Herman & Faye Sarkowsky
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
10
-16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$51K
+4.9% YoY
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
Cities
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.
| 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
No grants recorded for .
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 | — |
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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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