Kawabe Memorial Fund
The Harry & Tomo Kawabe Memorial Fund is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. It is a perpetual foundation that has awarded grants and scholarships since 1972, supporting human services organizations, church capital projects, and scholarships.
Kawabe Memorial Fund at a glance
In short: Kawabe Memorial Fund gave $289K across 67 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Washington. 45% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $289,000
- +40.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 67
- +81.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,313
- -22.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,869,893
- -2.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (30 of 66, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (78% 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 Kawabe Memorial Fund
- How to Apply
-
Submit a proposal if the project fits the fund’s guidelines; there is no letter-of-inquiry or preapplication phase. The fund says requests are reviewed quarterly, and applicants will be notified by mail of the committee’s funding decision.
- Review Cycle
- Proposals are due the second Friday in March, June, or September.
- Deadline
- Proposals are due the second Friday in March, June, or September.
- Contact
Application contact: Jj - Bank Of America N A
Mailing address: 401 Union St Ste Fl 24, Seattle, WA 98101-2501
Phone: (206) 358-0912
Email: www.grantmaking@bofa.com
Website: https://kawabememorialfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Kawabe Memorial Fund
Who Kawabe Memorial Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Japanese Presbyterian Church ($10K). Together the top 10 received $73K.
Grant Size Distribution
236 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 236 grants of 236 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund says most grants, except for the Seward scholarships, go to agencies and churches in the Seattle/King County area. In 2025, 78% of grant dollars went to Washington recipients, 6% to Oregon, 5% to Alaska, 3% to Idaho, and 2% to Pennsylvania. The listed 2025 grants also included recipients in Arkansas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 67 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Kawabe Memorial Fund open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 30 of 66 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 26% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $192K (2019) to $291K (2022). In 2025 it made 67 grants totaling $289K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese Presbyterian Church Seattle, WA | Unrestricted General | $10,000 |
| Kawabe Memorial House Foundation Seattle, WA | Senior Lunch Program | $10,000 |
| Asian Counseling & Referral Service Seattle, WA | Food Bank, Nutrition & | $10,000 |
| Oregon State University Corvallis, OR | Scholarships | $8,000 |
| Mama's Hands Issaquah, WA | Unrestricted General | $7,500 |
| Gannon University Erie, PA | Scholarships | $6,000 |
| Avtec - Alaska Vocational Technical Ctr Seward, AK | Scholarships | $6,000 |
| Cares of Washington Seattle, WA | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
| The Table - Venture Church Federal Way, WA | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
| Lahai Health Lynnwood, WA | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Kawabe Memorial Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,869,893 | $261,992 | $371,113 | $289,000 | 67 | $328,889 | $222,029 | $311,238 |
| 2024 | $3,980,244 | $143,620 | $285,281 | $205,700 | 37 | $248,047 | $104,235 | $291,449 |
| 2023 | $4,118,579 | $150,279 | $287,941 | $208,000 | 45 | $248,709 | $117,772 | $254,805 |
| 2022 | $4,259,375 | $412,422 | $359,735 | $290,500 | 56 | $318,977 | $375,345 | $250,150 |
| 2021 | $4,195,294 | $303,756 | $290,724 | $218,450 | 31 | $252,167 | $263,652 | $291,821 |
| 2020 | $4,182,237 | $-7,682 | $266,249 | $200,500 | 34 | — | $55,482 | $235,724 |
| 2019 | $4,456,156 | $315,220 | $264,042 | $192,000 | 39 | — | $280,655 | $233,556 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kawabe Memorial Fund reported a distributable amount of $311K 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
The fund supports qualified nonprofit human services organizations devoted to caring for people with low incomes, children, and senior citizens. It typically supports community-based organizations in the greater Seattle area with budgets of $5 million or less. It also supports capital improvement projects for churches and training for teachers, priests, and ministers.
Grantee missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Backpack Brigade says it works to end weekend hunger for children in King County. South Park Senior Citizens describes its work as promoting healthy aging through nutritious meals, social services, physical well-being, learning, and social engagement. Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness says it provides shelter, outreach, and client services in North Seattle and King County. Gannon University describes itself as a Catholic, diocesan university focused on teaching, scholarship, and service.
The fund also awards scholarships to graduating students at Seward High School in Alaska who plan to pursue higher education at occupational or vocational schools or at two- or four-year colleges or universities. Applications are coordinated through the school’s counseling staff.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the fund reported 67 grants totaling $289,000. The itemized grants ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000. Most grant dollars went to Washington recipients.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $10,000 to Japanese Presbyterian Church for unrestricted general support, $10,000 to Kawabe Memorial House Foundation for a senior lunch program, and $10,000 to Asian Counseling & Referral Service for “Food Bank, Nutrition &” (the purpose is listed incompletely). Oregon State University received $8,000 for scholarships; Mama’s Hands received $7,500 for unrestricted general support; and Gannon University and AVTEC each received $6,000 for scholarships.
The fund’s website says grant awards last one year and are administered by Bank of America. Specific program requests are encouraged, and general operating support is considered. The 2025 filing states that there is no letter-of-inquiry or preapplication phase; applicants whose projects fit the guidelines should submit a proposal. The filing lists the organization’s name and address and a contact person and phone number among the requested materials. It also describes awards in categories that include human services, with general operating and project support for institutions and social service agencies devoted to care.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The fund’s 2025 filing lists Bank of America as trustee. Listed committee members are Gary T Kiyonaga, Dale Kaku, Warren Yasutake (chairman), Nikki Lac Huang, Bernie Matsuno, and Reverend Katsuya Kusunoki on the grant committee; and Bea Kiyohara, Bruce Abe, and Yukio Morikubo on the scholarship committee.
Kawabe Memorial Fund's 2025 filing lists 14 officers; 1 of 14 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bank Of America
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$52K (2021) → $61K (2025)
Yolanda Eng
Fund Development Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bea Kiyohara
Scholarship Committee
Nomination Committee → Scholarship Committee, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$200 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Bruce Tadashi Abe
Scholarship Committee
Scholarship Committee & Committee Member → Scholarship Committee, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$200 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Dale Kaku
Grant Committee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$150 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Gary T. Kiyonaga
Grant Committee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$150 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Reverend Katsuya Kusunoki
Grant Committee
Nomination Committee → Grant Committee, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$100 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Thomas M. Ikeda Secretary
Grant Committee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$150 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Warren Yasutake Chairman
Grant Committee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$200 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Yukio Morikubo
Scholarship Committee
Committee Member → Scholarship Committee, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$150 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Bernie Matsuno
Grant Committee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nikki Lac Huang
Grant Committee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Brundige
Finance
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janet Aldrich Jacobs Cap
Acting Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Katsumi Kats Tanino (2019–2023) — Scholarship Committee
- Former: Tsuyoshi Terry Nakano (2019–2023) — Scholarship Committee
- Former: Yasue Brevig (2019–2023) — Nomination Committee
- Former: Bank Of America N A (2019–2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $61K, to Bank of America (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Kawabe Memorial Fund
How much does Kawabe Memorial Fund give each year?
Kawabe Memorial Fund gave $289K across 67 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $206K across 37 grants.
What is Kawabe Memorial Fund's typical grant size?
Kawabe Memorial Fund's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,313, across 67 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Kawabe Memorial Fund that year got $4K on average.
Where does Kawabe Memorial Fund give grants?
Kawabe Memorial Fund gives mostly in Washington: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Oregon (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (35 grants), Bellevue, WA (3 grants), Federal Way, WA (2 grants) and Shoreline, WA (2 grants).
Does Kawabe Memorial Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 78% of Kawabe Memorial Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (52 of 67) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships" (11 grants).
Who are Kawabe Memorial Fund's largest grantees?
Kawabe Memorial Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Japanese Presbyterian Church ($10,000), Kawabe Memorial House Foundation ($10,000) and Asian Counseling & Referral Service ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 10% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Kawabe Memorial Fund?
Kawabe Memorial Fund reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $329K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $311K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Kawabe Memorial Fund fund?
The fund supports qualified nonprofit human services organizations devoted to caring for people with low incomes, children, and senior citizens. It typically supports community-based organizations in the greater Seattle area with budgets of $5 million or less. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kawabe Memorial Fund?
Submit a proposal if the project fits the fund’s guidelines; there is no letter-of-inquiry or preapplication phase. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Kawabe Memorial Fund's EIN?
Kawabe Memorial Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-6116549. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 23, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Kawabe Memorial Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Puget Sound Energy Foundation
Wilmington, DE
The Puget Sound Energy Foundation funds nonprofits serving communities where PSE has a service or generation presence, primarily in Washington, across household needs, education and workforce pathways, climate resilience, and community safety. Grants vary widely; in 2024 they ranged from $13 to $100,000, with a $500 median, while its 2026 disaster-focused competitive program offers up to $15,000. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, but eligible local nonprofits can apply through that competitive program.
Assets
$19.6M
Grants
451
Total Given
$1.2M
The Norcliffe Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Norcliffe Foundation funds Puget Sound nonprofits in areas including human services, education, healthcare, arts and culture, environment, and community projects; it supports programs, operations, capacity building, and capital projects. Grants vary widely, but the median is $20,000 and nearly 60% are $15,000 or less. It serves 11 counties in Washington’s Puget Sound region and accepts applications year-round through its online system.
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
454
Total Given
$56.5M
Moccasin Lake Foundation
Wilmington, DE
Moccasin Lake Foundation funds education, environmental work, and social services, with most of its giving focused in the Pacific Northwest; service-area rules vary by committee. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $750,000, with a median of $14,000. It accepts requests from registered 501(c)(3) organizations through its website.
Assets
$110.5M
Grants
117
Total Given
$6.9M
Liberty Mutual Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Liberty Mutual Foundation funds basic needs such as food and shelter, education and workforce development, and climate and community infrastructure, including homelessness and community preparedness programs. Its 2024 grants had a median of $35,000, and most funding supports organizations or programs serving the Boston area, though it also gives elsewhere. It accepts unsolicited online requests on a rolling basis, with no submission deadlines.
Assets
$46.1M
Grants
706
Total Given
$50.6M
Fales Foundation Trust
Eagan, MN
The foundation funds Seattle arts programs and programs serving people experiencing homelessness, with recent awards ranging from $5,000–$10,000 in 2023 to a single grant of $360,000 in 2026. Its geographic focus is unclear across filings: 2023 grants went to Washington organizations, while the 2026 filing reports all grant dollars went to Minnesota recipients. It does not restrict giving to preselected organizations; contact U.S. Bank N.A. for an application, which is provided in response to qualified inquiries.
Assets
$4.8M
Grants
1
Total Given
$360K
Medina Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Medina Foundation funds direct human services for Puget Sound residents, including youth support, hunger relief, and homelessness prevention, across a 14-county region. Its 2024 grants had a median of $20,000, with awards ranging from $95 to $250,000. As it prepares to sunset, it is prioritizing letters of inquiry from existing grantees; no application deadlines are stated.
Assets
$111.0M
Grants
220
Total Given
$4.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Texas
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Kawabe Memorial Fund'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.
Kawabe Memorial Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?