Mount Baker Foundation
Mount Baker Foundation is a private foundation based in Bellingham, Washington. It funds community-rooted initiatives, with its website describing a focus on health equity, addressing upstream causes of chronic disease, and building conditions for communities to thrive, particularly in Whatcom County.
Mount Baker Foundation at a glance
In short: Mount Baker Foundation gave $2.1M across 45 grants in 2024 (avg $46K), mostly in Washington. 49% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,073,021
- -5.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- +21.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $46,067
- -22.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $37,131,376
- +4.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 49% first-time grantees (17 of 35, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Washington (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Mount Baker Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests: its filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications are submitted through an online portal or by email. The filing states that eligible applicants must be located within Whatcom County, meet the foundation’s eligible-organization requirements or apply through a fiscal sponsor, and reflect diversity, equity, and inclusion within the foundation’s areas of focus.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists no deadlines.
- Deadline
- The filing lists no deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Maria Macpherson
Mailing address: 1323 Commercial St Suite 103, Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: (360) 393-2599
Email: maria@mtbakerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mount Baker Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Western Washington University ($300K). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
154 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 96 grants of 154 (62%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says its funding supports organizations led by and serving centered communities in Whatcom County. Its filing lists Whatcom County location as an application restriction. All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Mount Baker Foundation open to new grantees?
49%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 17 of 35 grantees (49%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $56K; repeat grants $61K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $43K repeat.
- 40% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 150% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $568K (2020) to $2.2M (2023). In 2024 it made 45 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Western Washington University Bellingham, WA | Support longhouse construction for healing | $300,000 |
| Kuleana Technology Inc Seattle, WA | Support dialysis innovation | $250,000 |
| Meridian School District Bellingham, WA | Support the development of the Early Learning Center at the Whatcom Skills Center | $207,045 |
| Whatcom Center for Early Learning Bellingham, WA | Fund the language access project, multiple convenings of local partners to discuss language access needs; part time coordinator position and full time language access position | $192,946 |
| Whatcom Family and Community Network Bellingham, WA | Fund two perinatal mental health interns at the Mobile Mama Clinic | $110,000 |
| Chuckanut Health Foundation Bellingham, WA | Support the Community Health Cohort project: 25 local non-profit organizations serving as a collaborative network | $100,000 |
| Communities in Schools Bellingham, WA | Support program expansion and hiring of a program coordinator to Ferndale High School | $100,000 |
| Kulshan Community Land Trust Bellingham, WA | Support project in Blaine to assess affordable housing opportunities adjacent to library | $100,000 |
| University of Washington Foundation Seattle, WA | Providing scholarships for underrepresented minorities through Kidney Research Institute Fellowship to engage in nephrology research | $100,000 |
| Opportunity Council Bellingham, WA | Support the Whatcom Resource Information Collaborative (WRIC) - a web-based resource directory that functions as a public data utility - providing free, reliable, equitable access to this critical information as a public good | $70,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Mount Baker Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reported 45 grants in 2024, 37 in 2023, and 21 in 2022.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $37,131,376 | $1,828,330 | $2,620,189 | $2,073,021 | 45 | $2,690,653 | $1,752,991 | $1,792,952 |
| 2023 | $35,610,536 | $1,706,902 | $2,917,445 | $2,188,959 | 37 | $2,745,845 | $1,636,011 | $1,646,639 |
| 2022 | $32,996,607 | $1,336,766 | $2,571,020 | $2,059,258 | 21 | $2,533,994 | $929,502 | $1,754,180 |
| 2021 | $42,225,548 | $9,346,004 | $3,281,840 | $2,050,779 | 35 | $2,363,789 | $2,532,964 | $1,860,025 |
| 2020 | $34,099,560 | $1,382,995 | $1,358,396 | $567,875 | 16 | — | $1,328,704 | $1,453,452 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mount Baker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is “to identify and fund catalytic, transformative initiatives that result in sustainable change.” Its stated vision is for individuals, families, neighborhoods, and communities to become stronger, healthier, and more compassionate across generations.
Its website describes grantmaking values that include community-rooted solutions, serving people most impacted by health inequities, flexible responses to changing needs, and addressing upstream causes of poverty and chronic disease. It prioritizes organizations serving communities affected by health inequities, people experiencing kidney disease and dialysis, and people experiencing poverty. Its funding streams include Strategic Grants, Go! Grants, and Community Health Grants. The foundation also describes work related to community power, kidney health awareness, and connected and engaged communities.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate a range of work. Whatcom Center for Early Learning says it partners with families to provide therapy and support to children experiencing developmental delays and disabilities. Kulshan Community Land Trust says it creates permanently affordable housing and provides educational and financial services to people of modest means. Opportunity Council says it addresses basic needs and supports self-sufficiency through services including early childhood education. Common Threads Farm says it connects young people with healthy food through hands-on educational programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 45 grants totaling $2,073,021. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $300,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest awards included $300,000 to Western Washington University for longhouse construction for healing; $250,000 to Kuleana Technology Inc. for dialysis innovation; and $207,045 to Meridian School District for development of the Early Learning Center at the Whatcom Skills Center.
Other notable 2024 grants included $192,946 to Whatcom Center for Early Learning for a language access project; $110,000 to Whatcom Family and Community Network for two perinatal mental health interns at the Mobile Mama Clinic; and $100,000 each to Chuckanut Health Foundation, Communities in Schools, Kulshan Community Land Trust, and the University of Washington Foundation for projects described in the filing.
The foundation’s website describes Strategic Grants as larger investments guided by a Community Grantmaking Committee, Go! Grants as smaller flexible grants, and Community Health Grants as support for community-led health equity initiatives. The 2026 Community Health Grant and Strategic Grant opportunities are listed as closed. The first 2026 Go! Grants round was scheduled for May 19–June 24, 2026, and is a past cycle; the website says the second round opens in October 2026.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Hannah Simonetti as president, Angie Krzysiek as secretary, and Ben La Tray as treasurer. It lists Ken Gass, William Freeman, Rajeev Majumdar, Steve Smith, Ione Adams, and Sandhya Gelou as board members, and Zeenia Junkeer as executive director.
Mount Baker Foundation is led by Zeenia Junkeer, Executive Director on every filing since 2023; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Zeenia Junkeer
Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$102K (2023) → $172K (2024)
Hannah Simonetti
President
Board Member → President, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ione Adams
Board Member
Vice President → President, 2022
President → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ken Gass
Board Member
President → Past President, 2022
Past President → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Freeman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rajeev Majumdar
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angie Krzysiek
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Smith
Board Member
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ben La Tray
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandhya Gelou
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Barbara Juarez (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Debbie Ahl (2020–2023) — Past Executive Director
- Former: Donnell Tank Tanksley (2021–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Chad Nickisch (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Julie Johansen (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Sallye Quinn (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Scott Wallace (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: William Lombard (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Ethel Elston (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Larry Ziels (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Tim Farris (2020) — Board Member
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 $172K, to Zeenia Junkeer (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Mount Baker Foundation
How much does Mount Baker Foundation give each year?
Mount Baker Foundation gave $2.1M across 45 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.2M across 37 grants.
What is Mount Baker Foundation's typical grant size?
Mount Baker Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $46,067, across 45 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mount Baker Foundation that year got $56K on average.
Where does Mount Baker Foundation give grants?
Mount Baker Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Bellingham, WA (36 grants), Seattle, WA (3 grants) and Ferndale, WA (2 grants).
Does Mount Baker Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 45 grants with a stated purpose on Mount Baker Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Mount Baker Foundation's largest grantees?
Mount Baker Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Western Washington University ($300,000), Kuleana Technology Inc ($250,000) and Meridian School District ($207,045), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mount Baker Foundation?
Mount Baker Foundation reported $37.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Mount Baker Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is “to identify and fund catalytic, transformative initiatives that result in sustainable change.” Its stated vision is for individuals, families, neighborhoods, and communities to become stronger, healthier, and more compassionate across generations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mount Baker Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests: its filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Mount Baker Foundation's EIN?
Mount Baker Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1862747. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Mount Baker Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mount Baker Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mount Baker Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mount-baker-foundation-morg_62ef9c0f051843c8b81eeaccd421c7b0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_611862747_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mount Baker Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mount-baker-foundation-morg_62ef9c0f051843c8b81eeaccd421c7b0},
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 Mount Baker 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.
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