Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Seattle, WA EIN: 91-6575043

The Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Its 2025 filing lists grants to organizations working in medical rehabilitation and care, Jewish life, animal welfare, youth services, and other charitable purposes.

Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation at a glance

In short: Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation gave $3.0M across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $253K), mostly in Washington. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$3,040,000
-52.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
12
+20.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$253,333
-60.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$17,500
Total assets
$3,481,007
-29.7% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
33% first-time grantees (4 of 12, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Washington (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: 1904 3Rd Ave Suite 325, Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: (206) 654-6200

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Kline Galland Foundation: $2.5MKline Galland Foundation$2.5MTemple De Hirsch Sinai: $180KTemple De Hirsch Sinai$180KHillel at the Uw: $100KHillel at the Uw$100KFoundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics: $100KFoundation for AngelmanSyndrome Therapeutics$100KStroum Jewish Community Center: $100KStroum Jewish Community Center$100KSalvation Army: $25KSalvation Army$25KTreehouse: $10KTreehouse$10KArizona Humane Society: $5KArizona Humane Society$5KHalo Animal Rescue: $5KHalo Animal Rescue$5KSeattle Humane Society: $5KSeattle Humane Society$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Kline Galland Foundation ($2.5M). Together the top 10 received $3.0M.

Grant Size Distribution

53 grants across all recorded years

34<$50K1$50–100K10$100–250K2$250–500K1$500K–1M5$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 34 grants of 53 (64%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 96% of grant dollars went to organizations in Washington, 3% to Texas, and less than 1% to Arizona.

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.

Cities

SeattlePhoenixYakimaQuincyBellevueMill CreekKirklandMercer IslandAustinNew YorkSpokane

Is Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation open to new grantees?

33%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 4 of 12 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $54K; repeat grants $353K. How we count

Medians: $55K first-time, $15K repeat.

  • 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 119% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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

$0$2M$4M$6M$8M12 grants2020 10 grants2021 7 grants2022 14 grants2023 10 grants2024 12 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2023) to $6.4M (2024). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $3.0M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Kline Galland Foundation Seattle, WAMedical Rehabilitation and Transitional Care, Memory Support, Hospice$2,500,000
Temple De Hirsch Sinai Seattle, WAOrganized exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary and educational purposes.$180,000
Hillel at the Uw Seattle, WATo inspire students and young adults to explore, embrace and celebrate jewish life and identity.$100,000
Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics Austin, TXDedicated to finding a cure for angelman syndrome through funding research, education awareness and advocacy.$100,000
Stroum Jewish Community Center Mercer Island, WATo ensure jewish continuity, support jewish unity, enrich jewish life and promote the well being of the jewish and general community.$100,000
Salvation Army Seattle, WAImprove human lives and communities and to deepen our spiritual life$25,000
Treehouse Seattle, WATo improve the lives and educational outcomes of youth who have experienced foster care$10,000
Arizona Humane Society Phoenix, AZRescue, Care and Adoption of Dogs and Cats$5,000
Halo Animal Rescue Phoenix, AZRescue, Care and Adoption of Dogs and Cats$5,000
Seattle Humane Society Bellevue, WARescue, Care and Adoption of Dogs and Cats$5,000
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$3,481,007$1,598,284$3,092,201$3,040,00012$3,040,000$2,042,908$181,879
2024$4,954,535$2,054,246$6,437,453$6,400,00010$6,400,000$340,955$321,009
2023$9,337,742$3,645,974$1,406,878$1,367,50014$1,367,500$153,777$391,935
2022$7,098,646$2,614,535$1,421,135$1,385,1007$1,385,100$107,242$361,443
2021$5,907,871$3,191,119$4,197,706$4,155,00010$4,155,000$758,489$450,679
2020$6,914,915$2,042,985$1,875,225$1,846,30012—$512,811$272,173

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $182K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Treehouse describes its mission as supporting children who have experienced foster care, while Rod’s House says it works to build connections with young people and envisions an end to youth homelessness in the Yakima Valley. Yakima Valley Pet Rescue describes its work as supporting animal welfare and reducing pet overpopulation; Arizona Humane Society says it saves vulnerable animals and enriches the lives of pets and people.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 12 grants totaling $3,040,000. Awards ranged from $5,000 to $2,500,000, with a median grant of $17,500. Its largest grant was $2,500,000 to Kline Galland Foundation for medical rehabilitation and transitional care, memory support, and hospice. Other notable grants included $180,000 to Temple De Hirsch Sinai and $100,000 each to Hillel at the UW, Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics, and Stroum Jewish Community Center. Treehouse received $10,000; Rod’s House and Yakima Valley Pet Rescue each received $5,000.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Gary R. Schwartz and Karen K. Schwartz as trustees.

Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Gary R. Schwartz

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Karen K. Schwartz

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation

How much does Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation give each year?

Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation gave $3.0M across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $6.4M across 10 grants.

What is Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation's typical grant size?

Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $17,500, and its average grant was $253,333, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation that year got $54K on average.

Where does Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation give grants?

Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (5 grants), Phoenix, AZ (2 grants) and Yakima, WA (2 grants).

Does Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation give general operating support?

Occasionally: 8% of Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Rescue, Care and Adoption of Dogs and Cats" (4 grants).

Who are Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation's largest grantees?

Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Kline Galland Foundation ($2,500,000), Temple De Hirsch Sinai ($180,000) and Hillel at the Uw ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 91% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation?

Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $182K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation's EIN?

Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-6575043. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 22, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Washington

The Albertsons Companies Foundation

Pleasanton, CA

The foundation funds local organizations working on hunger relief, youth and education, health and human services, veterans, and support for people with special needs, with most funding staying in Albertsons’ communities. Giving varies widely: 2025 grants had a median of $15,750, while some local programs typically award $500–$5,000. Its reach spans multiple states, with the largest share of 2025 grant dollars going to California; some regional programs describe application and review processes, but the profile does not state whether the foundation generally accepts unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$79.9M

Grants

800

Total Given

$55.8M

David & Cathy Habib Foundation

Seattle, WA

The foundation supported the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and other board-selected charitable and educational organizations, primarily in Washington, especially the Seattle and Puget Sound area. In 2022, grants ranged from $7,500 to $180,000, with a median of $25,000; the filing does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests. Its 2022 return was marked final, indicating it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

—

Grants

38

Total Given

$1.5M

United Way of King County

Seattle, WA

United Way of King County funds community organizations working on housing, food security, education, financial stability, racial equity, and systems change, primarily in King County, Washington. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1,674,650, with a median of about $47,836. It lists an open Food System Stability Fund for anti-hunger organizations, but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$54.9M

Grants

196

Total Given

$24.7M

Gates Foundation

Seattle, WA

The Gates Foundation funds work to reduce disease and poverty, improve health and gender equality in lower-income countries, and support education and economic mobility in the United States, especially Washington State; it works in more than 140 countries. Its 2024 grants had a median of $500,000, with awards ranging from $1 to $350.5 million. It generally does not accept unsolicited proposals, but periodically offers opportunities through published requests for proposals.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$78.7B

Grants

4,974

Total Given

$6.3B

M J Murdock Charitable Trust

Vancouver, WA

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust funds nonprofit capacity-building and projects in arts and culture, civic and community services, education, health and environmental stewardship, and scientific research across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Its 2024 median grant was $87,000, with awards ranging from $4,000 to about $1.55 million. Eligible organizations can submit a Letter of Inquiry; full applications are by invitation.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$2.0B

Grants

797

Total Given

$116.6M

The Avista Foundation

Spokane, WA

The Avista Foundation supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in education, basic needs and poverty, and economic and cultural vitality. Its 2025 grants had a median of $1,000, though awards ranged from $20 to $350,000, and it serves communities in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, parts of southern Oregon, Sanders County, Montana, and Juneau, Alaska.

Assets

$10.6M

Grants

577

Total Given

$2.2M

More similar funders

More Funders in Washington

Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/karen-and-gary-schwartz-foundation-morg_7ccf0d7b8a3241f2a78fce91e056ce75

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_916575043_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/karen-and-gary-schwartz-foundation-morg_7ccf0d7b8a3241f2a78fce91e056ce75},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Karen and Gary Schwartz 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.

Karen and Gary Schwartz Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?