The Herbert Jones Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker SEATTLE, WA EIN: 94-3124801

The Herbert Jones Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington, established in 1989. The foundation promotes small business and entrepreneurship through programs managed by post-secondary educational institutions.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$17.2M

+27.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$742K

-13.6% YoY

Grant Count

-10.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$82K

-4.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Herbert Jones Foundation reported a distributable amount of $766K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary focus is supporting entrepreneurship and small business development. Key funding areas include:

Entrepreneurship programs and centers
Business plan competitions and awards
Student launch initiatives and business awards
Campus course development related to entrepreneurship
Social venture competitions

Grantmaking

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.

Grant Range

$25,000 to $222,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation restricts its grantmaking to Washington State organizations.

Grant Distribution by State

Washington $3.8M (100%)

States

Washington

Cities

CheneyEllensburgOlympiaPort TownsendPullmanRentonSeattleShorelineSpokaneTacoma

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Giving (as of August 2024):

Total assets: $17,154,948
Total giving: $742,063
Total revenues: $4,499,266
Total expenses: $835,922
Giving rate: 4.2% of assets

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$17,154,948	$13,491,604	$13,207,242
Revenue	$4,499,266	$1,278,641	$2,615,066
Expenses	$835,922	$994,279	$821,824
Qualifying Distributions	$760,140	$911,811	$733,485
Net Investment Income	$4,428,553	$1,244,790	$2,579,169
Distributable Amount	$765,974	$761,777	$811,724

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

55 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Eastern Washington University ($222,100), Nw School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children ($138,895), Washington State University ($110,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION ELLENSBURG, WA	CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP MAJOR	$100,000
EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY CHENEY, WA	CENTER FOR ENTERPRENEURSHIP	$222,100
ENTERPRISE FOR EQUITY OLYMPIA, WA	LOW INCOME SCHOLARSHIPS AND MOMENTUM AWARDS	$23,000
NW SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN SHORELINE, WA	EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN	$138,895
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY SEATTLE, WA	CAMPUS COURSE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL VENTURE COMPETITION, STUDENT LAUNCH AWARDS	$33,068
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY SEATTLE, WA	PROGRESS AWARDS AND BUSINESS PLAN AWARD	$45,000
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SEATTLE, WA	ACCELERATOR AWARD, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CHALLENGES	$45,000
VENTURES SEATTLE, WA	BUSINESS SAVERS CLUBS	$25,000
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY PULLMAN, WA	BUSINESS PLAN AWARD, MILESTONE AWARDS, STUDENT VENTURE MANAGER	$110,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
TERRY SMITH	TRUSTEE	1	—
TOM CRHA	TRUSTEE	1	—
TAMMY MILLER	TRUSTEE	1	—
KAYLEE JAECH	TRUSTEE	1	—
MANDY HO	TRUSTEE	1	—
RENE WAGNER	TRUSTEE	1	—

Contact Information

Address: 1301 5th Ave Ste 2400, Seattle, WA 98101-2648
Telephone: 425-709-4209
Website: www.hbjfoundation.com

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Herbert Jones Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary focus is supporting entrepreneurship and small business development. Key funding areas include: • Entrepreneurship programs and centers • Business plan competitions and awards • Student launch initiatives and business awards • Campus course development related to entrepreneurship • Social venture competitions

How do I apply for a grant from The Herbert Jones Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 8 grants in the most recent fiscal year (2024) • Total giving: $719,063 annually • Grant range: $25,000 to $222,000 • Median grant size: $73,000 **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Central Washington University Foundation: $100,000 (Center for Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship Major) • Seattle University: $45,000 (Progress Awards and Business Plan Award) • Seattle Pacific University: $33,068 (Campus Course Development, Social Venture Competition, Student Launch Awards) …

Where does The Herbert Jones Foundation make grants?

The foundation restricts its grantmaking to Washington State organizations.

What size grants does The Herbert Jones Foundation award?

In 2024, The Herbert Jones Foundation awarded 9 grants totaling $742K — an average of about $82K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Herbert Jones Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Herbert Jones Foundation reported a distributable amount of $766K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.