Ken Birdwell Foundation
The Ken Birdwell Foundation, operating under the name **Magic Cabinet**, is a private grantmaking foundation based in Bellevue, Washington. Established in 2018 and granted tax-exempt status in July 2019, the foundation represents an evolution of philanthropic work that began in 2011. The foundation was founded by Ken Birdwell, Employee #1 at Valve Corporation, who contributed to the development of influential video games including Half-Life and Portal. Magic Cabinet practices an innovative approach to philanthropy centered on long-term capacity building for small to medium-sized nonprofits through participatory grantmaking.
Key facts about Ken Birdwell Foundation
- EIN
- 82-5328231
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $13,925,488
- Grants made (2024)
- 280
- Average grant
- $49,734
- Median grant
- $19,404
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (15 of 79, 2024)
- Total assets
- $147,191,046
- Primary geography
- California (49% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Ken Birdwell Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Ken Birdwell Foundation's 280 itemized 2024 grants were California (49%) and Washington (44%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (74 grants), San Francisco, CA (29 grants), Tacoma, WA (29 grants) and Richmond, CA (19 grants). None of its 280 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Capacity Building Support" (208 grants), "Organization Sponsorship" (30 grants) and "Event Sponsorship" (19 grants).
Is Ken Birdwell Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 79 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $213K; repeat grants $168K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $169K repeat.
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 142% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 400% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Ken Birdwell Foundation
- How to evaluate Ken Birdwell Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$147.2M
+47.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$13.9M
+11.6% YoY
Grant Count
280
+37.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$50K
-18.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ken Birdwell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Magic Cabinet champions communities' work by partnering with nonprofits and other philanthropists to achieve nonprofit missions. The foundation provides long-term capacity-building grants, access to peer networks, and advocates for the broader adoption of collaborative, trust-based philanthropic practice.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$1,000 to $2,500,000 (over 5 years)
Ready to take the next step with Ken Birdwell Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses on two primary regions:
- San Francisco Bay Area (9 counties)
- Puget Sound, Washington
The foundation also supports various cities across the United States, including major urban areas such as Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, as well as smaller communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 280 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total assets: $147,191,046
- Total revenues: $93,314,896
- Total expenses: $20,330,075
Prior Year Data (2023):
- Total assets: $100,000,000
- Total revenues: $4,550,000
- Total expenses: $19,000,000
- Annual giving: $12,500,000
2022 Data:
- Total assets: $107,600,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $147,191,046 | $100,008,103 | $107,565,585 |
| Revenue | $93,314,896 | $4,545,385 | $63,817,923 |
| Expenses | $20,330,075 | $18,952,075 | $11,855,382 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $20,393,689 | $16,848,872 | $11,451,706 |
| Net Investment Income | $32,637,075 | $3,310,906 | $15,877,516 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,094,124 | $4,999,327 | $4,152,639 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
924 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Native Americans in Philanthropy ($1,500,000), RVC Seattle ($892,059 across 24 grants), Decolonizing Wealth Project ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NATIVE AMERICANS IN PHILANTHROPY Los Angeles, CA | CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT | $1,500,000 |
| DECOLONIZING WEALTH PROJECT Detroit, MI | PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERSHIPS GRANT | $500,000 |
| LA LIGA DE CIUDADES San Juan, PR | CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT | $450,000 |
| RAINBOW CENTER Tacoma, WA | CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT | $249,000 |
| COALITION ON HOMELESSNESS San Francisco, CA | CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT | $248,161 |
| FEEST Seattle, WA | CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT | $230,000 |
| DRAPER RICHARDS KAPLAN FOUNDATION Menlo Park, CA | PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERSHIPS GRANT | $200,000 |
| HOMELESS CHILDREN'S NETWORK San Francisco, CA | CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT | $180,700 |
| MINDFUL LIFE PROJECT Richmond, CA | CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT | $170,201 |
| EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY SERVICES Seattle, WA | CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT | $170,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Ken Birdwell – President and Founder
- Christina Engel – Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer
- Rebecca Spadoni – Vice President
- Additional board members include Keith Vernon, Kenneth Davis, and Rosemary Reed
The foundation employs 26 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christina Engel | Chief Executive Officer | 40 | $221,408 |
| Ed Lee | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $197,654 |
| Ken Birdwell | President | 2 | — |
| Rebecca Spadoni | Vice President | 2 | — |
| Keith Vernon | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Maeve Elise Brown | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Trish Dziko Millines | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Leticia Landa | Board Member | 2 | — |
Contact Information
- Website: www.magiccabinet.org
- Email: hello@magiccabinet.org
- Office Location: 10900 NE 4th St, Suite 1400, Bellevue, WA 98004
- Mailing Address: PO Box 21448, Seattle, WA 98111
- EIN: 82-5328231
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ken Birdwell Foundation fund?
Magic Cabinet champions communities' work by partnering with nonprofits and other philanthropists to achieve nonprofit missions. The foundation provides long-term capacity-building grants, access to peer networks, and advocates for the broader adoption of collaborative, trust-based philanthropic practice.
How do I apply for a grant from Ken Birdwell Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $1,000 to $2,500,000 (over 5 years) • Engagement grants: $1,000 • Cohort funding: approximately $500,000 per year per cohort ($2.5 million over 5 years) • Application method: Invitation only; nonprofits introduce themselves through a website form at magiccabinet.org to determine fit for partnership • Decision timeline: Approximately 7 months **Recent Grant Activity:** • 204 grants awarded in 2023 • 49 grants made in 2024 • Recent grantees include Rainbo…
Where does Ken Birdwell Foundation make grants?
The foundation focuses on two primary regions: • San Francisco Bay Area (9 counties) • Puget Sound, Washington The foundation also supports various cities across the United States, including major urban areas such as Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, as well as smaller communities.
What size grants does Ken Birdwell Foundation award?
In 2024, Ken Birdwell Foundation awarded 280 grants totaling $13.9M — an average of about $50K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ken Birdwell Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ken Birdwell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ken Birdwell Foundation's EIN?
Ken Birdwell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-5328231. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.