Names Family Foundation
The Names Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Fircrest, Washington. Established in 1996 by Scott and Evelyn “Sis” Names, it supports nonprofit organizations working in sports, physical activity, movement, fitness, and health, primarily in Pierce County and in areas with a direct connection to the Names family.
Names Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Names Family Foundation gave $7.0M across 177 grants in 2024 (avg $40K), mostly in Washington. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,020,410
- +17.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 177
- +1.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $39,663
- +15.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $178,389,936
- +11.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (45 of 135, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Washington (93% 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 Names Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests through an open application process for requests supporting physical activity, sports, and movement. Other types of requests require an invitation. Applicants use the foundation’s online grant system; applications are reviewed by the Board of Directors, and applicants are notified of the board’s decision before year-end. The filing lists a standard grant application with information about the organization and its charitable functions, the proposed use of grant funds, current financial statements, a list of officers and directors or trustees, and a copy of the IRS exemption notice. The foundation generally restricts grants to sports-, fitness-, and health-related activities or capital projects. It generally does not consider more than one request per grant cycle.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists August 31. The website says the 2026 application process is closed and that the 2027 process is expected to open in late January.
- Deadline
- The filing lists August 31.
- Contact
Application contact: Patricia Shults
Mailing address: 1019 Regents Blvd Suite 201, Fircrest, WA 98466
Phone: (253) 566-7000
Website: https://namesfoundation.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 Names Family Foundation
Who Names Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Multicare Health Foundation ($1.5M across 6 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
859 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 746 grants of 859 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it invests primarily in Pierce County and in areas with a direct connection to the Names family. In 2024, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington; 3% went to California, 1% to Arizona, 1% to Oregon, and less than 1% to Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 177 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Names Family Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 45 of 135 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $65K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $11K repeat.
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 21% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 106% 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 $5.8M (2021) to $7.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 177 grants totaling $7.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Multicare Health Foundation Tacoma, WA | Mary Bridge Capital Campaign: Inpatient Gym/Therapy Facility | $1,489,010 |
| YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties Tacoma, WA | Morgan Family YMCA Rebuild | $755,880 |
| Bellarmine Preparatory School Tacoma, WA | Bellarmine Enhanced Community Space Project | $500,000 |
| Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Tacoma, WA | Fircrest parks and recreation foundation - backstop replacement project | $456,786 |
| Game Time Way Tacoma, WA | General Operating Support | $450,000 |
| Greater Tacoma Community Foundation University Place, WA | All-Inclusive Playground at Cirque Park | $300,000 |
| University of Washington Foundation Seattle, WA | Basketball ops & husky health and high performance center | $268,000 |
| Gig Harbor Canoe Kayak Racing Team Gig Harbor, WA | Making Them Great for La 2028 | $135,000 |
| Greater Metro Parks Foundation DBA Tacoma Parks Foundation Tacoma, WA | Summer Teen Late Nights 2024 | $135,000 |
| Rainier Adaptive Sports Tacoma, WA | General Operating Support | $125,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Names Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $178,389,936 | $82,758,535 | $9,746,992 | $7,020,410 | 177 | $7,741,700 | $75,392,101 | $7,333,913 |
| 2023 | $159,866,686 | $2,608,656 | $6,967,354 | $5,968,629 | 174 | $6,564,572 | $4,721,589 | $7,195,138 |
| 2022 | $140,756,726 | $2,800,755 | $7,109,363 | $6,097,588 | 191 | $6,670,042 | $3,386,263 | $7,021,877 |
| 2021 | $173,434,455 | $14,288,804 | $7,748,965 | $5,810,686 | 182 | $6,241,141 | $8,022,746 | $7,499,060 |
| 2020 | $140,493,292 | $4,553,326 | $7,645,501 | $6,473,971 | 135 | — | $3,797,376 | $6,062,993 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Names Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.3M 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 says its grant program aims to enrich community life by supporting nonprofits that champion sports, physical activity, and fitness. Its website describes the work as extending Scott and Sis Names’ commitment to sports, health, and wellness.
Its 2024 grants included capital projects and programs related to recreation, athletics, health, and youth activities. Examples include a hospital therapy facility, a YMCA rebuild, an inclusive playground, adaptive sports, and youth programming. Among the grantees described in their own words, Gig Harbor Canoe Kayak Racing Team says it teaches youth canoe and kayak, emphasizing safety, teamwork, sportsmanship, and competition. Special Olympics Washington describes its work as providing inclusive sports, health, and leadership programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 177 grants totaling $7,020,410. Awards ranged from $275 to $1,489,010, with a median grant of $10,000. Notable grants included $1,489,010 to MultiCare Health Foundation for the Mary Bridge inpatient gym and therapy facility; $755,880 to YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties for the Morgan Family YMCA rebuild; $500,000 to Bellarmine Preparatory School for an enhanced community space project; and $456,786 to Greater Tacoma Community Foundation for a Fircrest parks and recreation backstop replacement project. Other 2024 awards included $450,000 to Game Time Way for general operating support and $125,000 to Rainier Adaptive Sports for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Patricia Shults as executive director; Kim Hegardt as board president; Rick Names as vice president; Erin Shagren as treasurer; Monica Names-King as secretary; and Kappy Names and Trina Gohrick as trustees. The foundation’s website lists Linsey Sauer as grants and administrative manager.
Names Family Foundation is led by Patricia Shults, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 7 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Patricia Shults
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$75K (2020) → $228K (2024)
Kim Hegardt
Board President
Vice President & President → Board President, 2021
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kappy Names
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Trina Gohrick
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erin Shagren
Treasurer
Treasurer & Executive Di → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Monica Names-King
Secretary
Trustee & Secretary → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rick Names
Vice President
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Paula Larkin (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Diane Names (2020) — Secretary & Trustee Emeritus
- Former: Richard Names (2020) — Trustee & Vice President
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 $228K, to Patricia Shults (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Names Family Foundation
How much does Names Family Foundation give each year?
Names Family Foundation gave $7.0M across 177 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $6.0M across 174 grants.
What is Names Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Names Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $39,663, across 177 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Names Family Foundation that year got $27K on average.
Where does Names Family Foundation give grants?
Names Family Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Tacoma, WA (50 grants), Seattle, WA (20 grants), Puyallup, WA (10 grants) and San Diego, CA (7 grants).
Does Names Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 47% of Names Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (83 of 177) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Names Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Names Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Multicare Health Foundation ($1,516,510 across 6 grants), Greater Tacoma Community Foundation ($886,786 across 4 grants) and YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties ($756,380 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Names Family Foundation?
Names Family Foundation reported $178.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Names Family Foundation fund?
The foundation says its grant program aims to enrich community life by supporting nonprofits that champion sports, physical activity, and fitness. Its website describes the work as extending Scott and Sis Names’ commitment to sports, health, and wellness. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Names Family Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests through an open application process for requests supporting physical activity, sports, and movement. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Names Family Foundation's EIN?
Names Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3250195. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Names Family 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 Names Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Names Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/names-family-foundation-morg_2dfed20eccb540608b3df9b5f378a00d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943250195_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Names Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/names-family-foundation-morg_2dfed20eccb540608b3df9b5f378a00d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Names Family 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.
Names Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?