Herman & Faye Sarkowsky

SEATTLE, WA EIN: 91-1479527

The Herman and Faye Sarkowsky Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington, established in 1993. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and is tax-exempt. It was incorporated on March 15, 1990, and maintains its headquarters at 3600 Leary Way NW, Seattle, WA 98107-4943.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$275K

+41.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$505K

-12.6% YoY

Grant Count

-16.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$51K

+4.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Herman & Faye Sarkowsky reported a distributable amount of $51K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services
Arts and Creative Fields
Historic Preservation
Journalism
Family Services

The foundation primarily directs its grantmaking efforts toward organizations and programs in Washington State.

Grantmaking

Recent grants made by the foundation include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking is primarily concentrated in Washington State.

Grant Distribution by State

Washington $7.1M (89%)

California $835K (10%)

Connecticut $50K (1%)

Texas $600 (0%)

District of Columbia $500 (0%)

New Jersey $500 (0%)

Virginia $400 (0%)

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia New Jersey Texas Virginia Washington

Cities

ArlingtonBellevueDallasHartfordLos AngelesMercer IslandPalm DesertPalm SpringsRancho MirageSeattleSpokaneTeaneckWashingtonWashington Dc

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2024:

Total Assets: $274,935
Total Revenue: $914,686
Total Expenses: $512,939
Total Giving: $505,474

Historical Context:

The foundation has maintained relatively modest asset levels in recent years. Revenue increased significantly in 2024, with total grants and contributions reaching $750,402 compared to $250,000 in 2023, representing a 200.2% increase.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$274,935	$194,308	$178,113
Revenue	$914,686	$272,805	$1,746,873
Expenses	$512,939	$587,461	$1,231,899
Qualifying Distributions	$509,207	$582,751	$1,226,922
Net Investment Income	$160,552	$15,075	$51,018
Distributable Amount	$51,233	$51,977	$40,678

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

96 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Seattle Art Museum ($332,685), Jewish Family Service Seattle ($50,539), Seattle Art Museum ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
TEMPLE DE HIRSCH SINAI SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$250
THE 5TH AVENUE THEATER SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
TEENTIX SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER SEATTLE SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$25,000
SEATTLE REP THEATRE SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$15,000
SEATTLE ART MUSEUM SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$50,000
SEATTLE ART MUSEUM SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$332,685
ARTS FUND SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$17,000
KAVANA COOPERATIVE SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE SEATTLE SEATTLE, WA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$50,539

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation's leadership includes:

Faye Sarkowsky - Governor/Founder
Steve Sarkowsky - Vice President
Cathy Ann Sarkowsky - Governor
Barbara Steinberg - Registered Agent

Herman Sarkowsky (1925-2014) was the co-founder of the foundation alongside his wife Faye. Herman was a Seattle businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Seahawks. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1949 and served as a UW regent from 1983 through 1985. Faye Sarkowsky graduated from the University of Washington in 1955.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
FAYE SARKOWSKY	PRESIDENT	5	—
STEVE SARKOWSKY	VICE PRESIDENT	5	—
CATHY SARKOWSKY	VICE PRESIDENT	5	—
LOUIS TREIGER	SECRETARY	5	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Herman & Faye Sarkowsky fund?

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts and Creative Fields • Historic Preservation • Journalism • Family Services The foundation primarily directs its grantmaking efforts toward organizations and programs in Washington State.

How do I apply for a grant from Herman & Faye Sarkowsky?

Recent grants made by the foundation include: • Seattle Art Museum: $332,685 (2024) • Seattle Art Museum: $50,000 (2024) • JFS Seattle: $50,539 (2024) Grant awards typically range from $250 to $432,558. The foundation made approximately $505,474 in total giving according to recent financial filings.

Where does Herman & Faye Sarkowsky make grants?

The foundation's grantmaking is primarily concentrated in Washington State.

What size grants does Herman & Faye Sarkowsky award?

In 2024, Herman & Faye Sarkowsky awarded 10 grants totaling $505K — an average of about $51K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Herman & Faye Sarkowsky required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Herman & Faye Sarkowsky reported a distributable amount of $51K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.