The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation
The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2000 and based in Hunts Point, Washington. The foundation was created by businessman Gunnar Lie, founder of Norpro (a company specializing in cooking and baking tools), and his wife Ruth. As a private non-operating foundation, the organization focuses its philanthropic efforts on supporting charitable causes aligned with its founders' values.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$38.1M
+6.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.5M
-27.9% YoY
Grant Count
7
-22.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$350K
-7.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary mission centers on giving to Christian organizations. According to its tax filings, the foundation provides grants primarily to support:
- Christian churches and faith-based organizations
- Conservative Christian ministries and organizations
- Religious education and outreach initiatives
- Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Wesleyan groups
The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited requests for funding, which limits publicly available information about its specific grantmaking priorities and application procedures.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with recent grants ranging from $100,000 to $1,500,000. In 2024, the foundation made 13 grants totaling $2,451,500 in charitable distributions.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
While the foundation's grantmaking is national in scope, Washington State—the foundation's home state—appears to be an area of priority. The foundation has supported organizations in Washington as well as other states, including Hawaii and Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $38,076,454
- Total Revenues: $4,806,281
- Total Expenses: $2,496,025
- Total Giving: $2,451,500
The foundation maintains substantial financial resources with assets exceeding $38 million, positioning it to sustain consistent grantmaking activities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $38,076,454 | $35,766,198 | $34,675,356 |
| Revenue | $4,806,281 | $4,537,467 | $3,893,090 |
| Expenses | $2,496,025 | $3,446,625 | $3,141,744 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,456,000 | $3,404,750 | $3,123,923 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,243,679 | $1,218,827 | $3,413,408 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,893,079 | $1,749,091 | $1,713,266 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Pursuit Northwest ($1,500,000), Foundation for the Nations Usa ($400,000), Jubilee Reach ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FAMILY POLICY INSTITUTE OF WASHINGTON LYNNWOOD, WA | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $100,000 |
| JUBILEE REACH BELLEVUE, WA | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $200,000 |
| NORTHWEST UNIVERSITY KIRKLAND, WA | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $50,000 |
| UNION GOSPEL MISSION SEATTLE, WA | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $200,000 |
| FOUNDATION FOR THE NATIONS USA PARKER, CO | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $400,000 |
| MOSAIC ARTS NW EDMONDS, WA | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $1,500 |
| PURSUIT NORTHWEST SNOHOMISH, WA | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $1,500,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Clay Lundgren serves as Director of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GUNNAR LIE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RUTH LIE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KIRSTEN MILLER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH LIE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary mission centers on giving to Christian organizations. According to its tax filings, the foundation provides grants primarily to support: • Christian churches and faith-based organizations • Conservative Christian ministries and organizations • Religious education and outreach initiatives • Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Wesleyan groups The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited requests for funding, which limits publicly available i…
How do I apply for a grant from The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation?
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with recent grants ranging from $100,000 to $1,500,000. In 2024, the foundation made 13 grants totaling $2,451,500 in charitable distributions. **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • Pursuit Northwest: $1,500,000 • Foundation for the Nations USA: $400,000 • Seattle's Union Gospel Mission: $200,000 • Family Policy Institute of Washington: $100,000 **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,000 to $2,000,000 • Focus on faith-based and …
Where does The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation make grants?
While the foundation's grantmaking is national in scope, Washington State—the foundation's home state—appears to be an area of priority. The foundation has supported organizations in Washington as well as other states, including Hawaii and Colorado.
What size grants does The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation award?
In 2024, The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation awarded 7 grants totaling $2.5M — an average of about $350K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation's EIN?
The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-2090480. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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