The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation
The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including community services, faith-rooted organizing, health care and research, housing, animal welfare, and public media.
The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation at a glance
In short: The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation gave $3.4M across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $122K), mostly in Washington. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,403,000
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $121,536
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $65,000
- Total assets
- $29,131,446
- -2.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 28, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (87% 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 John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2323 Eastlake Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98102
Phone: (206) 329-4900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Way of King County ($682K). Together the top 10 received $2.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
143 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 69 grants of 143 (48%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington. The remaining grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia (5%), Massachusetts (4%), Arizona (3%), and New York (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 28 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+11%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 244% 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 $2.8M (2019) to $3.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $3.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way of King County Seattle, WA | Uwkc Gates Challenge | $682,000 |
| Seattle First Baptist Church Seattle, WA | Support a Justice-Oriented & Inclusive Intergenerational Community | $400,000 |
| Church Council of Greater Seattle Seattle, WA | Support Building Collective Power Through Faith-Rooted Community Organizing | $260,000 |
| Swedish Medical Center Foundation Seattle, WA | Support Advancing Health Care in the Seattle Region | $225,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Tukwila, WA | Family Resource Program | $207,000 |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle, WA | Support innovative research and compassionate care to prevent and eliminate cancer and infectious disease | $200,000 |
| Union Gospel Mission Seattle, WA | Support for Women & Children's Shelter | $196,000 |
| Noah Center Stanwood, WA | Low Cost Spay/Neuter Program | $150,000 |
| Carter Center Atlanta, GA | Support human rights and the alleviation of human suffering | $133,000 |
| 1ST Church of Christ Scientist Boston, MA | Mother Church Endowment Fund and General Support | $125,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes 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 | $29,131,446 | $3,015,119 | $3,431,873 | $3,403,000 | 28 | $3,406,830 | $3,011,194 | $1,394,798 |
| 2024 | $29,850,963 | $1,887,569 | $3,109,413 | $3,094,000 | 28 | $3,096,100 | $1,883,296 | $1,440,435 |
| 2023 | $27,637,142 | $1,506,981 | $3,092,886 | $3,084,000 | 29 | $3,086,975 | $1,503,096 | $1,415,981 |
| 2022 | $28,865,815 | $1,615,402 | $3,134,340 | $3,076,000 | 29 | $3,078,174 | $1,612,438 | $1,565,612 |
| 2021 | $31,556,037 | $3,076,097 | $3,158,234 | $3,079,000 | 29 | — | $3,069,684 | $1,526,896 |
| 2020 | $27,418,661 | $2,321,359 | $2,935,335 | $2,856,500 | 30 | — | $2,312,116 | $1,353,400 |
| 2019 | $31,018,500 | $1,861,824 | $2,890,585 | $2,837,500 | 30 | — | $1,857,732 | $1,481,934 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its grantees describe a range of work: United Way of King County says it works with communities to build an equitable future; Swedish Medical Center Foundation says it supports regional health care; Habitat for Humanity describes providing affordable housing to eligible families; and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center describes research aimed at a world free of cancer and related diseases. Union Gospel Mission says its work is helping people move from homelessness to wholeness. These are grantees’ descriptions of their own missions, not statements of the foundation’s mission.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $3,403,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $682,000, with a median of $65,000. Among the largest awards were $682,000 to United Way of King County for the UWKC Gates Challenge; $400,000 to Seattle First Baptist Church for a justice-oriented and inclusive intergenerational community; $260,000 to Church Council of Greater Seattle for faith-rooted community organizing; and $225,000 to Swedish Medical Center Foundation to advance health care in the Seattle region.
Other notable 2025 grants included $207,000 to Habitat for Humanity for its Family Resource Program, $200,000 to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, $196,000 to Union Gospel Mission for its women and children’s shelter, and $150,000 to Noah Center for a low-cost spay/neuter program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Christopher R. Hughes and Julie A. Hughes as trustees.
The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christopher R. Hughes
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julie A. Hughes
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2.5 hrs/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 John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation
How much does The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation give each year?
The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation gave $3.4M across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.1M across 28 grants.
What is The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation's typical grant size?
The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $65,000, and its average grant was $121,536, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation give grants?
The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (17 grants) and Friday Harbor, WA (2 grants).
Does The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 4% of The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation's largest grantees?
The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include United Way of King County ($682,000), Seattle First Baptist Church ($400,000) and Church Council of Greater Seattle ($260,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation?
The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation reported $29.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation's EIN?
The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1286019. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 10, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 31, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The John C & Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-c-and-karyl-kay-hughes-foundation-morg_fca26f94c8864b309d2371c63a33450a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911286019_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The John C \& Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-c-and-karyl-kay-hughes-foundation-morg_fca26f94c8864b309d2371c63a33450a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 John C & Karyl Kay Hughes 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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