United Way of Whatcom County
United Way of Whatcom County is a public charity based in Bellingham, Washington. It funds and partners with local nonprofits working to reduce financial instability, and its website says it currently supports more than 20 local nonprofits. The organization also funds and manages Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for Whatcom County children under five.
United Way of Whatcom County at a glance
In short: United Way of Whatcom County gave $668K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), mostly in Washington. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $668,402
- -4.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $26,736
- -4.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $22,500
- Total assets
- $2,589,357
- +1.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (2 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to United Way of Whatcom County
- How to Apply
-
The organization describes an application process for eligible nonprofits, including volunteer review of applications and recommendations to the board. Funded agencies are expected to report program outcomes and statistics.
- Review Cycle
- The next grant application process is scheduled for January 2027, unless otherwise listed.
- Deadline
- The next grant application process is scheduled for January 2027, unless otherwise listed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1500 Cornwall Avenue 203, Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: (360) 733-8670
Website: https://unitedwaywhatcom.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who United Way of Whatcom County funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Dolly Parton's Imagination Library ($62K). Together the top 10 received $389K.
Grant Size Distribution
123 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 104 grants of 123 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s grant eligibility is for 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving Whatcom County residents. In filing year 2025, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington and 9% to recipients in Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is United Way of Whatcom County open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 25 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $34K first-time, $23K repeat.
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 $668K (2025) to $1.0M (2022). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $668K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Sevierville, TN | Early Learning and Literacy | $62,402 |
| Belllingham Childcare and Learning Center Bellingham, WA | Health & Human Services | $46,000 |
| Whatcom Family YMCA Bellingham, WA | Health & Human Services | $45,000 |
| Brigid Collins Family Support Center Bellingham, WA | Health & Human Services | $40,000 |
| Whatcom Center for Early Learning Bellingham, WA | Health & Human Services | $39,000 |
| Bellingham Food Bank Bellingham, WA | Health & Human Services | $34,000 |
| Whatcom Council on Aging Bellingham, WA | Health & Human Services | $31,500 |
| Northwest Youth Services Bellingham, WA | Health & Human Services | $31,000 |
| Opportunity Council Bellingham, WA | Health & Human Services | $30,000 |
| Lydia Place Bellingham, WA | Health & Human Services | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with United Way of Whatcom County?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,589,357 | $1,366,982 | $1,406,687 | $668,402 | 25 | $62,978 |
| 2024 | $2,562,738 | $1,303,377 | $1,370,242 | $697,446 | 25 | $55,228 |
| 2023 | $2,608,392 | $1,377,258 | $1,390,312 | $740,166 | 23 | $13,303 |
| 2022 | $2,635,065 | $1,567,405 | $1,545,193 | $1,003,360 | 24 | $27,009 |
| 2021 | $2,854,021 | $1,562,755 | $1,631,798 | $744,425 | 26 | $23,897 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s mission is to open doors and remove barriers for people experiencing financial hardship. Its funding focuses on meeting basic needs, improving economic mobility, and breaking cycles of poverty. Areas it identifies include food security, affordable housing, health and mental health care access, financial literacy, vocational readiness, adult education, affordable childcare and early learning, student achievement, parenting support, addiction treatment and recovery, and abuse prevention.
United Way of Whatcom County says it partners with local nonprofit organizations. Examples of grantees’ work include Bellingham Childcare and Learning Center, which says it provides affordable, high-quality childcare to families of all income levels, and Whatcom Center for Early Learning, which says it partners with families to support children with developmental delays and disabilities. Alternatives to Hunger Bellingham Food Bank describes its work as reducing hunger through food access and a regional hunger-relief network. Northwest Youth Services says it supports at-risk, runaway, and homeless youth and their families.
The organization also funds and manages Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which mails a book each month to enrolled Whatcom County children from birth to age five at no cost to families.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, United Way of Whatcom County reported 25 grants totaling $668,402. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $62,402, with a median of $22,500. The largest reported awards included $62,402 for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for early learning and literacy, $46,000 for Bellingham Childcare and Learning Center, $45,000 for Whatcom Family YMCA, and $40,000 for Brigid Collins Family Support Center. The latter three grants were listed for health and human services. Other notable awards included $39,000 for Whatcom Center for Early Learning, $34,000 for Bellingham Food Bank, $31,500 for Whatcom Council on Aging, and $31,000 for Northwest Youth Services.
The website says the 2025–26 grantees receive two years of funding through June 2027. Its next grant application process is scheduled for January 2027, unless otherwise listed. Applications are reviewed by community volunteers, with recommendations made to the board. The organization says applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving Whatcom County residents in one or more of its listed funding areas. Its filing describes prescreening that includes proposed uses and expected results; funded agencies report program outcomes and statistics at the end of each fiscal year.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Natalie Boatman as board chair, Doug Montgomery as vice chair, and Jason Sears as secretary/treasurer. It also lists John Ayre, Heather Dyer, Lisa Lindsey, Lavonne Olsen, Adrianne Czebator, and Spencer Palmer as board members. Leah Bosman is listed as a board member until October 23, 2024. The organization’s website identifies Kristi Birkeland as president/CEO in an article dated April 2025.
United Way of Whatcom County is led by Kristi Birkeland, President & CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2022); 1 of 11 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kristi Birkeland
President & CEO
President & CEO → Preseident & CEO, 2023
Preseident & CEO → President & CEO, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$39K (2022) → $109K (2025)
Natalie Boatman
Board Chair
Board Member → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adrianne Czebator
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heather Dyer
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Sears
Secretary & Treasurer
Board Member → Secretary & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Ayre
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Doug Montgomery
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lavonne Olsen
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leah Bosman
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Lindsey
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Spencer Palmer
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Jeremy Jordan (2021–2024) — Board Chair
- Former: Lindsey Cerise (2021–2024) — Vice Chair
- Former: Patricia Boteler (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Tony Bon (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Monica Moore (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Gurpreet Dhillon (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Kara Irvin (2021–2023) — Board Chair
- Former: Andy Thom (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Allison Chryst (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Andrew Thom (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Cezar Mesquita (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Dianne Bradshaw (2021) — Finance & Hr Manager
- Former: Heather Milligan (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Peter Theisen (2021) — Former CEO
- Former: Troy Nutter (2021) — Former Board Chair
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $109K, to Kristi Birkeland (President/CEO).
Frequently asked questions about United Way of Whatcom County
How much does United Way of Whatcom County give each year?
United Way of Whatcom County gave $668K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $697K across 25 grants.
What is United Way of Whatcom County's typical grant size?
United Way of Whatcom County's median grant in 2025 was $22,500, and its average grant was $26,736, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from United Way of Whatcom County that year got $34K on average.
Where does United Way of Whatcom County give grants?
United Way of Whatcom County gives mostly in Washington: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Tennessee (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Bellingham, WA (23 grants).
Does United Way of Whatcom County give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on United Way of Whatcom County's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Health & Human Services" (24 grants).
Who are United Way of Whatcom County's largest grantees?
United Way of Whatcom County's largest 2025 grantees include Dolly Parton's Imagination Library ($62,402), Belllingham Childcare and Learning Center ($46,000) and Whatcom Family YMCA ($45,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is United Way of Whatcom County?
United Way of Whatcom County reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.4M.
What does United Way of Whatcom County fund?
The organization’s mission is to open doors and remove barriers for people experiencing financial hardship. Its funding focuses on meeting basic needs, improving economic mobility, and breaking cycles of poverty. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of Whatcom County?
The organization describes an application process for eligible nonprofits, including volunteer review of applications and recommendations to the board. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is United Way of Whatcom County's EIN?
United Way of Whatcom County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-0570788. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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 2021 (received by the IRS November 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 30, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in United Way of Whatcom County's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). United Way of Whatcom County funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-whatcom-county-morg_8cea658ec9a74d5396bfefa67647cc28
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_910570788_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{United Way of Whatcom County funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-whatcom-county-morg_8cea658ec9a74d5396bfefa67647cc28},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 United Way of Whatcom County'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.
United Way of Whatcom County down — hundreds of funders to go?