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Westwind Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker NORWALK, CT EIN: 52-6358830 Website

Westwind Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1987 and designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, with a mailing address at 95 Rowayton Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06853-1405. The foundation is dedicated to protecting the integrity of natural ecosystems and the health of human communities through its grantmaking programs.

Key facts about Westwind Foundation

EIN
52-6358830
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$5,928,366
Grants made (2024)
161
Average grant
$36,822
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$87,879,404
Primary geography
District of Columbia (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.

Who Westwind Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Westwind Foundation's 161 itemized 2024 grants were District of Columbia (51%), Virginia (11%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Charlottesville, VA (31 grants), Washington, DC (17 grants), New York, NY (13 grants) and Boston, MA (10 grants). 99% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$87.9M

-3.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$5.9M

+1.0% YoY

Grant Count

161

+6.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$37K

-5.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Westwind Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation is dedicated to protecting the integrity of natural ecosystems and the health of human communities through its grantmaking programs. The foundation tends to provide more general support grants, but will also provide grants for project or program-specific requests.

Grantmaking

Westwind Foundation provides both general support grants and project or program-specific grants. The foundation's grantmaking approach is flexible, accommodating various types of funding requests from organizations aligned with its mission.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation has been identified with operations and interests in multiple locations, including Virginia and Connecticut.

Grant Distribution by State

21states

Share of all 161 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

CharlottesvilleWashingtonNew YorkBostonPortlandRichmondCambridgeScarboroughOaklandDarienSan FranciscoBoulderArlingtonBirminghamGreat BarringtonRocklandWatertownWilliamstownAnchorageRaleigh

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023 (most recent available data):

  • Total Assets: $91.4 million
  • Annual Revenue: $2,609,036
  • Annual Expenses: $6,909,220
  • Total Liabilities: $70

The foundation's expense level in 2023 exceeded its revenue, reflecting active grantmaking and distribution activities.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M$8M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$87,879,404$91,397,147$94,635,340
Revenue$3,496,611$2,609,036$2,505,390
Expenses$7,016,376$6,909,220$7,098,262
Qualifying Distributions$6,053,591$5,987,321$6,247,265
Net Investment Income$2,553,651$1,544,508$1,149,679
Distributable Amount$6,799,234$5,899,327$5,850,609

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$2M$3M$5M$6M130 grants2020142 grants2021143 grants2022151 grants2023161 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Advocates for Youth$2.2MFos Feminista$225KDkt International$200KSelc$150KCenter for Reproductive …$125KEarthjustice$125KTrustees for Alaska$110KAction for the Climate E…$100KVirginia Organizing$90KAppalachian Voices$85K

Grant Size Distribution

727 grants across all recorded years

599<$50K79$50–100K39$100–250K5$250–500K$500K–1M5$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Advocates for Youth ($2,209,629), Fos Feminista ($225,000), Dkt International ($200,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH WASHINGTON, DCTO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$2,209,629
FOS FEMINISTA NEW YORK, NYTO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$225,000
DKT INTERNATIONAL WASHINGTON, DCTO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$200,000
SELC CHARLOTTESVILLE, VATO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$150,000
CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS NEW YORK, NYTO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$125,000
EARTHJUSTICE SAN FRANCISCO, CATO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$125,000
TRUSTEES FOR ALASKA ANCHORAGE, AKTO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$110,000
ACTION FOR THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY BOULDER, COTO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$100,000
VIRGINIA ORGANIZING CHARLOTTESVILLE, VATO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$90,000
APPALACHIAN VOICES BOONE, NCTO FUND OPERATING NEEDS$85,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Janet Miller serves as President of Westwind Foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

PAUL HESSPROGRAM MANA$274K

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
PAUL HESSPROGRAM MANA40$274,007
JANET MILLERPRESIDENT40—
EDWARD M MILLERCEO30—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Westwind Foundation fund?

The foundation is dedicated to protecting the integrity of natural ecosystems and the health of human communities through its grantmaking programs. The foundation tends to provide more general support grants, but will also provide grants for project or program-specific requests.

How do I apply for a grant from Westwind Foundation?

Westwind Foundation provides both general support grants and project or program-specific grants. The foundation's grantmaking approach is flexible, accommodating various types of funding requests from organizations aligned with its mission.

Where does Westwind Foundation make grants?

The foundation has been identified with operations and interests in multiple locations, including Virginia and Connecticut.

What size grants does Westwind Foundation award?

In 2024, Westwind Foundation awarded 161 grants totaling $5.9M — an average of about $37K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Westwind Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Westwind Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Westwind Foundation's EIN?

Westwind Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-6358830. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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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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