Mark Torrance Foundation
The Mark Torrance Foundation is a private, independent 501(c)(3) foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Established in 1998 and tax-exempt since February 2001, the foundation operates as a grantmaking organization focused on philanthropic investment in people and organizations working on social and environmental challenges.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.2M
+0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$820K
+18.8% YoY
Grant Count
16
+23.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$51K
-3.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mark Torrance Foundation reported a distributable amount of $775K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on investing in people and organizations with the potential to strengthen communities locally and globally through creative collaboration. The foundation believes in the power of creative collaboration to transform people and communities and views investment as a dynamic relationship where funders, grantees, and other partners share expertise and resources.
Primary funding areas include:
- Suicide Prevention: Supporting initiatives that reduce suicide risk through training and awareness
- Youth Healthy Eating: Empowering youth to experience and develop healthy eating habits through gardening and cooking
- Cycling Infrastructure: Funding improvements to cycling infrastructure and data collection efforts
- Education and Human Services: Program support across social services sectors
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications.
Grant Range
approximately $15,000–$100,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple regions, with primary focus in:
- Washington: Seattle, Bellevue, Shoreline, Renton, Tukwila, Cashmere, Friday Harbor, Pullman, Vancouver
- National presence: Also funds in Colorado, Hawaii, New York, and New Jersey
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total Assets: $11.2–$11.5 million
- Total Revenue: $1.05 million (2024)
- Total Expenses: $941,000–$942,000 (2024)
- Net Income: $107,130 (2024)
- Total Liabilities: $631 (2024)
Investment Income:
- Investment income and dividends: $290,898 (2023)
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $226,294 (2023)
Giving Rate: Approximately 6.2% of assets annually
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,231,667 | $11,130,841 | $11,462,893 |
| Revenue | $1,048,719 | $517,192 | $1,669,419 |
| Expenses | $941,589 | $856,179 | $946,375 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $825,025 | $728,323 | $836,793 |
| Net Investment Income | $945,181 | $421,835 | $1,577,337 |
| Distributable Amount | $774,556 | $708,472 | $734,316 |
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
59 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Uw Foundation ($250,000), Makeway Foundation ($100,000), Seattle Children's Foundation ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HEALTHPOINT RENTON, WA | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $22,500 |
| MAKEWAY FOUNDATION | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $100,000 |
| SEATTLE CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION SEATTLE, WA | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $100,000 |
| TREEHOUSE FUND INC SEATTLE, WA | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $20,000 |
| UW FOUNDATION SEATTLE, WA | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $250,000 |
| AFRICAN COMMUNITY HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT RENTON, WA | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $20,000 |
| ISLANDWOOD BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $50,000 |
| LAKE FOREST PARK PTA LAKE FOREST PARK, WA | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $1,000 |
| MOUNTAIN CLIMATE FUND SEATTLE, WA | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $2,500 |
| NEW VENTURE FUND BALTIMORE, MD | PROGRAM SUPPORT - SOCIAL SERVICES | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board and Officers:
- Mark Torrance – President and Director
- Dana Bass Solomon – Director
- Chris Birkeland – Director
- Daniel Hagedorn – Director
- Karin Cirillo – Director
- Michael Mathieu – Director
- Paul Okner – Director
- Jean Berry – Officer
Most board members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARK TORRANCE | PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DANA BASS SOLOMON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CHRIS BIRKELAND | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MICHAEL MATHIEU | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| PAUL OKNER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| KARIN CIRILLO | OFFICER, SECRETARY | 5 | — |
| RICHARD BURKHARDT | TREASURER | 3 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mark Torrance Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on investing in people and organizations with the potential to strengthen communities locally and globally through creative collaboration. The foundation believes in the power of creative collaboration to transform people and communities and views investment as a dynamic relationship where funders, grantees, and other partners share expertise and resources. Primary funding areas include: • **Suicide Prevention**: Supporting initiatives that reduce suicide risk t…
How do I apply for a grant from Mark Torrance Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving ranges from approximately $690,000 to $820,000 • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $490,000 • Median grant size: approximately $15,000–$100,000 • Recent grant counts: 13–18 grants annually **Application Process:** The foundation operates on an invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. **Recent Grantees (2023):** • Bellevue Schools Foundation: $155,800 • Seattle Children's Foundation: $100,000 • Makeway Foundation: $50,000 **Featu…
Where does Mark Torrance Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple regions, with primary focus in: • **Washington**: Seattle, Bellevue, Shoreline, Renton, Tukwila, Cashmere, Friday Harbor, Pullman, Vancouver • **National presence**: Also funds in Colorado, Hawaii, New York, and New Jersey
What size grants does Mark Torrance Foundation award?
In 2024, Mark Torrance Foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $820K — an average of about $51K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Mark Torrance Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mark Torrance Foundation reported a distributable amount of $775K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Mark Torrance Foundation's EIN?
Mark Torrance Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1939909. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mark Torrance Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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