Friends of Seattle Waterfront

Public charity · Grantmaker Seattle, WA EIN: 80-0867356

To bring people, communities, and resources together to ensure waterfront park thrives as a vibrant gathering space - uplifting locals, fostering connections and honoring seattle's natural beauty and stories.

Key facts about Friends of Seattle Waterfront

In short: Friends of Seattle Waterfront gave $20.1M across 3 grants in 2024 (avg $6.7M), mostly in Washington. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.

EIN
80-0867356
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$20,065,000
Grants made (2024)
3
Average grant
$6,688,333
Median grant
$35,000
Total assets
$25,011,571
Primary geography
Washington (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$25.0M

-27.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$20.1M

-19.9% YoY

Grant Count

3

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6.7M

-19.9% YoY

About Friends of Seattle Waterfront

Based on IRS filings

Friends of Seattle Waterfront is a public charity focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in Seattle, WA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $25.0M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 3 grants totaling $20.1M. Net investment income was $2.9M.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.

States

Cities

Seattle

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10M$20M$30MTotal only2020 Total only2021 3 grants2022 3 grants2023 3 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $7.6M (2020) to $25.1M (2023). In 2024 it made 3 grants totaling $20.1M.

Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 3 recipients in 2024

City of Seattle: $20.0MCity of Seattle$20.0MPike Place Market Foundation: $35KPike Place Market Foundation$35KSeattle Aquarium Society: $30KSeattle Aquarium Society$30K

The largest 2024 recipient was City of Seattle ($20.0M). Together the top 3 received $20.1M.

Grant Size Distribution

9 grants across all recorded years

5<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M3$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 5 grants of 9 (56%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
City of Seattle Seattle, WACapital Grant$20,000,000
Pike Place Market Foundation Seattle, WACommunity Programs$35,000
Seattle Aquarium Society Seattle, WACommunity Programs$30,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$20M$40M$60M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$25,011,571$34,331,385$26,413,747
Revenue$21,016,878$40,720,932$21,501,273
Expenses$28,741,877$33,808,963$27,418,369
Net Investment Income$2,868,561$1,050,248$357,344

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 11, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 8, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 6, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 4, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Friends of Seattle Waterfront is led by Joy Shigaki, President & CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2022); 7 of 34 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Joy Shigaki

    President & CEO

    Executive Director → CEO, 2023

    CEO → President & CEO, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $127K (2022) → $291K (2024)

  • Maggie Walker

    Chair & Director

    President & Director → Chair & Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Yoon Kang-O'Higgins

    Senior Director of Community Impact & Programs

    Director of Public Programs → Senior Director of Community Impact & Programs, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $143K (2022) → $170K (2024)

  • Shiva Shafii

    Director of Marketing & Communications

    New on the 2024 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $145K (2024)

  • Brady Pinero Walkinshaw

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carla Lewis

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carol Binder

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chris Devore

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dan Kully

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Falona Joy

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeannie Nordstrom

    Director

    Director → Secretary & Director, 2023

    Secretary & Director → Director, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Nesholm

    Treasurer & Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kayley Runstad Swan

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Leonard Forsman

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lori Metcalf

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Louie Ungaro

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Martha Kongsgaard

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Olive Goh

    Secretary & Director

    Director → Secretary & Director, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Patrick Gordon

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ryan Smith

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stuart Rolfe

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tom Byers

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Hewan Teshome

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Julie Stein

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Karla Brollier

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kevin Geiger

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mike Halperin

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Charlie Wright

    Vice Chair & Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michaela Raikes

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Saema Somalya

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Anna O'Donnell

    Chief Philanthropy Officer

    Chief Philantropy Officer → Chief Philanthropy Officer, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $124K (2021) → $176K (2024)

  • Eldon Tam

    Chief Operating Officer

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $178K (2022) → $204K (2024)

  • Joey Smith

    Assistant Director of Philanthropy

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $103K (2023) → $106K (2024)

  • Frank Merges

    Senior Manager of Marketing & Content

    New on the 2024 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $107K (2024)

Former officers (25)
  • Former: Charles Wright (2020–2023) — Vice Chair & Director
  • Former: Mary Bass (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Sandra Jackson-Dumont (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Marie Kidhe (2021–2023) — Director of Community Relations
  • Former: Amanda Streams (2023) — Director of Park Experience & Operations
  • Former: Britt Rynearson (2023) — Communications Director
  • Former: Maria Reyna (2023) — Assistant Director of Community Impact & Programs
  • Former: Charles Royer (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: Paul Goodrich (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: P Thatcher Bailey (2021–2022) — Executive Director
  • Former: Gene Duvernoy (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Kyle McCoy (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Leslie Hanauer (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Margaret Shurgot (2020–2021) — Director of Philanthropy
  • Former: Nicole Dansereau (2020–2021) — Director of Communications
  • Former: Nicole Grant (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Paul Keller (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Stephanie Ellis-Smith (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Ann O'Dowd (2021) — Production Manager
  • Former: Elizabeth Wicklund (2021) — Senior Philanthropy Officer
  • Former: Jeffrey Ozimek (2021) — Park Operations Manager
  • Former: Yoon-Hee Kang (2021) — Director of Public Programs
  • Former: Heidi Hughes (2020) — Executive Director Jan-Oct
  • Former: Kollin Min (2020) — Director
  • Former: Philip T Bailey (2020) — Executive Director Nov-Dec

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

Joy Shigaki — President and CEO: $291KJoy ShigakiPresident and CEO$291KEldon Tam — Chief Operating Officer: $204KEldon TamChief Operating Officer$204KAnna O'Donnell — Chief Philanthropy Officer: $176KAnna O'DonnellChief Philanthropy Officer$176KYoon Kang-O'Higgins — Sr Director of Community Impact & Programs: $170KYoon Kang-O'HigginsSr Director of Community Impact…$170KShiva Shafii — Director of Marketing & Communications: $145KShiva ShafiiDirector of Marketing &…$145KFrank Merges — Sr Manager of Marketing & Content: $107KFrank MergesSr Manager of Marketing &…$107KJoey Smith — Assistant Director of Philanthropy: $106KJoey SmithAssistant Director of…$106K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $291K, to Joy Shigaki (President and CEO). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Friends of Seattle Waterfront

How much does Friends of Seattle Waterfront give each year?

Friends of Seattle Waterfront gave $20.1M across 3 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $25.1M across 3 grants.

What is Friends of Seattle Waterfront's typical grant size?

Friends of Seattle Waterfront's median grant in 2024 was $35,000, and its average grant was $6,688,333, across 3 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.

Where does Friends of Seattle Waterfront give grants?

Friends of Seattle Waterfront gives mostly in Washington: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (3 grants).

Does Friends of Seattle Waterfront give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on Friends of Seattle Waterfront's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.

How large is Friends of Seattle Waterfront?

Friends of Seattle Waterfront reported $25.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $21.0M.

What is Friends of Seattle Waterfront?

Friends of Seattle Waterfront is a public charity focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in Seattle, WA. It holds $25.0M in total assets as of 2024.

What is Friends of Seattle Waterfront's EIN?

Friends of Seattle Waterfront's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 80-0867356. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

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