The Mary See Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Renton, WA EIN: 95-6038358

The Mary See Foundation is a private foundation based in Renton, Washington. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations and to state and local institutions.

The Mary See Foundation at a glance

In short: The Mary See Foundation gave $236K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Washington. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$236,000
-0.4% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
28
-3.4% vs 2024
Average grant
$8,429
+3.1% vs 2024
Median grant
$6,250
Total assets
$2,733,683
+2.4% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
18% first-time grantees (5 of 28, 2025)
Primary geography
Washington (80% 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 Mary See Foundation

How to Apply

The 2025 filing instructs applicants to submit a letter describing their organization and intended use of funds. It states that gifts are made to 501(c)(3) organizations and to 170(c)(1) state and local institutions.

Review Cycle
The filing says to submit prior to November 1. This is an instruction on the 2025 filing, so that cycle’s deadline has passed.
Deadline
The filing says to submit prior to November 1.
Contact

Application contact: Harry A See The Mary See Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 3308, Renton, WA 98056
Phone: (425) 451-0780

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Mary See Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Family Resource Center: $25KFamily Resource Center$25KHabitat for Humanity: $25KHabitat for Humanity$25KSpring Street Intl: $15KSpring Street Intl$15KSan Juan EMT Association: $13KSan Juan EMT Association$13KAirlift Northwest: $10KAirlift Northwest$10KBaca: $10KBaca$10KNew Horizons: $10KNew Horizons$10KSan Juan Island Firefighters: $10KSan Juan Island Firefighters$10KThe Sophia Way: $10KThe Sophia Way$10KWashington Women in Need: $10KWashington Women in Need$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Family Resource Center ($25K). Together the top 10 received $138K.

Grant Size Distribution

162 grants across all recorded years

162<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 162 grants of 162 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, recipients in Washington received 80% of grant dollars, those in California received 15%, and recipients in Missouri, Oregon, and Wisconsin received 2%, 2%, and 1%, respectively.

Grant Distribution by State

8states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.

Cities

SeattleFriday HarborRentonBellevuePalm DesertKirklandSan FranciscoSan RafaelKentBerkeleyKansas CityMount VernonSanta PaulaSausalitoSnohomishDallasEverettMenlo ParkPuyallupTukwila

Is The Mary See Foundation open to new grantees?

18%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 5 of 28 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $8K. How we count

Medians: $8K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−11%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 161% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K41 grants2020 37 grants2021 39 grants2022 29 grants2023 29 grants2024 28 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $236K (2025) to $303K (2020). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $236K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Family Resource Center Friday Harbor, WACharitable$25,000
Habitat for Humanity Bellflower, CACharitable$25,000
Spring Street Intl Friday Harbor, WACharitable$15,000
San Juan EMT Association Friday Harbor, WACharitable$13,000
Airlift Northwest Seattle, WACharitable$10,000
Baca Renton, WACharitable$10,000
New Horizons Seattle, WACharitable$10,000
San Juan Island Firefighters Friday Harbor, WACharitable$10,000
The Sophia Way Bellevue, WACharitable$10,000
Washington Women in Need Puyallup, WACharitable$10,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$2,733,683$351,868$285,357$236,00028$242,813$313,682$150,988
2024$2,668,777$292,732$280,654$237,00029$244,199$259,888$152,918
2023$2,654,734$145,496$278,342$237,50029$244,747$113,479$148,148
2022$2,787,580$188,905$307,370$265,00039$270,792$154,474$160,618
2021$2,907,074$319,354$307,544$258,00037$265,109$280,828$180,314
2020$2,894,235$230,616$332,279$303,00041—$205,770$167,806

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mary See Foundation reported a distributable amount of $151K 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

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including housing, homelessness services, emergency response, education, women’s support, and hospice care. These are examples of its grantees’ work, not stated priorities of the foundation.

For example, Washington Women in Need says it provides scholarships and support to help Washington women facing barriers succeed in college and careers. The Sophia Way describes its work as supporting women on a journey from homelessness to safe and stable living. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento says it builds locally in Sacramento and Yolo Counties.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $236,000. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $25,000, with a median of $6,250. Among the largest were $25,000 to Family Resource Center in Friday Harbor, Washington, and $25,000 to Habitat for Humanity in Bellflower, California; $15,000 to Spring Street International in Friday Harbor; and $13,000 to San Juan EMT Association in Friday Harbor. Other $10,000 grants included Airlift Northwest, BACA, New Horizons, San Juan Island Firefighters, The Sophia Way, Washington Women in Need, and Westside Neighbours Network Shelter.

Additional 2025 recipients included Skagit Hospice Foundation and Union Gospel Mission, each receiving $5,000. The foundation’s application policy says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Harry A See as president and treasurer, Maureen See as vice president and secretary, Rhonda Slater as assistant secretary, and Stephen D Varon as director.

The Mary See Foundation is led by Harry A. See, President & Treasurer since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Harry A. See

    President & Treasurer

    President & Secretary → President & Treasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stephen D. Varon

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Maureen See

    Vice President & Secretary

    Director → Vice President & Secretary, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rhonda Slater

    Assistant Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Bruce M. Pym (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Richard W. See (2020–2022) — Vice President

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Mary See Foundation

How much does The Mary See Foundation give each year?

The Mary See Foundation gave $236K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $237K across 29 grants.

What is The Mary See Foundation's typical grant size?

The Mary See Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $6,250, and its average grant was $8,429, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Mary See Foundation that year got $11K on average.

Where does The Mary See Foundation give grants?

The Mary See Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (9 grants), Friday Harbor, WA (6 grants) and Palm Desert, CA (2 grants).

Does The Mary See Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Mary See Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (28 grants).

Who are The Mary See Foundation's largest grantees?

The Mary See Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Family Resource Center ($25,000), Habitat for Humanity ($25,000) and Spring Street Intl ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Mary See Foundation?

The Mary See Foundation reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $243K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $151K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Mary See Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including housing, homelessness services, emergency response, education, women’s support, and hospice care. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Mary See Foundation?

The 2025 filing instructs applicants to submit a letter describing their organization and intended use of funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The Mary See Foundation's EIN?

The Mary See Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-6038358. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 24, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The Mary See Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mary-see-foundation-morg_9f390e2f9abd4d238c0b7e28b448a720

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_956038358_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The Mary See Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mary-see-foundation-morg_9f390e2f9abd4d238c0b7e28b448a720},
  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 Mary See 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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