The Washington STEM Center is a statewide nonprofit education organization headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 2009 and tax-exempt since July 2010, Washington STEM is dedicated to advancing excellence, equity, and innovation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. The organization works to break down barriers to credential attainment and build clear pathways to long-term economic security for systemically underserved students across Washington state.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.3M
-4.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-32.7% YoY
Grant Count
38
-56.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$34K
+54.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: In collaboration with statewide partners, Washington STEM confronts the inequities in Washington's education systems through evidence-based strategies, advocacy, and policy changes so all students leverage STEM for economic and civic health and lifelong learning.
Core Focus Areas:
Washington STEM operates across three life phases in the education continuum:
Early Care & Education — Accessible, high-quality, culturally responsive childcare settings that foster curiosity, numeracy, executive functioning, and teamwork as foundational building blocks for STEM literacy and belonging.
Preschool-12th Grade STEM Education — Education experiences that cultivate STEM literacy, encourage early career exploration, and prepare students to transition from high school to post-secondary learning.
Pathways to Credentials & Careers — Equitable access to credentials and careers through multiple, navigable pathways with robust adult support for transition from high school to lifelong learning.
Populations Served:
Washington STEM prioritizes students historically excluded from high-quality STEM learning and high-demand careers, including students of color, young women and girls, migrant students, students living in low-income conditions, first-generation students, and students living in rural areas.
Grantmaking
Washington STEM makes grants to schools and education programs focused on STEM learning. The organization has announced grants for projects including bringing robotics to classrooms and funding other science, technology, engineering, and math education initiatives. The organization also manages STEM Capital Grants that expand STEM learning spaces.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Washington STEM operates statewide throughout Washington, with particular emphasis on reaching students in every corner of the state, including rural areas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Revenue: $6,182,935
- Total Expenses: $6,667,880
- Total Assets: $9,345,547
- Net Assets: $8,759,713
2023 Financial Data:
- Total Revenue: $8.33M
- Total Expenses: $6.34M
- Total Assets: $9.83M
- Total Liabilities: $586k
Staffing: 35 employees
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; EIN #27-2133169
Rating: Four-Star rating with 100% score based on Accountability & Finance metrics
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,345,547 | $9,830,993 | $7,696,629 |
| Revenue | $6,182,935 | $8,333,066 | $13,456,695 |
| Expenses | $6,667,880 | $6,337,627 | $23,960,159 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $177,700 | $168,152 | $650,506 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
238 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Lynne Varner — Principal Officer
- Michelle Judson — Board Member
- Laura Rose — Director of Development
- Tricia Pearson — Development Operations Manager
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARY SNAPP | BOARD CHAIR | 2 | — |
| MICHELLE JUDSON | BOARD VICE CHAIR | 3 | — |
| VENKI KRISHNABABU | BOARD TREASURER | 1 | — |
| CHRISTINE JOHNSON | BOARD SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| MARY WAGNER | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| ASH AWAD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER DAQUIZ HARE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| PEDRITO MAYNARD-ZHANG | BOARD MEMBER | 0.25 | — |
| DAMIEN PATTENAUDE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH TINKHAM | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MIA TUAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KATHERINE MORGAN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| LYNNE VARNER | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $245,865 |
| YOKO SHIMOMURA | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $232,928 |
| JENEE MYERS-TWITCHELL | CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER | 40 | $200,385 |
| MIN HWANGBO | IMPACT DIRECTOR | 40 | $147,375 |
| SCOTT DALESSANDRO | DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS | 40 | $142,760 |
| ANGIE MASON-SMITH | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $134,335 |
| SOLEIL BOYD | SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $128,714 |
| BLAIR PETERSON | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $122,455 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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