Washington Federal Foundation is a corporate foundation based in Seattle, Washington, established in 2007 and granted tax-exempt status in May 2008. The foundation is supported by Washington Federal Bank NA and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization classified as a corporate foundation. It makes grants to support community-based nonprofits serving low- and moderate-income populations across multiple states.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.5M
+137.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
-1.6% YoY
Grant Count
265
+6.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-7.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Washington Federal Foundation supports direct giving to community-based nonprofits serving the needs of low- and moderate-income individuals. Special emphasis is directed toward:
- Housing and community development
- Senior citizens and low-income families
- Financial literacy
- Education
- Human services
- Arts and culture
- Civic affairs
- Health
- Economic development for small businesses
- Community revitalization
- Job training programs
Grantmaking
The foundation operates two primary grant programs:
Grant Range
$5,000 - $20,000
Average Grant
award: $5,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation distributes funding across multiple states, with primary focus on:
- Washington
- Oregon
- New Mexico
- Arizona
- Idaho
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Washington, Oregon, and New Mexico, which account for 66% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 10 states.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent (2024)
- Total Assets: $1,501,465
- Total Revenues: $2,029,404
- Total Expenses: $1,159,084
- Total Giving: $1,158,305
Historical Trend
- Total assets have grown from $390,000 in 2011 to $631,000 in 2023
- Annual giving decreased from $2,000,000 in 2020 to $1,200,000 in 2023
Organization Structure
- Number of employees: 0
- Governed by 4 officers and trustees
- Principal officer: Washington Federal Savings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,501,465 | $631,145 | $1,392,299 |
| Revenue | $2,029,404 | $416,594 | $1,780,890 |
| Expenses | $1,159,084 | $1,177,748 | $832,723 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,158,965 | $1,177,695 | $832,720 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,368 | $8,527 | $3,832 |
| Distributable Amount | $68,482 | $51,583 | $41,381 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Washington Federal Foundation
Washington Federal Foundation: Community Impact Grants
WASHINGTON FEDERAL FOUNDATION
Amount
US $5,000 - US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Washington Federal Foundation: Community Service Micro Grants
WASHINGTON FEDERAL FOUNDATION
Amount
US $1,000 - US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KRISTI ELLEFSON | DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT | 8 | — |
| LISA FURMAN | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| CATHY COOPER | DIRECTOR & TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ROBERT ZIRK | OFFICER | 1 | — |
| BRAD GOODE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grants awarded include support to organizations such as:
Fall 2024 Grants Awarded: $300,000 to 18 Nonprofits |United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley ($50,000 for community services to low- and moderate-income populations)
Dallas Children's Advocacy Center ($25,000 for financial literacy)
PEP Housing ($25,000 for community services to low- and moderate-income populations)
Council on Aging of Central Oregon (grant to help sustain Meals on Wheels programming)
Council on Aging of Central Oregon Receives Grant from the ...Contact Information
- Address: 425 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101-3902
- Phone: 541-880-5228 or (206) 777-8360
- Website: www.washingtonfederal.com/about-us/community-
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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