Gesa Community Foundation
Gesa Community Foundation is a public charity based in Richland, Washington. Formed in 2022, it supports organizations working on projects related to schools, local heroes, financial wellness and education, and general community sustainability.
Gesa Community Foundation at a glance
In short: Gesa Community Foundation gave $436K across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Washington. 79% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $435,870
- +3.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- +3.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $15,567
- -0.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $11,000
- Total assets
- $490,866
- +6.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 79% first-time grantees (22 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Washington (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Gesa Community Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 500, Richland, WA 99352
Phone: (360) 578-5351
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Gesa Community Foundation
Who Gesa Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Service Peace Warriors ($46K). Together the top 10 received $245K.
Grant Size Distribution
80 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 79 grants of 80 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went primarily to Washington recipients (91%); 5% went to recipients in New York and 5% to recipients in Idaho. The listed 2024 recipients include organizations in Washington and Idaho, as well as one in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gesa Community Foundation open to new grantees?
79%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 22 of 28 grantees (79%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $11K repeat.
- 14% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2022–2024). 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 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $423K (2023) to $436K (2024). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $436K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Service Peace Warriors Eltopia, WA | Assistance to Veteran's Local Hero's | $45,650 |
| Dress for Success Seattle Seattle, WA | Assistance to Veteran's Local Hero's | $35,000 |
| The Valhalla Flag Project Tacoma, WA | Assistance to Veteran's Local Hero's | $25,000 |
| Peacehealth SW Medical Center Foundation Seattle, WA | Assistance to Healthcare Local Hero's | $24,000 |
| Yakima County Department of Emergency Yakima, WA | Assistance to Firefighters Local Hero's | $21,893 |
| Laerdal Medical Corporation Wappingers Falls, NY | Assistance to Healthcare Local Hero's | $20,192 |
| Kootenai County Fire & Rescue Post Falls, ID | Assistance to Firefighters Local Hero's | $20,000 |
| Columbia Basin College Pasco, WA | Assistance to Healthcare Local Hero's | $18,500 |
| Tri Cities Chaplaincy Richland, WA | Assistance to Healthcare Local Hero's | $18,000 |
| The Seattle Stand Down Bothell, WA | Assistance to Veteran's Local Hero's | $16,933 |
Ready to take the next step with Gesa Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $490,866 | $538,049 | $507,799 | $435,870 | 28 |
| 2023 | $460,616 | $1,005,507 | $574,058 | $422,747 | 27 |
| 2022 | $29,167 | $552,709 | $523,542 | $423,460 | 25 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that its charitable purpose is to improve the lives of community members and the communities it serves by supporting organizations whose projects support schools, local heroes, financial wellness and education, and general community sustainability.
Its 2024 grants included support for organizations serving veterans, healthcare workers, firefighters, police, and schools. Grantees’ own descriptions show a range of activities: Service Peace Warriors says it raises and trains service dogs for veterans and first responders with PTSD at no charge to them; Dress for Success Seattle says it helps women pursue economic independence through support, professional attire, and development tools. Other 2024 grantees included organizations whose stated missions address student attendance and graduation, therapeutic activities for people with special needs, and education equity for young people.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $435,870. Grants ranged from $7,500 to $45,650, with a median grant of $11,000.
The largest 2024 awards included $45,650 to Service Peace Warriors, $35,000 to Dress for Success Seattle, and $25,000 to The Valhalla Flag Project. Other grants included $24,000 to PeaceHealth SW Medical Center Foundation, $21,893 to Yakima County Department of Emergency, and $20,000 to Kootenai County Fire & Rescue.
The currently open Gesa Local Heroes Grant supports organizations that serve firefighters, healthcare workers, law enforcement, educators, or veterans. Applicants must provide proof that requested funds will support one or more of those groups. Grant amounts depend on funds raised through the Local Heroes affinity debit card in the previous year, and awards are made annually in October. The foundation says it requires follow-up reports from recipients to confirm the charitable purpose was fulfilled and maintains grant applications, committee selection minutes, grant schedules, and completed grant-review checklists.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Patsy Gayda as board chair; Benjamin Rutledge and Derrel Ebert as vice chairs; Kimberly Headley as secretary; James Rothwell as treasurer; Andrew Chung as a board member; and Amber Merrill as an associate board member.
Gesa Community Foundation is led by Patsy Gayda, Board Chair on every filing since 2022; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Patsy Gayda
Board Chair
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Derrel Ebert
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Headley
Secretary
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amber Merrill
Associate Board Member
Executive Director → Associate Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin Rutledge
Vice Chair
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Chung
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Rothwell
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Angeline Brotherton (2022–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Richard Waddle (2022–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Ben Rutledge (2022) — Vice Chair
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Gesa Community Foundation
How much does Gesa Community Foundation give each year?
Gesa Community Foundation gave $436K across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $423K across 27 grants.
What is Gesa Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Gesa Community Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $11,000, and its average grant was $15,567, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gesa Community Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does Gesa Community Foundation give grants?
Gesa Community Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (4 grants), Yakima, WA (2 grants) and Kennewick, WA (2 grants).
Does Gesa Community Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Gesa Community Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Assistance to Veteran's Local Hero's" (8 grants), "Assistance to Firefighters Local Hero's" (7 grants) and "Assistance to Educator Local Hero's" (5 grants).
Who are Gesa Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Gesa Community Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Service Peace Warriors ($45,650), Dress for Success Seattle ($35,000) and The Valhalla Flag Project ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gesa Community Foundation?
Gesa Community Foundation reported $491K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $538K.
What does Gesa Community Foundation fund?
The foundation states that its charitable purpose is to improve the lives of community members and the communities it serves by supporting organizations whose projects support schools, local heroes, financial wellness and education, and general community sustainability. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gesa Community Foundation?
Gesa Community Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Gesa Community Foundation's EIN?
Gesa Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-2053935. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gesa Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gesa Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gesa-community-foundation-morg_b8c464ab4d3e48d691a4aef4d7a7e02e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_882053935_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gesa Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gesa-community-foundation-morg_b8c464ab4d3e48d691a4aef4d7a7e02e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Gesa Community 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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