Legal Foundation of Washington
The Legal Foundation of Washington (LFW) is a Seattle-based public charity created at the direction of the Washington Supreme Court to distribute IOLTA funds to legal aid organizations across the state. Founded in 1984, it supports civil legal aid and work to advance equal justice for low-income people.
Legal Foundation of Washington at a glance
In short: Legal Foundation of Washington gave $7.2M across 36 grants in 2024 (avg $199K), mostly in Washington. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,176,682
- -75.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 36
- -23.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $199,352
- -68.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $60,000
- Total assets
- $99,564,152
- +58.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (18 of 36, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Washington (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Legal Foundation of Washington
- How to Apply
-
Apply through the online grant portal for an available opportunity, after reviewing its eligibility criteria and guidelines. The Partnership Grant dates listed in the program description—an August 15, 2023 LOI deadline and an October 4, 2023 full-application deadline—are past dates, not current deadlines. No current deadline is stated in the supplied information.
- Contact
Mailing address: 500 Union Street 1025, Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: (206) 624-2536
Website: https://legalfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Legal Foundation of Washington
Goldmark Equal Access to Justice Internship Grant
Legal Foundation of Washington
Amount
More than US $16,800
Deadline
Deadline not published
LFW: Accelerator Grants
Legal Foundation of Washington
Amount
US $20,000 - US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
LFW: Partnership Grants
Legal Foundation of Washington
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Legal Foundation of Washington funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Sage Indigenous Law Center ($675K). Together the top 10 received $5.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
215 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 215 (28%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
LFW says it supports civil legal aid organizations serving people across Washington State. In its 2024 filing, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington and 2% to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Legal Foundation of Washington open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 36 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $198K; repeat grants $201K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $130K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.2M (2022) to $52.6M (2020). In 2024 it made 36 grants totaling $7.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sage Indigenous Law Center Spokane, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $675,000 |
| Womenspirit Sequim, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $675,000 |
| Skagit Legal Aid Mount Vernon, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $650,000 |
| Tacomaprobono Tacoma, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $600,000 |
| Tulalip Foundation Tulalip, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $600,000 |
| Port Gamble S'klallam Tribe Kingston, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $600,000 |
| Skokomish Indian Tribe Skokomish, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $375,000 |
| Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Nespelem, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $340,000 |
| Northwest Justice Project Seattle, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $300,000 |
| Yakima County Volunteer Attorney Services Yakima, WA | Civil Legal Services for Low Income People | $300,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Legal Foundation of Washington?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $99,564,152 | $55,353,985 | $9,847,982 | $7,176,682 | 36 | $3,739,561 |
| 2023 | $62,808,379 | $46,770,626 | $31,559,184 | $29,388,845 | 47 | $1,535,506 |
| 2022 | $28,574,544 | $17,401,527 | $5,249,337 | $3,172,642 | 42 | $372,344 |
| 2021 | $28,307,735 | $34,718,283 | $45,164,208 | $43,142,201 | 45 | $750,183 |
| 2020 | $29,645,984 | $56,348,931 | $54,450,251 | $52,579,304 | 45 | $743,701 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
LFW’s stated mission is “Equal civil justice for low-income people.” It funds organizations providing direct civil legal aid, impact litigation, policy reform, and systemic advocacy. Its website says it commits more than half of its funding to impact litigation and policy reform advancing rights for people living in poverty, and that racial justice and inclusion inform its grantmaking.
Examples of grantees’ work include Sage Indigenous Law Center, whose mission is to provide culturally grounded civil legal aid for Native American parents, children, and communities; Skagit Legal Aid, which describes its work as providing free legal services, promoting pro bono services, and offering community education to low-income and historically marginalized people; and Northwest Justice Project, which says it provides free legal assistance on needs including housing, family safety, income security, health care, and education.
Grantmaking
LFW’s 2024 filing reports 36 grants totaling $7,176,682. Grant amounts ranged from $12,682 to $675,000, with a median of $60,000. The filing’s largest listed awards included $675,000 to Sage Indigenous Law Center and $675,000 to WomenSpirit; $650,000 to Skagit Legal Aid; $600,000 each to Tacomaprobono, Tulalip Foundation, and Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe; and $375,000 to Skokomish Indian Tribe. The filing identifies the purpose of these grants as civil legal services for low-income people. Separately, LFW’s website says it provides more than $15 million a year in grants for direct civil legal aid and systemic advocacy.
LFW describes recurring Partnership Grants, Race Equity Grants, and Accelerator Grants, as well as the Goldmark Equal Access to Justice Internship Host Program. Its application page also lists Central Washington BIPOC Communities Grants and Native American & Tribal Communities Grants. The Accelerator program description gives an award range of $20,000 to $100,000 for one-time grants supporting innovative civil justice initiatives. The Goldmark program is a 10-week paid summer internship for second- and third-year law students; the grant opportunity is for legal aid providers to apply to host the program.
Applications are submitted through LFW’s online grant portal. Applicants are instructed to review the specific eligibility criteria and guidelines, create a portal account, and complete an online application for an available opportunity. LFW staff and its Board of Trustees review applications and may request additional information. The website says application assistance and ongoing technical support are available to grantees. LFW’s 2024 filing says grant agreements set the frequency of required financial, narrative, and closed-case data reports; financial reports are required at least quarterly, and narrative reports and case-data submissions at least annually.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Juli Farris as president, Joanna Plichta Boisen as vice president, Gary Melonson as treasurer, Anthony Powers as secretary, and Sean Davis as past president. It also lists Candelaria Murillo, William Pickett, Kristin Ferrera, Michael Pontarolo, and Michael Sprangers as trustees.
Legal Foundation of Washington is led by Caitlin W Davis, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 4 of 15 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Caitlin W Davis
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$158K (2020) → $181K (2024)
Juli Farris
President
Board Secretary → Vice President, 2023
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alexandra Deas
Annual Campaign Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$104K (2024)
Annie Ramirez
Endowment Director
New on the 2024 filing
8 hrs/week
$161K (2024)
Kristin Parker
Director of Operations
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$108K (2024)
Michael J Pontarolo
Trustee
President → Board Trustee, 2022
Board Trustee → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Candelaria Murillo
Trustee
Board President → Past President, 2023
Past President → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Ferrera
Trustee
Board Trustee → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Sprangers
Trustee
Board Trustee → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Bereskin-Seamonster
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Pickett
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Melonson
Treasurer
Treasurer → Board Treasurer, 2022
Board Treasurer → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sean Davis
Past President
Board Vice President → President, 2023
President → Past President, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joanna Plichta Boisen
Vice President
Board Trustee → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anthony Powers
Secretary
Board Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Fred Rivera (2020–2023) — Board Trustee
- Former: Jennifer Bereskin (2023) — Board Trustee
- Former: Melinda Mann (2020–2022) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Mark Griffin (2020–2021) — Board Trustee
- Former: Mark Johnson (2020–2021) — Past President
- Former: Natalia Fior (2021) — Annual Campaign Director
- Former: John Goldmark (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Kara Masters (2020) — Board Trustee
- Former: Murillo Candelaria (2020) — Board Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $181K, to Caitlin Davis (Executive Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Legal Foundation of Washington
How much does Legal Foundation of Washington give each year?
Legal Foundation of Washington gave $7.2M across 36 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $29.4M across 47 grants.
What is Legal Foundation of Washington's typical grant size?
Legal Foundation of Washington's median grant in 2024 was $60,000, and its average grant was $199,352, across 36 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Legal Foundation of Washington that year got $198K on average.
Where does Legal Foundation of Washington give grants?
Legal Foundation of Washington gives mostly in Washington: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (9 grants), Spokane, WA (4 grants), Tacoma, WA (3 grants) and Vancouver, WA (2 grants).
Does Legal Foundation of Washington give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 36 grants with a stated purpose on Legal Foundation of Washington's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Civil Legal Services for Low Income People" (36 grants).
Who are Legal Foundation of Washington's largest grantees?
Legal Foundation of Washington's largest 2024 grantees include Sage Indigenous Law Center ($675,000), Womenspirit ($675,000) and Skagit Legal Aid ($650,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Legal Foundation of Washington?
Legal Foundation of Washington reported $99.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $55.4M.
What does Legal Foundation of Washington fund?
LFW’s stated mission is “Equal civil justice for low-income people.” It funds organizations providing direct civil legal aid, impact litigation, policy reform, and systemic advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Legal Foundation of Washington?
Apply through the online grant portal for an available opportunity, after reviewing its eligibility criteria and guidelines. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Legal Foundation of Washington's EIN?
Legal Foundation of Washington's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1263533. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 4, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Legal Foundation of Washington's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Legal Foundation of Washington funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/legal-foundation-of-washington-morg_140bd57d70964501aa8e0467b55d6bad
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911263533_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Legal Foundation of Washington funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/legal-foundation-of-washington-morg_140bd57d70964501aa8e0467b55d6bad},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Legal Foundation of Washington'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.
Legal Foundation of Washington down — hundreds of funders to go?