TisBest Philanthropy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 2007 and granted tax-exempt status in February 2008, the organization operates as a public charity dedicated to transforming the gift-giving experience through philanthropy.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.2M
+52.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.8M
-3.3% YoY
Grant Count
181
-7.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$21K
+4.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: TisBest's mission is to foster the growth of charitable gift-giving, replacing gifts of "stuff" with gifts of "good." The organization aims to fuel a movement that meaningfully connects individuals to important causes.
Primary Program: TisBest Charity Gift Cards are the organization's flagship offering. These cards function as traditional gift cards but allow recipients to direct the funds to a charity of their choice. Key features include:
- Customizable denominations ranging from $10 to $5,000
- Access to over 1.8 million U.S.-registered charities
- 100% of the gift card value goes directly to selected charities
- Multiple delivery formats: recycled plastic cards by mail, printable cards, or e-cards
- Tax-deductible donations for gift givers
Special Programs: Beyond the standard Charity Gift Card program, TisBest operates special programs defined by donors. These programs have distributed significant charitable funds, including a holiday season campaign that distributed over $5.8 million in charity gift cards, with 100% of funds reaching charities.
Grantmaking
TisBest operates as a distribution platform rather than a traditional grantmaker. The organization facilitates charitable giving through its gift card mechanism, where recipients select from over 1.8 million registered U.S. charities.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
TisBest serves U.S.-registered charities nationally and internationally, with access to over 1.8 million charitable organizations across the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Revenue: $9,305,583
- Total Expenses: $9,734,144
- Total Assets: $1,442,915
- Employees: 14
As of 2023:
- Total Revenue: $9.66 million
- Total Expenses: $10.2 million
- Total Assets: $1.16 million
- Total Liabilities: $726,000
Historical Growth: The organization has experienced exceptional growth, with revenue increasing at an average rate of 37.0% annually over the past seven years.
Charity Navigator Rating: TisBest holds a three-star rating (75% score) from Charity Navigator, indicating a "Good" overall score. The rating reflects strong performance across accountability and finance (60% weight), impact and measurement (25% weight), leadership and adaptability (10% weight), and culture and community (5% weight).
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,192,711 | $1,442,915 | $1,155,772 |
| Revenue | $8,793,056 | $9,305,583 | $9,661,113 |
| Expenses | $8,449,718 | $9,734,144 | $10,160,183 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $67,117 | $25,919 | $9,946 |
| 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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
208 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Airbnb Org Inc ($200,000), Alight ($101,615), Council on Strategic Risks ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACTION AGAINST HUNGER NEW YORK, NY | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $9,289 |
| AFRICAN WILDLIFE FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $33,756 |
| AGATE HOUSING AND SERVICES INC MINNEAPOLIS, MN | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $10,000 |
| AIRBNB ORG INC SAN FRANCISCO, CA | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $200,000 |
| ALIGHT MINNEAPOLIS, MN | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $101,615 |
| ALZHEIMERS DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $20,000 |
| ALZHEIMER'S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA NEW YORK, NY | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $12,241 |
| AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY THE PLAINS, VA | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $5,530 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY KENNESAW, GA | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $19,473 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | SEE TISBEST MISSION | $61,798 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Simeon Cathey - Managing Director and Co-founder. Cathey brings over two decades of technology design expertise to the organization and is committed to the concept of "technology for good." He is originally from Seattle and currently resides in Maui, Hawaii.
Amy Ray - Product and CX Manager. Ray is a graphic designer with expertise in problem-solving and customer experience.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD GOLD | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| KENDALL WEBB | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| JIM PHILLIPS | CHAIR | 0.1 | — |
| PETER LINDBURG | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| SIMEON CATHEY | MANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $195,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
TisBest Philanthropy celebrated its 15th anniversary as a driver of over $54 million in charitable giving. The organization has been featured in news coverage addressing the value of giving through its platform, including commentary from notable philanthropists.
Ray Dalio Addresses Value of Giving Via TisBest - New Canaan SentinelSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Tisbest Philanthropy fund?
**Mission Statement:** TisBest's mission is to foster the growth of charitable gift-giving, replacing gifts of "stuff" with gifts of "good." The organization aims to fuel a movement that meaningfully connects individuals to important causes. **Primary Program:** TisBest Charity Gift Cards are the organization's flagship offering. These cards function as traditional gift cards but allow recipients to direct the funds to a charity of their choice. Key features include: • Customizable denomination…
How do I apply for a grant from Tisbest Philanthropy?
TisBest operates as a distribution platform rather than a traditional grantmaker. The organization facilitates charitable giving through its gift card mechanism, where recipients select from over 1.8 million registered U.S. charities. The organization also manages special programs funded by donors, which direct funds to charities selected through custom distribution processes. These programs operate with confidentiality regarding donor identity and program specifics.
Where does Tisbest Philanthropy make grants?
TisBest serves U.S.-registered charities nationally and internationally, with access to over 1.8 million charitable organizations across the United States.
What size grants does Tisbest Philanthropy award?
In 2025, Tisbest Philanthropy awarded 181 grants totaling $3.8M — an average of about $21K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Tisbest Philanthropy's EIN?
Tisbest Philanthropy's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8630809. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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