The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation
The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Walla Walla, Washington. Its website says it was created and funded in 2019 as a privately funded charitable trust to support the greater good of the Walla Walla Valley.
The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation gave $186K across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Washington. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $186,000
- +9.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 31
- -3.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,000
- +12.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,617,932
- +10.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (2 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (100% 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 Sunny Day Charitable Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website provides a letter-of-interest and grant-application process. The 2025 filing also describes requesting a grant and the materials to include.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists September 1 for letters of interest and applications, November 1 for award announcements, and December 31 for funding. The 2025 filing says requests for current-year consideration should be received by October 31. The website’s September 1, 2026 application deadline has passed; the filing’s October 31, 2026 date is upcoming.
- Deadline
- The website lists September 1 for letters of interest and applications, November 1 for award announcements, and…
- Contact
Application contact: The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 2483, Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone: (509) 520-3684
Website: https://www.sunnydayfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Blue Mountain Action Council Bmac ($15K). Together the top 10 received $110K.
Grant Size Distribution
128 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 128 grants of 128 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says it supports organizations providing services in the Walla Walla Valley. All grant dollars reported for filing year 2025 went to recipients in Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 30 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 93% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $159K (2023) to $191K (2020). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $186K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Action Council Bmac Walla Walla, WA | Backpack bridge, financial foundations, and early learning coalition programs. | $15,000 |
| Blue Mountain Humane Society Walla Walla, WA | $10,000 for subsidized spay/neuter, $2,500 for free community microchip day, and $2,500 for vaccinations and care of pets from low income households. | $15,000 |
| Walla Walla Public Schools Foundation Walla Walla, WA | Support for bringing pacific science center to pioneer and garrison for two day program. | $15,000 |
| Hope Street Walla Walla, WA | Direct cost of equipping recovery residence, program materials, staffing costs, and drug testing. | $10,000 |
| Providence Foundation Walla Walla, WA | Support of free mammogram program, jan erickson life saver fund. | $10,000 |
| United Way of the Blue Mountains Walla Walla, WA | Support adopt-a-student education program, dolly pardon's imaginary library program or tabitha's closet program. | $10,000 |
| Walla Walla Public Library BMCF Walla Walla, WA | Capital Campaign Assistance to Refurbish Walla Walla Library. | $10,000 |
| Skyline Adventures - Bluewood Program Dayton, WA | 110 - 5th grade students, 4 day ski scholarships in dayton, prescott, m-f, waitsburg & starbuck. | $9,000 |
| YMCA Walla Walla, WA | Ymca youth and government program - transportation and scholarships. | $8,500 |
| The Health Center Walla Walla, WA | To support food, hygiene, and clothes pantry at local schools. | $7,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Sunny Day Charitable 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 | $4,617,932 | $231,927 | $269,409 | $186,000 | 31 | $212,821 | $186,618 | $214,301 |
| 2024 | $4,187,820 | $429,041 | $240,856 | $170,000 | 32 | $196,329 | $385,077 | $199,172 |
| 2023 | $3,773,468 | $114,809 | $231,154 | $158,500 | 24 | $185,826 | $73,442 | $176,790 |
| 2022 | $3,458,959 | $179,617 | $243,582 | $177,500 | 22 | $204,194 | $140,229 | $186,398 |
| 2021 | $4,300,643 | $141,237 | $244,129 | $190,000 | 19 | $209,162 | $106,270 | $194,804 |
| 2020 | $3,712,726 | $62,897 | $240,185 | $191,300 | 12 | — | $46,484 | $169,459 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $214K 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 2025 filing describes grants for youth and arts programs, including STEM-related programs, youth and government programs, mentorships, outdoor programs, and arts education. It also reports support for programs serving disadvantaged people and health needs, including food, hygiene, clothing, grief counseling, recovery residences, program materials, and drug testing. Animal-related support included subsidized spay/neuter services, a community microchip day, and vaccinations and care for pets from low-income households.
The 2025 grants also show support for organizations with varied community missions. Blue Mountain Humane Society says it works to prevent cruelty and promote kindness to companion animals. Hope Street describes its work as providing women a safe home, community, and support in long-term recovery. Carnegie Picture Lab says it offers art experiences to support young people’s creative discovery. Lillie Rice Center provides employment and social support services to people with developmental disabilities, while Walla Walla Valley Disability Network supports caregivers and provides inclusion, social, and recreational events for people with disabilities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $186,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $15,000, with a median of $5,000. Its filing reports $89,000 for organizations serving youth and arts programs and $77,000 for organizations serving disadvantaged people and health programs; it also describes animal-welfare grants.
Among the larger 2025 awards were $15,000 each to Blue Mountain Action Council, Blue Mountain Humane Society, and Walla Walla Public Schools Foundation. The awards supported, respectively, named community and early-learning programs; animal spay/neuter, microchip, and veterinary assistance; and bringing Pacific Science Center programming to two schools. Other examples include $10,000 to Hope Street for recovery-residence costs and $10,000 to Providence Foundation for its free mammogram program.
The foundation’s website says applicants must be nonprofits with current IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status that provide services in the Walla Walla Valley. It lists individuals, lobbying and political activities, budget deficits or debt retirement, costs incurred before grant decisions, and organizations with specified discriminatory policies or practices as ineligible. The website’s application materials include a letter of interest, application form, current financial statements, and the latest IRS Form 990. The 2025 filing says requests should include the organization’s IRS determination letter and most recent 990, and should specify how funds would be used; follow-up accounting records may be requested for larger gifts. The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Carol Dayton-Votendahl and John Brashear as trustees and Douglas W Nelson as executive director.
The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation is led by Douglas W. Nelson, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Douglas W. Nelson
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
8 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $24K (2025)
Carol Dayton-Votendahl
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Brashear
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $24K, to Douglas W Nelson (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation
How much does The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation gave $186K across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $170K across 32 grants.
What is The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,000, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Walla Walla, WA (26 grants) and Dayton, WA (3 grants).
Does The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Blue Mountain Action Council Bmac ($15,000), Blue Mountain Humane Society ($15,000) and Walla Walla Public Schools Foundation ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation?
The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation reported $4.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $213K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $214K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2025 filing describes grants for youth and arts programs, including STEM-related programs, youth and government programs, mentorships, outdoor programs, and arts education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation?
The foundation’s website provides a letter-of-interest and grant-application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-6528314. 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
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Blue Mountain Community Foundation
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Blue Mountain Community Foundation supports nonprofits and higher-education scholarships across community needs including basic needs, health, education, arts, and the environment, primarily in southeastern Washington’s Blue Mountain region and Umatilla County, Oregon. Its 2025 grants had a median of $16,285; community grant programs offer up to $20,000 in Walla Walla County and up to $10,000 in Milton-Freewater, Athena, and Weston.
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Sherwood Trust
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Sherwood Trust funds community-building, organizational capacity, and capital projects that strengthen belonging and well-being in the Walla Walla Valley, including Walla Walla and Columbia counties in Washington and Milton-Freewater, Oregon. Its 2024 grants ranged from $200 to $160,000, with a median of $5,000. It uses a competitive Core Grant process beginning with a Letter of Interest; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests outside that process.
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George T Welch Testamentary Trust
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The trust funds scholarships for students and nonprofit projects that enrich Walla Walla County, Washington. Its 2025 grants ranged from $54 to $5,000, with a median of $1,500; community grants offer eligible nonprofits up to $4,000. It accepts unsolicited requests.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-sunny-day-charitable-foundation-morg_0f96d838c358447da592798e16764bb1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_836528314_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Sunny Day Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-sunny-day-charitable-foundation-morg_0f96d838c358447da592798e16764bb1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Sunny Day Charitable 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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