The Burning Foundation
The Burning Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. It supports environmental conservation and teen pregnancy prevention projects in Washington and Oregon.
The Burning Foundation at a glance
In short: The Burning Foundation gave $1.1M across 56 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in Washington. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,128,000
- +7.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 56
- +3.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $20,143
- +3.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $13,252,858
- +17.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (3 of 54, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Burning Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website directs applicants to submit a letter of interest online in either the spring or fall cycle. Applicants are notified whether they may submit a full proposal; the website says notification is provided at least two weeks before the proposal deadline. The filing says environmental applicants must be qualifying 501(c)(3) groups in Washington or Oregon, and teen pregnancy prevention applicants must be nonprofit 501(c)(3) groups in Washington. The website says applications must be completed in the same cycle as the letter of interest and that organizations whose letter or proposal was denied must wait a year before reapplying.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists spring letters of interest as due the last Friday of March, with full proposals due the first Wednesday of May; fall letters of interest are due the last Friday of September, with full proposals due the first Wednesday of November. The September 2026 letter-of-interest deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- The website lists spring letters of interest as due the last Friday of March, with full proposals due the first…
- Contact
Application contact: All Applications Are Submitted Onli
Mailing address: Https/ /Wwwburningfoundationorg/H, Seattle, WA 98115
Phone: (503) 419-8454
Email: grant-management@burningfoundation.org
Website: https://burningfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Burning Foundation
Who The Burning Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Futurewise ($40K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $300K.
Grant Size Distribution
269 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 269 grants of 269 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated program areas cover Washington and Oregon. In its 2025 grants, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington and 43% to recipients in Oregon; 2% went to recipients in each of Idaho and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Burning Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 54 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 78% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $691K (2019) to $1.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 56 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of the San Juans Friday Harbor, WA | Protecting Shorelines, Species, and Communities | $30,000 |
| Legacy Forest Defense Coalition Tacoma, WA | General Operations | $30,000 |
| Puget Soundkeeper Alliance Seattle, WA | General Support | $30,000 |
| Silvix Resources Portland, OR | Advancing old forest conservation in the pacific northwest and beyond | $30,000 |
| Waterwatch of Oregon Portland, OR | Strategic Freshwater Conservation in Oregon | $30,000 |
| Cascade Forest Conservancy Vancouver, WA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Earthrise Law Center Portland, OR | Blue Mountains Forest Protection | $25,000 |
| Futurewise Seattle, WA | Protecting Wildlife and Water Resources Through Land Use | $25,000 |
| Greater Hells Canyon Council Enterprise, OR | In Defense of the Blue Mountains | $25,000 |
| Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center Ashland, OR | KS Wilds Forest Watch Program Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Burning 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13,252,858 | $4,628,060 | $1,230,610 | $1,128,000 | 56 | $1,142,596 | $2,945,853 | $1,141,386 |
| 2024 | $11,292,564 | $896,772 | $1,136,645 | $1,048,000 | 54 | $1,053,344 | $833,471 | $1,049,958 |
| 2023 | $11,532,437 | $514,721 | $947,322 | $855,000 | 50 | $891,695 | $460,094 | $891,220 |
| 2022 | $11,965,038 | $516,249 | $948,369 | $867,000 | 52 | $893,115 | $460,995 | $885,826 |
| 2021 | $12,397,158 | $1,492,522 | $1,096,108 | $969,000 | 57 | $1,008,975 | $1,410,536 | $1,005,929 |
| 2020 | $12,000,744 | $1,489,805 | $833,672 | $746,000 | 52 | — | $580,586 | $773,278 |
| 2019 | $11,872,336 | $2,208,913 | $825,629 | $691,000 | 48 | — | $1,409,297 | $715,799 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Burning Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — 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 website describes two areas of interest. Its environmental program supports organizations preserving habitat that sustains biodiversity and quiet remote recreation in Washington or Oregon, with preference for local groups improving habitat in their area and statewide groups addressing habitat conservation and protection. Its teen pregnancy prevention program supports projects in Washington or Oregon using evidence-based techniques to reduce teen pregnancy. The website says these projects must have their own budget, work plan, and criteria for success.
The foundation’s policies say it supports qualifying 501(c)(3) public charities classified under 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2), and makes grants for general operating expenses or special projects. The website lists exclusions including research projects, scholarships, schools and universities, environmental education, land or building purchases, and certain specified environmental activities. It also says it no longer accepts requests for multi-year support.
Grantees’ descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Silvix Resources describes itself as an environmental law firm working to advance conservation, restoration, and stewardship of western public lands. Friends of the San Juans says it works to protect and restore the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea for people and nature. WaterWatch of Oregon describes its work as protecting and restoring Oregon river streamflows for fish, wildlife, and people. Planned Parenthood of the Columbia Willamette says its mission is to provide, promote, and protect access to reproductive and sexual health care in Oregon and southwest Washington.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 56 grants totaling $1,128,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $30,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed awards were $30,000 each to Friends of the San Juans, Legacy Forest Defense Coalition, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, Silvix Resources, and WaterWatch of Oregon. Other listed awards included $25,000 to Skagit Land Trust, Washington Association of Land Trusts, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation, and Planned Parenthood of the Columbia Willamette.
The foundation’s policies page lists grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 and says approximately $650,000 is granted each year. Its 2025 filing reports the higher total and grant sizes noted above.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists David N. Weise as president, Daniel W. Weise as vice president, and Alisa Kf Weise as secretary.
The Burning Foundation is led by David N. Weise, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David N. Weise
President
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alisa Kf Weise
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel W. Weise
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Burning Foundation
How much does The Burning Foundation give each year?
The Burning Foundation gave $1.1M across 56 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.0M across 54 grants.
What is The Burning Foundation's typical grant size?
The Burning Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $20,143, across 56 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Burning Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does The Burning Foundation give grants?
The Burning Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Oregon (43%). The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, OR (11 grants), Seattle, WA (9 grants), Bend, OR (3 grants) and Tacoma, WA (2 grants).
Does The Burning Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 20% of The Burning Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Burning Foundation's largest grantees?
The Burning Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Futurewise ($40,000 across 2 grants), Center for Responsible Forestry ($35,000 across 2 grants) and Friends of the San Juans ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 9% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Burning Foundation?
The Burning Foundation reported $13.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Burning Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes two areas of interest. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Burning Foundation?
The foundation’s website directs applicants to submit a letter of interest online in either the spring or fall cycle. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Burning Foundation's EIN?
The Burning Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1815335. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 29, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Burning Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Burning Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-burning-foundation-morg_5ac22f8cbd504e138a80cd3d4a47d592
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911815335_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Burning Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-burning-foundation-morg_5ac22f8cbd504e138a80cd3d4a47d592},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 The Burning 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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