The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc
The Roots & Wings Foundation is a family foundation based in Seattle, Washington, launched in 2020 by Judy and Gordon Faulkner. It funds nonprofit organizations working to help low-income children and families thrive, with particular attention to the prenatal-through-age-three period.
The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc gave $66.6M across 518 grants in 2024 (avg $129K), mostly in Wisconsin. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $66,598,179
- +26.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 518
- +14.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $128,568
- +10.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $55,000
- Total assets
- $611,848,279
- +22.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (46 of 294, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (55% 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 Roots and Wings Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It has no open application process; it learns about nonprofits through research, community outreach, and introductions submitted through its website, and invites aligned organizations to apply. It states that it does not fund organizations without current nonprofit status, individuals, lobbyists, political campaigns, or religious purposes; national organizations without a Wisconsin presence; Wisconsin organizations serving only one county outside Dane County; organizations fundraising for others; or work in specified areas including higher education, K–12, arts and culture, and youth development.
- Contact
Mailing address: 7107 Greenwood Ave N Suite A, Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: (206) 552-8444
Website: https://rootswings.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Wisconsin Early Childhood Assoc ($2.0M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $12.9M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($200,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,622 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 696 grants of 1,622 (43%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports nonprofits in Wisconsin, Washington, and across the nation. In 2024, 55% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin, 6% each to New York and California, 5% to Massachusetts, and 4% to Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 518 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 46 of 294 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $140K; repeat grants $243K. How we count
Medians: $68K first-time, $140K repeat.
- 82% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 141% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 259% 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 $15.3M (2020) to $66.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 518 grants totaling $66.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Early Childhood Assoc Fitchburg, WI | Unrestricted Grant | $2,000,000 |
| Dane Co Parent Council Madison, WI | Unrestricted Grant | $1,500,000 |
| Access Community Health Centers Madison, WI | Unrestricted Grant | $1,000,000 |
| Madison Area Technical College Fdn Madison, WI | Goodman South Early Learning Campus | $1,000,000 |
| Madison Community Fdn Madison, WI | Goodman Nonprofit Center | $1,000,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Grant | $1,000,000 |
| Wisconsin Alliance Infant Mental Health Middleton, WI | Unrestricted Grant | $1,000,000 |
| NYC Health Hospitals New York, NY | Prenatal Through Age Three | $820,000 |
| Rise Wisconsin Madison, WI | Unrestricted Grant | $800,000 |
| Hennepin Healthcare Fdn Minneapolis, MN | Prenatal Through Age Three | $755,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc?
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 | $611,848,279 | $136,161,197 | $71,690,104 | $66,598,179 | 518 | $69,114,653 | $29,760,760 | $26,665,079 |
| 2023 | $497,952,730 | $200,460,454 | $48,863,594 | $52,666,065 | 451 | $55,779,025 | $5,502,827 | $20,194,637 |
| 2022 | $287,662,170 | $-3,074,733 | $24,177,672 | $40,707,050 | 351 | $41,643,514 | $1,971,014 | $16,284,252 |
| 2021 | $315,937,030 | $249,888,695 | $30,070,397 | $27,615,650 | 186 | $28,182,597 | $11,979,628 | $14,362,083 |
| 2020 | $96,239,030 | $-1,108,842 | $16,486,357 | $15,283,700 | 116 | — | $707,566 | $5,548,156 |
| 2019 | $113,787,851 | $113,788,226 | $375 | — | — | — | $123,593 | $452,965 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $26.7M for 2024 — 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 stated goal is to help children have a strong start in life so they can reach their full potential. Its four program areas are basic needs, early learning, health, and safety and justice. Its website describes support for organizations addressing social drivers of health and preventing adverse childhood experiences, including work spanning prenatal care, early brain development, and supports for families.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of work supported. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin describes its mission as helping people manage their sexual and reproductive health through patient services, education, and advocacy. Access Community Health Centers says it works to improve health and lives by addressing barriers to affordable, high-quality care. RISE Wisconsin describes its work as advancing wellness through early childhood and mental health services for children, individuals, and families.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 518 grants totaling $66,598,179. Grants ranged from $100 to $2 million, with a median grant of $55,000. Among the largest were $2 million to Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, $1.5 million to Dane County Parent Council, and $1 million each to Access Community Health Centers, an individual recipient Technical College Foundation, Madison Community Foundation, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health. Several grants were designated “unrestricted”; other stated purposes included the Goodman South Early Learning Campus and prenatal-through-age-three work.
The foundation says it aims to provide multi-year, unrestricted grants when possible, limits paperwork and reporting, and may offer partners support beyond funding through connections, convening, consulting, and communications. Its process includes researching prospective partners, discussing alignment with the board, and contacting organizations when there is a strong fit. Organizations that continue to align may be invited to apply using a pre-populated application.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Shana Dall’Osto as executive director, Judith Faulkner as president, and Gordon Faulkner as secretary.
The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc is led by Shana Dall'osto, Executive Director since 2022 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Shana Dall'osto
Executive Director
Managing Director → Executive Di, 2020
Executive Di → Executive Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
36 hrs/week
$114K (2020) → $180K (2024)
Judith Faulkner
President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gordon Faulkner
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 $180K, to Shana Dall'osto (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc
How much does The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc give each year?
The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc gave $66.6M across 518 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $52.7M across 451 grants.
What is The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $55,000, and its average grant was $128,568, across 518 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc that year got $140K on average.
Where does The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc give grants?
The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (6%) and California (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Madison, WI (220 grants), Milwaukee, WI (61 grants), Seattle, WA (22 grants) and New York, NY (15 grants).
Does The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 58% of The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (302 of 518) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Site Visit Honorarium" (59 grants), "Foundation Gathering Honorarium" (54 grants) and "Prenatal Through Age Three" (21 grants).
Who are The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Wisconsin Early Childhood Assoc ($2,000,375 across 2 grants), Dane Co Parent Council ($1,825,000 across 3 grants) and Madison Area Technical College Fdn ($1,400,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($200,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 8% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc?
The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc reported $611.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $69.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated goal is to help children have a strong start in life so they can reach their full potential. Its four program areas are basic needs, early learning, health, and safety and justice. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 32-0581904. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 13, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-roots-and-wings-foundation-inc-morg_b190cd31141846d48b904db4c4217baf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_320581904_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-roots-and-wings-foundation-inc-morg_b190cd31141846d48b904db4c4217baf},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Roots and Wings Foundation Inc'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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