The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund is a Seattle, Washington-based public charity that raises contributions through annual campaigns and distributes funds to organizations serving needy families and individuals in the Seattle community. The fund’s website presents its fundraising work as the Fund for Those in Need and says The Seattle Times covers the fund’s operating expenses.
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund at a glance
In short: The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund gave $4.9M across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $325K), mostly in Washington. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,867,839
- +55.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $324,523
- +55.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $181,175
- Total assets
- $691,431
- +11.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund
- Contact
Mailing address: 1000 Denny Way, Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 464-2450
Website: https://ffn.seattletimes.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sound Generations ($950K). Together the top 10 received $4.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
74 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 35 grants of 74 (47%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund’s stated purpose refers to serving members of the Seattle community. Its website describes donations as supporting organizations serving the Puget Sound region. In filing year 2025, all reported grant dollars went to Washington recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 15 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. How we count
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.8M (2023) to $4.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $4.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sound Generations Seattle, WA | Services for Senior Citizens | $950,205 |
| The Salvation Army Seattle, WA | Funds Raised for Needy Families and Individuals | $793,730 |
| Akin (Formerly Childhaven) Seattle, WA | Services for Vulnerable Children | $652,925 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound Bellevue, WA | Services for at-Risk Children & Teens | $402,970 |
| Treehouse Seattle, WA | Services for Abused and Foster Children | $377,870 |
| Wellspring Family Services Seattle, WA | Services for Homeless Families | $284,255 |
| Hopelink Redmond, WA | Services for Low Income Families and Children | $277,278 |
| Atlantic Street Center Seattle, WA | Services for Low Income Children | $181,175 |
| Asian Counseling and Referral Service Seattle, WA | Services for Low Income Families | $169,715 |
| Youth Eastside Services Bellevue, WA | Services for at-Risk Youth | $169,715 |
Ready to take the next step with The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $691,431 | $5,500,210 | $5,243,434 | $4,867,839 | 15 | $-1,242 |
| 2024 | $619,131 | $3,985,097 | $3,847,739 | $3,139,247 | 15 | $536 |
| 2023 | $148,792 | $2,845,112 | $2,821,082 | $2,820,640 | 15 | $807 |
| 2022 | $124,762 | $3,380,591 | $3,442,274 | $3,410,230 | 15 | $49,179 |
| 2021 | $186,445 | $3,430,305 | $3,635,235 | $3,595,989 | 14 | $45,751 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund’s stated primary purpose is to distribute funds to organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(3) for use in aiding needy families and individuals who are members of the Seattle community. Its filing describes two annual campaigns that collect contributions from the general public in the Seattle area and distribute them to organizations serving people in need.
The 2025 grants show support for organizations working with older adults, children and youth, families experiencing homelessness or poverty, and other community members. These are grantees’ missions, not statements of the fund’s own mission: Sound Generations says it supports older adults, disabled people, and caregivers through community connections and accessible services; Treehouse says it works to provide children who have experienced foster care with opportunities and support; and Wellspring Family Services says its mission is to end the cycle of family homelessness. Hopelink describes its work as helping people exit poverty through services, partnerships, and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the fund reported 15 grants totaling $4,867,839. Grants ranged from $52,613 to $950,205, with a median of $181,175. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Washington state.
The largest reported grants included $950,205 to Sound Generations for services for senior citizens; $793,730 to The Salvation Army for funds raised for needy families and individuals; $652,925 to Akin (formerly Childhaven) for services for vulnerable children; $402,970 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound for services for at-risk children and teens; and $377,870 to Treehouse for services for abused and foster children. Other reported grants included $284,255 to Wellspring Family Services, $277,278 to Hopelink, and $181,175 to Atlantic Street Center.
The fund’s FAQ says its beneficiary agencies were designated by the Blethen family and some members of The Seattle Times’ executive team. It also says there are no immediate plans to add beneficiaries. The website states that donations raised for the Fund for Those in Need go to benefiting agencies and that The Seattle Times covers administrative expenses.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Frank A. Blethen as chair; Alan Fisco as president and treasurer; and Ryan Blethen as vice president and secretary. It lists Kati Erwert, Heidi De Laubenfels, Douglas Picha, and Mike Fancher as directors. The filing states that board members volunteer their time.
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund is led by Alan Fisco, President & Treasurer since 2023 (on filings since 2021); none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alan Fisco
President & Treasurer
President, CFO & Director → President & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank A. Blethen
Chair
Chairman of the Board & Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kati Erwert
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Picha
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heidi De Laubenfels
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Fancher
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Blethen
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Lars Haneberg (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Mike Francer (2024) — Director
- Former: James A Blethen (2021–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Seattle Times Community Impact Fund
How much does The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund give each year?
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund gave $4.9M across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $3.1M across 15 grants.
What is The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund's typical grant size?
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund's median grant in 2025 was $181,175, and its average grant was $324,523, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund give grants?
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund gives mostly in Washington: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (9 grants) and Bellevue, WA (4 grants).
Does The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund's largest grantees?
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Sound Generations ($950,205), The Salvation Army ($793,730) and Akin (Formerly Childhaven) ($652,925), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund?
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund reported $691K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.5M.
What does The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund fund?
The fund’s stated primary purpose is to distribute funds to organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(3) for use in aiding needy families and individuals who are members of the Seattle community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund?
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check ffn.seattletimes.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund's EIN?
The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1081445. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-seattle-times-community-impact-fund-morg_d13515501dd0443991cadbb437609fc0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911081445_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Seattle Times Community Impact Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-seattle-times-community-impact-fund-morg_d13515501dd0443991cadbb437609fc0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. 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 Seattle Times Community Impact Fund'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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