The Foster Foundation
The Foster Foundation is a private foundation based in Kirkland, Washington. Established in 1984, it supports nonprofit organizations working to improve quality of life in the Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.
The Foster Foundation at a glance
In short: The Foster Foundation gave $2.3M across 59 grants in 2024 (avg $39K), mostly in Washington. 5% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,297,792
- +5.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 59
- -4.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $38,946
- +10.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $57,067,901
- +14.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (3 of 59, 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 The Foster Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website says it invites organizations it identifies as potential partners to submit proposals and does not accept unsolicited proposals or funding requests. It directs prospective organizations to submit an organization information form for consideration. The 2024 filing, however, describes a process that begins with a brief letter inquiry about a project; if the inquiry is deemed appropriate, the foundation requests a formal application. The filing says a formal application should include organizational details and tax-exempt status, officers and directors, program history and accomplishments, financial reports and a current-year budget, a project plan and evaluation method, ongoing-support plans if relevant, and a detailed project budget. The filing states that grants are generally for one year and may support building funds, equipment and materials, research, matching or challenge grants, and special projects. It says grants to individuals are made as scholarships and fellowships through a school, college, or university.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing lists no deadlines and says responses to submissions are usually made within 90 days. The website’s grant-seeker information lists an organization-form period of January 1 through August 31; that period has passed for 2026.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists no deadlines and says responses to submissions are usually made within 90 days.
- Contact
Application contact: Karen Rowe
Mailing address: 13 Central Way, Kirkland, WA 98033
Phone: (206) 726-1815
Website: https://thefosterfoundation.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 The Foster Foundation
Who The Foster Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Uw Athletic Department ($750K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($22,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
301 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 259 grants of 301 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska as its five-state funding area. Its 2024 filing data shows that all reported grant dollars went to recipients in Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Foster Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 59 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $40K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 95% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 31% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 102% 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 $1.8M (2021) to $2.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 59 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Uw Athletic Department Seattle, WA | General | $750,000 |
| Swedish Medical Center Foundation Seattle, WA | Medical | $260,000 |
| Montlake Futures Seattle, WA | General | $160,000 |
| Overlake Medical Center Foundation Bellevue, WA | Social Services | $135,000 |
| Seattle Foundation Seattle, WA | General | $127,792 |
| University of Washington - Foster School Building Seattle, WA | Education | $100,000 |
| Northwest Harvest Seattle, WA | Social Services | $60,000 |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle, WA | Medical | $50,000 |
| Seattle Art Museum Seattle, WA | General | $50,000 |
| Paws- Progressive Animal Welfare Society Lynnwood, WA | Social Services | $47,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Foster 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 | $57,067,901 | $9,923,130 | $2,873,985 | $2,297,792 | 59 | $2,409,531 | $3,922,500 | $2,366,292 |
| 2023 | $50,018,756 | $2,124,692 | $2,178,365 | $2,180,096 | 62 | $2,324,555 | $1,656,092 | $2,119,975 |
| 2022 | $50,072,429 | $6,107,839 | $2,458,127 | $1,922,709 | 61 | $2,070,926 | $5,680,001 | $2,163,613 |
| 2021 | $46,586,583 | $7,352,934 | $2,330,551 | $1,757,379 | 58 | $1,905,569 | $6,830,365 | $2,463,966 |
| 2020 | $42,136,230 | $-2,129,452 | $2,942,590 | $2,470,521 | 61 | — | $556,117 | $2,150,602 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Foster Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M 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 stated purpose is to enhance quality of life in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Its priority areas include critical services for people and families in need; literacy, learning, and academic success; medical research, treatment, and care; and cultural, artistic, and recreational activities.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate this range. Swedish Medical Center Foundation describes its mission as supporting Swedish Health Services’ efforts to advance regional health care and meet community health needs. Seattle Foundation says its mission is to encourage philanthropy that makes Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center describes its work as research spanning foundational biology to population-level health. Seattle Art Museum says it connects art to life and serves as a cultural and educational resource. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
The foundation says it seeks long-term partnerships with well-run nonprofit programs. It also describes a preference, where possible, for funding specific tangible requests, such as facilities, vehicles, or equipment.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 59 grants totaling $2,297,792. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $750,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $750,000 to UW Athletic Department, $260,000 to Swedish Medical Center Foundation, $160,000 to Montlake Futures, $135,000 to Overlake Medical Center Foundation, and $127,792 to Seattle Foundation. Other grants included $100,000 to University of Washington - Foster School Building, $60,000 to Northwest Harvest, and $50,000 each to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Art Museum.
Deadline: The 2024 filing lists no deadlines and says responses to submissions are usually made within 90 days. The website’s grant-seeker information lists an organization-form period of January 1 through August 31; that period has passed for 2026.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael G Foster Jr as president; Karen O Rowe as corporate secretary/treasurer; and Todd Patrick and J Bradford Smith as directors.
The Foster Foundation is led by Michael G. Foster Jr., President on every filing since 2020; all 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael G. Foster Jr.
President
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$30K (2020) → $30K (2024)
J. Bradford Smith
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Todd Patrick
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Karen O. Rowe
Corp. Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$75K (2020) → $79K (2024)
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 $79K, to Karen O Rowe (Corp. Secretary/Treasurer). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Foster Foundation
How much does The Foster Foundation give each year?
The Foster Foundation gave $2.3M across 59 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.2M across 62 grants.
What is The Foster Foundation's typical grant size?
The Foster Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $38,946, across 59 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Foster Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Foster Foundation give grants?
The Foster 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 Seattle, WA (43 grants), Bellevue, WA (6 grants), Redmond, WA (3 grants) and Lynnwood, WA (2 grants).
Does The Foster Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 10% of The Foster Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 59) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Social Services" (36 grants), "Medical" (9 grants) and "Education" (8 grants).
Who are The Foster Foundation's largest grantees?
The Foster Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Uw Athletic Department ($750,000), Swedish Medical Center Foundation ($260,000) and Montlake Futures ($160,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($22,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Foster Foundation?
The Foster Foundation reported $57.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Foster Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to enhance quality of life in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Foster Foundation?
The foundation’s website says it invites organizations it identifies as potential partners to submit proposals and does not accept unsolicited proposals or funding requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Foster Foundation's EIN?
The Foster Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1265474. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Foster Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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 The Foster Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Foster Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-foster-foundation-morg_2af4a6acc00542ab84232f5732629810
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911265474_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Foster Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-foster-foundation-morg_2af4a6acc00542ab84232f5732629810},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Foster 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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