87.8 million
- Total Revenue: $14.7 million
- Total Expenses: $14.8 million
- Total Liabilities: $1.09 million
The foundation was tax-exempt as of August 2010 (EIN: 26-3375286).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $87,842,108 | $84,324,105 | $80,560,868 |
| Revenue | $14,721,923 | $10,829,931 | $3,263,159 |
| Expenses | $14,828,903 | $14,728,065 | $8,740,998 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,855,695 | $8,776,504 | $6,914,963 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,479,203 | $1,925,382 | $1,028,435 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,314,811 | $3,740,915 | $3,998,743 |
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
226 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Empire Health Foundation
Building Connections Initiative
EMPIRE HEALTH FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Empire Health Foundation Sponsorship
EMPIRE HEALTH FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Waters Meet Community Sponsorship Grant
EMPIRE HEALTH FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Latinos En Spokane ($185,137), Spokane Tribal Network ($80,500), Health and Justice Recovery Alliance ($74,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 4GE - QUINTON BAKER SPOKANE, WA | TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT | $7,500 |
| AGING & LONG-TERM CARE OF EASTERN WA SPOKANE, WA | IN SUPPORT OF AMMP PARTNERSHIP IN RDA STUDY | $15,000 |
| AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY CENTER SPOKANE, WA | TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT | $15,000 |
| AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY CENTER SPOKANE, WA | CAC MEMBER ORG. GRANT | $6,000 |
| ASIANS FOR COLLECTIVE LIBERATION SPOKANE SPOKANE, WA | CAC MEMBER ORG. GRANT | $6,000 |
| COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE LAPWAI SPOKANE, WA | TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT | $10,000 |
| COMPASSIONATE ADDICTION TREATMENT SPOKANE, WA | GRANT TO SUPPORT WORK WITH HR CONSULTANT | $5,000 |
| COMPASSIONATE ADDICTION TREATMENT SPOKANE, WA | TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT | $15,000 |
| ELK SOUP SPOKANE, WA | GRANT - INSUPPORT OF EXPO '74 50TH CELEBRATION TRIBAL CULTURE PILLAR EVENTS | $10,000 |
| ELK SOUP SPOKANE, WA | GRANT - INSUPPORT OF EXPO '74 50TH CELEBRATION TRIBAL CULTURE PILLAR EVENTS | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Thomas Zeke Smith: President
- Barbra Bowman: Program Director
- Janae Perkins: Senior Finance Director
- Jonathan Teeters: Policy Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS E SMITH | PRESIDENT | 35.3 | $252,114 |
| JANAE PERKINS | SENIOR FINANCE DIRECTOR | 37.1 | $67,768 |
| LILY ZHANG | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 36 | $37,856 |
| SHARON FAIRCHILD | CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| MONICA SIMEON | VICE CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| JENNY SMITH | SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| REUBEN MAYES | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| TODD KOYAMA | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| MELS FELTON | DIRECTOR (TERM END 2024) | 0.5 | — |
| ANNA FRANKLIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARGO HILL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| NICOLE JENKINS-ROSENKRANTZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ANDY LEIJA | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SKYLER LOVE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DEAN MARTZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| GLORIA OCHOA-BRUCK | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| KIM PEARMAN-GILLMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SHELLY WYNECOOP | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Foundation Rebranding:** Waters Meet Foundation announced its transition from Empire Health Foundation, emphasizing the symbolism of waters coming together to represent connection, shared purpose, and transformational change in health equity and social justice work.
Empire Health will administer new cancer research endowment fund**Building Connections Initiative:** The foundation announced selections for its Building Connections Initiative, a program supporting community connections and health improvements.
Announcement: Selections Have Been Made for the Building Connections Initiative**Cancer Research Administration:** Waters Meet Foundation was selected as the program administrator for Washington's Cancer Research Fund, a public-private partnership for cancer research funding.
Empire Health will administer new cancer research endowment fundSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Empire Health Foundation fund?
**Mission:** Waters Meet Foundation invests in ideas and organizations that improve access, education, research, public policy, and wellness to result in a measurably healthier region. **Vision:** Transform the seven counties and three tribal reservations of the Inland Northwest into the state's healthiest region. **Core Values:** The foundation emphasizes stewardship, managing assets with integrity to sustain long-term funding of communities while recognizing the health care traditions of the …
How do I apply for a grant from Empire Health Foundation?
The foundation manages a grants portfolio and has made investments across multiple program areas. Recent grantmaking activity includes: • **Housing Navigation Center Contract (2024-2025):** Partnership with the City of Spokane to operate a housing navigation center at the Cannon Street Shelter, providing temporary housing and comprehensive support services including mental health care, addiction treatment, and housing placement services. The program served 39 people in its initial period, with …
Where does Empire Health Foundation make grants?
Waters Meet Foundation focuses on the Inland Northwest region, specifically: • Seven counties in Eastern Washington • Three tribal reservations in the region • Primary operations in Spokane, Washington
What size grants does Empire Health Foundation award?
In 2024, Empire Health Foundation awarded 66 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Empire Health Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Empire Health Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Empire Health Foundation's EIN?
Empire Health Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3375286. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Empire Health 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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