Northwest Health Law Advocates
NoHLA works toward achieving a health care system in which all individuals receive quality, affordable health care, provided on an equitable and timely basis, and are assured of basic rights and protections. NoHLA conducts outreach, education and training, legal and policy analysis to propose policy solutions, and legal representation of low-income individuals on health care access issues of public significance.
Northwest Health Law Advocates at a glance
In short: Northwest Health Law Advocates gave $9K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Washington. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $9,000
- -86.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,000
- -86.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,000
- Total assets
- $2,587,517
- -14.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Washington (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Northwest Health Law Advocates funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Yakima Valley Community Foundation ($9K).
Grant Size Distribution
4 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 3 grants of 4 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
How Northwest Health Law Advocates gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−10%). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1K (2023) to $74K (2020). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $9K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yakima Valley Community Foundation Yakima, WA | Pass-through subgrant from Inatai Foundation to LatinX Outreach, a community-based organization, via their fiscal sponsor, Yakima Valley Community Foundation. Inatai Foundation sponsored an immigrant health roundtable and community training jointly organized by LatinX Outreach and NoHLA on December 17, 2025. The grant funds went toward event costs, such as food for participants. | $9,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,587,517 | $625,033 | $1,085,004 | $9,000 | 1 | $42,420 |
| 2024 | $3,008,666 | $2,416,898 | $1,029,628 | $65,000 | 1 | $33,883 |
| 2023 | $1,626,316 | $761,365 | $795,943 | $1,000 | Total only | $26,894 |
| 2022 | $1,650,629 | $1,350,843 | $651,140 | $10,000 | 1 | $6,674 |
| 2021 | $938,441 | $679,659 | $503,042 | $28,000 | 1 | $1,849 |
| 2020 | $800,621 | $874,003 | $488,096 | $74,250 | 2 | $2,983 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Northwest Health Law Advocates
Based on IRS filings
Northwest Health Law Advocates is a public charity focused on Health, based in Seattle, WA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $2.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $9K. Net investment income was $42K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Northwest Health Law Advocates is led by Janet Varon, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 4 of 13 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Janet Varon
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
31.5 hrs/week
$86K (2020) → $7K (2025)
Daphne Smith
Co-Executive Director
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$43K (2024) → $118K (2025)
Emily Brice
Co-Executive Director
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$120K (2024) → $122K (2025)
Lori Buchsbaum
President
President Nov-Dec Board Member → President Board Member, 2021
President Board Member → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Omid Bagheri Garakani
Secretary, Vice President & Then President
Director Then Vice President & Secretary in Dec ' → Vice President & Secretary, 2024
Vice President & Secretary → Secretary, Vice President & Then President, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cezanne Garcia
Director
Treasurer Jan-Nov Board Member → Board Member, 2021
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Myers
Director
Director From Dec → Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charina Carothers
Director
Director From Dec → Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tony Gonzalez
Director
Director From Nov → Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vanessa Saavedra
Senior Attorney
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
$105K (2025)
Audrey Sheffield
Treasurer to Fall
Treasurer Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Treasurer to Fall, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura MacPherson
Secretary & Vice President
Director From Dec ' → Director, 2024
Director → Secretary & Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Miller
Treasurer From Fall
Director From Nov → Treasurer From Fall, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Ray Yeung (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Abby Goldy (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Michelle Francis (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Christina Peters (2020–2023) — Director to April '
- Former: Sujatha Branch (2020–2023) — Vice President & Secretary to April '
- Former: Shirley Prasad (2023) — Director From August '
- Former: Jodi Sullivan (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Alisa Zwanger (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Polly Newcomb (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Eric Gonzalez Alfaro (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Misha Werschkul (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $122K, to Emily Brice (Co-Executive Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Northwest Health Law Advocates
How much does Northwest Health Law Advocates give each year?
Northwest Health Law Advocates gave $9K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $65K across 1 grant.
How large is Northwest Health Law Advocates?
Northwest Health Law Advocates reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $625K.
What is Northwest Health Law Advocates?
Northwest Health Law Advocates is a public charity focused on Health, based in Seattle, WA. It holds $2.6M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Northwest Health Law Advocates operate?
Northwest Health Law Advocates has awarded grants in Washington.
What is Northwest Health Law Advocates's EIN?
Northwest Health Law Advocates's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1961032. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 30, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Northwest Health Law Advocates's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Washington
Inatai Foundation
Seattle, WA
Inatai Foundation funds community organizations building community power and advancing racial justice and equity, especially those rooted in and led by communities most affected by structural inequities. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,100 to $1.5 million, with a median of $201,000; its focus is Washington, though it also funded organizations elsewhere. It accepts applications through its Open Invitation process, but the application windows listed for 2026 have passed, and no upcoming window is stated.
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Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation
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The foundation supports health and education access, immigrant justice, emergency needs, and community-led work, especially for low-income immigrant and refugee communities in Washington’s King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties; rapid-response grants may also support documented emergencies, and exceptions include national immigrant-rights advocacy and disaster relief. Its 2024 grants had a median of $31,500 (range $5,150–$125,000), while rapid-response awards may be up to $10,000; it continues select grant programs through 2027 but accepts applications by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests.
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Philanthropy Northwest
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Philanthropy Northwest rarely makes grants; its 2024 grants of $15,000–$30,000 (median $15,000) supported learning on diversity, racial equity, and inclusion, mainly for organizations in Washington and elsewhere in the Northwest. It also administered environmental and public health grants across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, but that program is closed and has no future rounds planned.
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Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Gates Foundation funds work to reduce disease and poverty, improve health and gender equality in lower-income countries, and support education and economic mobility in the United States, especially Washington State; it works in more than 140 countries. Its 2024 grants had a median of $500,000, with awards ranging from $1 to $350.5 million. It generally does not accept unsolicited proposals, but periodically offers opportunities through published requests for proposals.
Assets
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Swedish Health Services
Renton, WA
Swedish Health Services supports health and community organizations, particularly work improving health-care access, mental and behavioral health, and equity and social determinants of health. Its 2024 grants ranged from $7,500 to $270,000, with a median of $20,000; support is centered on Puget Sound, and most 2024 funding went to Washington recipients. The profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$3.7B
Grants
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Total Given
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More similar funders
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Northwest Health Law Advocates'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.
Northwest Health Law Advocates down — hundreds of funders to go?