Northwest Area Foundation
Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1934 by Louis W. Hill, son of James J. Hill (builder of the Great Northern Railway), the foundation was originally established as the Lexington Foundation. The organization focuses on building racial, social, and economic justice for Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants, refugees, and people in rural areas across the Pacific Northwest and Northern Plains regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$18.2M
+5.5% YoY
Grant Count
149
+2.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$122K
+2.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The Foundation seeks to help communities most in need create positive futures—economically, ecologically, and socially. To implement this mission, the Foundation helps communities work toward a balanced system that will reduce poverty; stimulate economic growth; sustain the natural environment; and develop effective institutions, relationships, and individuals.
Primary Focus:
- Racial, social, and economic justice
- Poverty reduction
- Economic growth and community development
- Environmental sustainability
- Support for Native-led organizations
- Infrastructure support, idea incubation, and research
The foundation prioritizes work that benefits Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, and people in rural areas, with at least 40 percent of foundation funds supporting Native-led groups.
Grantmaking
NWAF does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation takes a proactive approach to grantmaking and welcomes email introductions from grant seekers. Prospective applicants should visit the For Grantseekers page on the foundation's website for more information.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NWAF funds work across eight states and 76 Native nations in its region:
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Montana
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- South Dakota
- Washington
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Assets: $438 million (as of September 1997)
- Annual Revenue: $6.1 million
- Employees: 21 staff members
- Recent Grant Distribution: $18.4 million in grants in most recent fiscal year; $3.3 million in second quarter grants alone
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors (2026):
- Joyce Lee (Chair)
- Joe Eltobgi (Vice Chair)
- Laura Alvarez Schrag (Director)
- Juel Burnette (Director)
- Wayne Ducheneaux (Director)
- Libby Hlavka (Director)
- Sarah Kastelic (Director)
- Luke Lynch (Director)
- Salome Mwangi (Director)
- Amy Sings In The Timber (Director)
- Georgie Slade (Director)
- Charles Wilhoite (Director)
- Jennifer C. Williams (Director)
Staff:
- Pakou Hang (Vice President, Program)
- Cody Stalker (Program Coordinator)
The board represents the diversity of race, gender, and geography of the foundation's eight-state region and 76 Native nations.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAURA ALVAREZ SCHRAG | DIRECTOR | 3 | $17,600 |
| ELISABETH BUCK | DIRECTOR | 3 | $21,100 |
| JUEL BURNETTE | DIRECTOR | 3 | $18,800 |
| DUANE CARTER | DIRECTOR | 3 | $29,700 |
| WAYNE DUCHENEAUX | DIRECTOR | 3 | $17,000 |
| JOE ELTOBGI | DIRECTOR | 3 | $17,000 |
| LIBBY HLAVKA | DIRECTOR | 3 | $21,425 |
| JOYCE LEE | DIRECTOR | 3 | $23,800 |
| SALOME MWANGI | DIRECTOR | 3 | $17,000 |
| MICHELLE OSBORNE | DIRECTOR | 3 | $22,300 |
| AMY SINGS IN THE TIMBER | DIRECTOR | 3 | $14,950 |
| GEORGINA SLADE | DIRECTOR | 3 | $18,800 |
| MARIA VALANDRA | DIRECTOR | 3 | $4,450 |
| JENNIFER WILLIAMS | DIRECTOR | 3 | $18,800 |
| REBECCA KLEVAN | NON-DIRECTOR COMMITTEE MEMBER | 1 | $2,400 |
| KASHI YOSHIKAWA | NON-DIRECTOR COMMITTEE MEMBER | 1 | $2,400 |
| ANGELA GORDER | NON-DIRECTOR COMMITTEE MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MELISSA PELLAND | NON-DIRECTOR COMMITTEE MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KEVIN WALKER | PRESIDENT/SECRETARY | 40 | $557,901 |
| RAMYA RAUF | CFO/VP-FINANCE & ADMIN | 40 | $259,073 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2025, NWAF announced a significant strategic shift, deciding to double its funding in response to current challenges. The foundation's leadership emphasizes that "Foundations are not here to prioritize self-preservation. We are here to invest in a just future for thriving communities." The foundation is characterized as unafraid of taking risks and prioritizing communities first, with new criteria for the funding increase still under development.
Recent staff additions include Program Officers Sadikshya Aryal and Carson Faust (July 2024), reflecting the foundation's continued commitment to expanding its capacity for grantmaking and community engagement.
Community Foundation awards $31,800 in grants to youth-focused programs acrossContact Information
Address: 60 Plato Boulevard East Suite 400 St. Paul, MN 55107
Phone: (651) 225-9635 or (651) 225-3888
Email: info@nwaf.org
Website: nwaf.org
For grant-related inquiries, contact Cody Stalker, Program Coordinator, through the website contact form or by phone.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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