Washington Women's Foundation
Washington Women’s Foundation (WaWF) is a Seattle-based public charity that supports social change efforts benefiting women and girls in Washington State. The foundation describes its approach as collective philanthropy, providing long-term unrestricted capital, organizational support, and networking.
Washington Women's Foundation at a glance
In short: Washington Women's Foundation gave $350K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), mostly in Washington. 78% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $350,000
- -26.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $19,444
- -51.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $5,449,722
- +1.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 78% first-time grantees (14 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Washington Women's Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s application page says organizations apply through its application process and answer three additional questions on intentionality, accountability, and demonstrable impact. The listed 2026 consideration dates—March 5 for Direct Services, March 30 for Place-Based, August 12 for Advocacy, and September 2 for Grassroots—are past as of September 28, 2026.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2100 24Th Ave S 330, Seattle, WA 98144
Phone: (206) 407-2176
Website: https://wawomensfdn.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 Washington Women's Foundation
Who Washington Women's Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Feast World Kitchen ($25K). Together the top 10 received $205K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 54 grants of 69 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated grantmaking focus is Washington State. The 2025 filing data shows that 100% of itemized grant dollars went to recipients in Washington. Its Place-Based grant program focuses on organizations outside King County, with special attention to rural Washington, and rotates its geographic focus annually.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Washington Women's Foundation open to new grantees?
78%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 18 grantees (78%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $20K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $350K (2025) to $690K (2020). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $350K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Feast World Kitchen Spokane, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $25,000 |
| Mason County Climate Justice Belfair, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $20,000 |
| Young Women Empowered Seattle, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $20,000 |
| Yakima Neighborhood Health Services Yakima, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $20,000 |
| Wa Therapy Fund Foundation Seattle, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $20,000 |
| Tacoma Tree Foundation Tacoma, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $20,000 |
| Somali Health Board Tukwila, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $20,000 |
| Palmer Scholars Tacoma, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $20,000 |
| The Common Acre Seattle, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $20,000 |
| Literacy Source Seattle, WA | Unrestricted - to Support Mission | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Washington Women's Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts below are reported by filing year.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,449,722 | $1,153,335 | $1,537,612 | $350,000 | 18 | $149,677 |
| 2024 | $5,350,241 | $1,089,392 | $1,550,442 | $477,500 | 12 | $156,547 |
| 2023 | $5,483,502 | $1,250,973 | $2,056,522 | $501,000 | 12 | $255,758 |
| 2022 | $5,967,963 | $1,400,911 | $1,882,440 | $555,000 | 17 | $167,703 |
| 2021 | $7,439,248 | $1,564,847 | $1,259,912 | $550,000 | 10 | $219,576 |
| 2020 | $6,916,731 | $1,939,553 | $1,461,057 | $690,000 | 15 | $270,494 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide long-term unrestricted capital, organizational support, and networking to social change efforts benefiting women and girls in Washington State. Its website says it seeks to advance equity through both direct services and advocacy addressing systems that create or worsen inequities. Its collective grant programs include Advocacy, Direct Services, Grassroots, and Place-Based grants. The foundation says its annual funding themes shape its priority areas; its stated 2025 themes were climate and agricultural justice, healthcare, and education.
The foundation’s 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. The Common Acre says it restores relationships between people and land through ecology, agriculture, and art. Young Women Empowered says it cultivates the leadership of diverse young women through programs and community. Yakima Neighborhood Health Services says it provides accessible, integrated health and social services and works to end homelessness. Mason County Climate Justice says it co-creates local climate solutions for its rural community.
Grantmaking
The 2025 filing data itemizes 18 grants totaling $350,000. Grant amounts ranged from $15,000 to $25,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed award was $25,000 to Feast World Kitchen. Other listed grants of $20,000 went to Mason County Climate Justice, Young Women Empowered, Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, WA Therapy Fund Foundation, Tacoma Tree Foundation, Somali Health Board, Palmer Scholars, The Common Acre, Literacy Source, International Community Health Services, and Hip Hop Is Green.
The filing also describes $319,500 in 2025 collective grant funds awarded to more than two dozen nonprofits through member committee review and a membership vote. Separately, it describes a process selecting nine grantees for $75,000 in grants dedicated to addressing the needs of women and girls in Washington. The foundation’s website says its Collective Grants are unrestricted and range from $500 to $50,000 or more, with up to 30 grants. Its application page asks applicants to explain their intentional focus on women and girls most impacted by inequities, their accountability to those communities, and how they assess equitable outcomes. Applications are reviewed by grant committees; the foundation says the collective grant process is member-driven and staff-facilitated. It also describes a year-round application portal.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Cedra Duflon-Heide as board chair, Janet Frohnmayer as board vice chair, Melinda Herrin as board secretary, and Nicole Stellner as board treasurer. It also lists Susan Barley, Sue Bennett, Aru Chandorkar, Bobbi Conti, Barbara Fielden, and Yvonee Hall as directors.
Washington Women's Foundation is led by Maria Kolby-Wolfe, CEO & President on every filing since 2021; 3 of 22 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Maria Kolby-Wolfe
CEO & President
On filings since 2021
32 hrs/week
$156K (2021) → $196K (2025)
Cedra Duflon-Heide
Board Chair
Director → Board Vice Chair, 2024
Board Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aviva Stampfer
Grant Director
New on the 2025 filing
32 hrs/week
$100K (2025)
Barbara Fielden
Director
Director → Board Treasurer, 2024
Board Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Sik
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kris Kaminishi
Director
Director → Board Chair, 2023
Board Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sue Bennett
Director
Secretary → Board Secretary, 2023
Board Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yvonee Hall
Director
Treasurer → Board Treasurer, 2023
Board Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alison Varco
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Huang
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Barley
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aru Chandorkar
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bobbi Conti
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karyn McKelvey
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Martha Lucas
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Toering
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Rosenburg
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melicia Marx
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deborah Houseworth
CFO
On filings since 2021
28 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $127K (2025)
Melinda Herrin
Board Secretary
Director → Board Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janet Frohnmayer
Board Vice Chair
Director → Board Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Stellner
Board Treasurer
Director → Board Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (14)
- Former: Amy Zimerman (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Jodi Green (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Patricia Kiyono (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Christine Atkins (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Ann Kumasaka (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Chris Charbonneau (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Julie Hickman Burg (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Jane Searing (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Maura Fallon (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Stephanie Ellis-Smith (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Bo Lee (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Kathy Wehle (2020–2021) — CFO
- Former: N. Elizabeth McCaw (2020–2021) — President & CEO
- Former: Patti Meyers (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $196K, to Maria Kolby-Wolfe (CEO and President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Washington Women's Foundation
How much does Washington Women's Foundation give each year?
Washington Women's Foundation gave $350K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $478K across 12 grants.
What is Washington Women's Foundation's typical grant size?
Washington Women's Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $19,444, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Washington Women's Foundation that year got $20K on average.
Where does Washington Women's Foundation give grants?
Washington Women's Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (7 grants), Spokane, WA (2 grants) and Tacoma, WA (2 grants).
Does Washington Women's Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Washington Women's Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Washington Women's Foundation's largest grantees?
Washington Women's Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Feast World Kitchen ($25,000), Mason County Climate Justice ($20,000) and Young Women Empowered ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Washington Women's Foundation?
Washington Women's Foundation reported $5.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.2M.
What does Washington Women's Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide long-term unrestricted capital, organizational support, and networking to social change efforts benefiting women and girls in Washington State. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Washington Women's Foundation?
The foundation’s application page says organizations apply through its application process and answer three additional questions on intentionality, accountability, and demonstrable impact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Washington Women's Foundation's EIN?
Washington Women's Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1754933. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 20, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Washington Women's Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/washington-women-s-foundation-morg_0b86fc28b80f407c8e76264fb166c35d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911754933_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Washington Women's Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/washington-women-s-foundation-morg_0b86fc28b80f407c8e76264fb166c35d},
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 Washington Women's Foundation'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.
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