Tilth Alliance
Tilth Alliance is a Seattle, Washington public charity that works with farmers, gardeners, and eaters to build a sustainable, healthy, and equitable food future. Founded in 1996, it supports organic, regenerative, and sustainable agriculture through grants and other farm programs, alongside community education, youth and family activities, and access to locally grown food.
Tilth Alliance at a glance
In short: Tilth Alliance gave $549K across 58 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Washington. 93% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $549,174
- +85.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 58
- +75.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,469
- +5.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,219,615
- -30.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 93% first-time grantees (54 of 58, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Washington (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Tilth Alliance
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 application deadline was February 23, 2026, and the 2026 grant cycle has concluded. The website recommends checking back in December 2026 for information about the 2027 cycle.
- Deadline
- The 2026 application deadline was February 23, 2026, and the 2026 grant cycle has concluded.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4649 Sunnyside Ave N Ste 100, Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: (206) 633-0451
Website: https://tilthalliance.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Tilth Alliance
Who Tilth Alliance funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Gustavsen & CO LLC ($29K). Together the top 10 received $119K.
Grant Size Distribution
151 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 151 grants of 151 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Tilth Alliance’s work includes support for farmers throughout Washington State. In filing year 2024, 98% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Washington and 2% to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 58 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Tilth Alliance open to new grantees?
93%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 54 of 58 grantees (93%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $144K (2021) to $549K (2024). In 2024 it made 58 grants totaling $549K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gustavsen & CO LLC Ridgefield, WA | Farm Assistance | $29,265 |
| Abraham's Organics LLC Tonasket, WA | Farm Assistance | $10,000 |
| Classroom in Bloom Winthrop, WA | Farm Assistance | $10,000 |
| Crozier Farm & Orchard Eastsound, WA | Farm Assistance | $10,000 |
| Dancing Goats and Singing Chickens Yelm, WA | Farm Assistance | $10,000 |
| Dilish Farm Vancouver, WA | Farm Assistance | $10,000 |
| Elk Meadows Farm Olympia, WA | Farm Assistance | $10,000 |
| Empyrean Farm Deming, WA | Farm Assistance | $10,000 |
| Flames Voice of Hope Puyallup, WA | Farm Assistance | $10,000 |
| Flat Tack Farm Vancouver, WA | Farm Assistance | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Tilth Alliance?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,219,615 | $4,749,808 | $5,177,916 | $549,174 | 58 | $16,217 |
| 2023 | $1,744,456 | $4,363,173 | $4,904,238 | $295,730 | 33 | $29,511 |
| 2022 | $2,439,908 | $4,729,876 | $3,938,217 | $151,919 | 16 | $-2,385 |
| 2021 | $1,471,014 | $3,450,447 | $3,533,647 | $144,088 | 16 | $314 |
| 2020 | $1,447,580 | $3,778,067 | $3,503,735 | $323,496 | 28 | $1,499 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Tilth Alliance’s stated mission is to build an ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially equitable food system, with a vision of fresh, nutritious food access for all. Its stated priorities include supporting farmers in adopting organic, regenerative, and sustainable practices; educating consumers; advocating for related policies and programs; and building a collaborative and equitable food system.
Its Washington State Organic and Sustainable Farming Fund supports farm projects intended to improve environmental sustainability, economic viability, social impacts, or resilience. The program emphasizes organic and regenerative practices that can improve soil health, increase biodiversity, conserve water, sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate climate change.
The 2024 grantees included organizations with a range of stated missions. Classroom in Bloom says its mission is to inspire children to grow healthy food and connect with nature. Growing Veterans says it empowers veterans to cultivate purpose and belonging by growing food, community, and each other. United Territories of Pacific Islanders Washington (UTOPIA WA) describes its mission as replacing systems of oppression with ecosystems of care and safety through Black and Brown organizing, land and bodily autonomy, and reclaiming cultural narratives. Social Good Fund says its primary purpose is to cultivate and establish positive influences.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, Tilth Alliance reported 58 grants totaling $549,174. Grant amounts ranged from $5,772 to $29,265, with a median of $10,000. The listed grants were primarily for farm assistance. The largest was $29,265 to Gustavsen & Co LLC in Ridgefield, Washington. Other notable grants included $10,000 each to Classroom in Bloom, Crozier Farm & Orchard, Dancing Goats and Singing Chickens, and Growing Veterans, among others.
The Washington State Organic and Sustainable Farming Fund is for farmers’ projects, rather than organizations primarily providing support services to farmers. Individual farm businesses may request up to $15,000; collaborative projects involving two farm businesses may request up to $20,000, and those involving three or more may request up to $25,000. Farmers establishing a new farm business may request up to $8,000 for basic supplies. Each farm business may receive up to two awards in a five-year period, with repeat applications required to be non-consecutive; the program gives priority to new applicants, subject to funding availability.
Proposals are expected to have objectives achievable within a 12-month period. The grant information says funds must be spent by April 30 of the award year. Applicants are asked to provide a detailed, justified budget and list any matching funds or in-kind contributions. The application materials include an application form, two letters of support, and a budget spreadsheet. The program does not fund organic certification costs, fossil-fuel-powered equipment, farm overhead, direct contributions to net farm revenue, or wages to farm owners, employees, or interns. Contract labor may be covered for specific project work outside the farm’s regular operations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Melissa Spear in an executive role, Diane Dempster as chair, Brooke Lucy as vice chair, Writu Kakshapati as treasurer, and Melinda Lupe Johnson as secretary. It also lists Angela Ortez Zarate, Avantika Waring, Bashir Mir, Karen Cowgill, and Mark Musick as board members.
Tilth Alliance is led by Diane Dempster, Chair since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 16 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Diane Dempster
Chair
Director → Board Member, 2022
Board Member → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Spear
Executive Di
Executive Director → Executive Di, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$114K (2020) → $121K (2024)
Brooke Lucy
Vice Chair
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Cowgill
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Meriem Debbih
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Avantika Waring
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Musick
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Dugopolski
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rei Lei Nakatani
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angela Ortez Zarate
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bashir Mir
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melinda Lupe Johnson
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nils Johnson
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Drake
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ursula Thompson
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Writu Kakshapati
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (18)
- Former: Anne Schwartz (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Cynthia Nims (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Julie Keeler (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Nancy Tosta (2020–2023) — Chair
- Former: Michelle Day (2021–2023) — Treasurer E
- Former: Elizabeth Gillespie (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Melinda Bratsch-Horsager (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Virginia Thomas (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Writu Kakshapait (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Clara Olivo (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jim Baird (2020–2022) — Chair
- Former: Mike Lufkin (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Chris Petry (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Craig Wright (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Miles Ventura McEvoy (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Natalie Quist (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Corrie Bouchard (2020) — Director
- Former: Liza Turley (2020) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 $121K, to Melissa Spear (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about Tilth Alliance
How much does Tilth Alliance give each year?
Tilth Alliance gave $549K across 58 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $296K across 33 grants.
What is Tilth Alliance's typical grant size?
Tilth Alliance's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $9,469, across 58 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tilth Alliance that year got $9K on average.
Where does Tilth Alliance give grants?
Tilth Alliance gives mostly in Washington: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Olympia, WA (4 grants), Kent, WA (3 grants), Vancouver, WA (2 grants) and Port Angeles, WA (2 grants).
Does Tilth Alliance give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 58 grants with a stated purpose on Tilth Alliance's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Farm Assistance" (58 grants).
Who are Tilth Alliance's largest grantees?
Tilth Alliance's largest 2024 grantees include Gustavsen & CO LLC ($29,265), Abraham's Organics LLC ($10,000) and Classroom in Bloom ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 9% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Tilth Alliance?
Tilth Alliance reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.7M.
What does Tilth Alliance fund?
Tilth Alliance’s stated mission is to build an ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially equitable food system, with a vision of fresh, nutritious food access for all. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tilth Alliance?
Tilth Alliance has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check tilthalliance.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Tilth Alliance's EIN?
Tilth Alliance's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3261971. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tilth Alliance funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tilth-alliance-morg_1e6187480ac14639931ed58eff51e2a2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943261971_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tilth Alliance funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tilth-alliance-morg_1e6187480ac14639931ed58eff51e2a2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Tilth Alliance'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.
Tilth Alliance down — hundreds of funders to go?