Westwind Foundation
WestWind Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation based in Norwalk, Connecticut. It focuses on funding organizations working on environmental and public health issues, and describes its work as dedicated to fighting climate change and promoting the health of human communities.
Westwind Foundation at a glance
In short: Westwind Foundation gave $5.9M across 161 grants in 2024 (avg $37K), mostly in District of Columbia. 12% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,928,366
- +1.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 161
- +6.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $36,822
- -5.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $87,879,404
- -3.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 12% first-time grantees (19 of 161, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Westwind Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 95 Rowayton Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06853
Phone: (434) 260-0199
Website: https://westwindfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Westwind Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Advocates for Youth ($2.2M). Together the top 10 received $3.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
727 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 599 grants of 727 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC (51%), Virginia (11%), New York (9%), California (9%), and Massachusetts (4%). The listed grants also included recipients in Alaska, Colorado, North Carolina, and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 161 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Westwind Foundation open to new grantees?
12%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 161 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $39K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 87% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.9M (2020) to $6.1M (2022). In 2024 it made 161 grants totaling $5.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Advocates for Youth Washington, DC | To Fund Operating Needs | $2,209,629 |
| FOS Feminista New York, NY | To Fund Operating Needs | $225,000 |
| DKT International Washington, DC | To Fund Operating Needs | $200,000 |
| Selc Charlottesville, VA | To Fund Operating Needs | $150,000 |
| Center for Reproductive Rights New York, NY | To Fund Operating Needs | $125,000 |
| Earthjustice San Francisco, CA | To Fund Operating Needs | $125,000 |
| Trustees for Alaska Anchorage, AK | To Fund Operating Needs | $110,000 |
| Action for the Climate Emergency Boulder, CO | To Fund Operating Needs | $100,000 |
| Virginia Organizing Charlottesville, VA | To Fund Operating Needs | $90,000 |
| Appalachian Voices Boone, NC | To Fund Operating Needs | $85,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Westwind Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $87,879,404 | $3,496,611 | $7,016,376 | $5,928,366 | 161 | $6,053,591 | $2,553,651 | $6,799,234 |
| 2023 | $91,397,147 | $2,609,036 | $6,909,220 | $5,869,820 | 151 | $5,987,321 | $1,544,508 | $5,899,327 |
| 2022 | $94,635,340 | $2,505,390 | $7,098,262 | $6,141,844 | 143 | $6,247,265 | $1,149,679 | $5,850,609 |
| 2021 | $99,228,211 | $3,546,810 | $6,599,140 | $5,919,170 | 142 | $6,043,488 | $2,593,623 | $6,445,325 |
| 2020 | $103,079,316 | $2,989,873 | $4,655,417 | $3,850,086 | 130 | — | $2,069,471 | $5,500,026 |
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 September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated focus is environmental and public health issues. Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports: Earthjustice describes its work as protecting health and wildlife, advancing clean energy, and combating climate change; Trustees for Alaska provides legal counsel to protect Alaska’s lands, waters, wildlife, and people; and the Public Health Institute promotes research, leadership, and partnerships to strengthen public health policy and practice.
Other 2024 grantees describe work on youth bodily autonomy and sexual health (Advocates for Youth), family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention (DKT International), and grassroots organizing for clean energy and climate stability (Appalachian Voices and Chesapeake Climate Action Network).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 161 grants totaling $5,928,366. Grants ranged from $500 to $2,209,629, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest grants included $2,209,629 to Advocates for Youth, $225,000 to Fos Feminista, $200,000 to DKT International, $150,000 to SELC, and $125,000 each to the Center for Reproductive Rights and Earthjustice. The listed purposes for these grants were to fund operating needs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Janet Miller as President, Edward M. Miller as CEO, and Paul Hess as Program Mana.
Westwind Foundation is led by Edward M. Miller, CEO since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Edward M. Miller
CEO
Trustee → CEO, 2021
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janet Miller
President
Trustee → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Hess
Program Mana
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$221K (2021) → $274K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $274K, to Paul Hess (Program Mana).
Frequently asked questions about Westwind Foundation
How much does Westwind Foundation give each year?
Westwind Foundation gave $5.9M across 161 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.9M across 151 grants.
What is Westwind Foundation's typical grant size?
Westwind Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $36,822, across 161 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Westwind Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does Westwind Foundation give grants?
Westwind Foundation gives mostly in District of Columbia: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were 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).
Does Westwind Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 99% of Westwind Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (159 of 161) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Westwind Foundation's largest grantees?
Westwind Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Advocates for Youth ($2,209,629), FOS Feminista ($225,000) and DKT International ($200,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Westwind Foundation?
Westwind Foundation reported $87.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Westwind Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated focus is environmental and public health issues. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Westwind Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Does Westwind Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Westwind Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/westwind-foundation-morg_c11fae687b5441dba61c5541a50cb84e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_526358830_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Westwind Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/westwind-foundation-morg_c11fae687b5441dba61c5541a50cb84e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Westwind 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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