Seattle Foundation
Seattle Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation founded in 1946 that manages over $1 billion in assets and awards $100M+ annually to nonprofits in Greater Seattle. It serves philanthropists, professional advisors, nonprofits, and government partners through donor advised funds, impact investing, and equity-focused grantmaking programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Seattle Foundation does
Seattle Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) community foundation founded in 1946 by Dr. Richard Fuller and 14 community leaders with a $289,000 endowment. Headquartered at 1601 Fifth Avenue in Seattle, the foundation stewards over $1 billion in net assets and awards more than $100 million annually to nonprofits working across Greater Seattle and Washington State. It serves high-net-worth individuals and families seeking donor advised funds and philanthropic advising, professional advisors (attorneys, wealth managers, accountants), nonprofit organizations, and cross-sector partners including King County, the City of Seattle, and the Washington State Housing Finance Commission.
The foundation operates a portfolio of philanthropic fund products — Donor Advised Funds, Designated Funds, Area of Interest Funds, Immediate Impact Funds (QCDs), Athlete & Entertainer Funds, and Nonprofit Agency Funds — supported by multiple investment pools (Balanced, Socially Responsible, Intermediate-Term, Short-Term, Index, Growth). Its underlying technology stack includes a donor and grants portal built on Microsoft Power Apps, Click&Pledge for donation processing, and YouTube for content distribution. Notable programmatic platforms include the Evergreen Impact Housing Fund (impact investing), Civic Commons (cross-sector initiative), Neighbor to Neighbor (grassroots grantmaking), Communities of Opportunity (place-based partnership with King County), the First Peoples Climate Fund, and the Black Home Initiative.
The business model is subscription/recurring: monthly administrative fees on average daily fund balances, investment management fees across pooled vehicles, and philanthropic services fees that fund operations and mission-related programs. Distribution is primarily regional (King County and Washington State), with global reach via the supporting organization Seattle International Foundation. The foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by President & CEO Alesha Washington.
Seattle Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Seattle Foundation
- Legal name
- Seattle Foundation
- Website
- https://seattlefoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Seattle Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation founded in 1946 that manages over $1 billion in assets and awards $100M+ annually to nonprofits in Greater Seattle. It serves philanthropists, professional advisors, nonprofits, and government partners through donor advised funds, impact investing, and equity-focused grantmaking programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Seattle Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Foundation / Philanthropic Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)
Keywords
Where Seattle Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Seattle Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donor Advised Fund Administration: Seattle Foundation charges administrative fees on donor advised funds for day-to-day services including grant processing, personalized philanthropic advising, and portal access. Fees are assessed monthly based on average daily fund balance. A 2% transactional fee applies to funds distributing more than half their balance plus contributions annually.
- Investment Management Fees: Professional management and oversight of fund assets across multiple investment pools (Balanced, Socially Responsible, Intermediate-Term, Short-Term, Index, Growth). Fees vary by pool and are proportionally deducted from fund returns.
- Philanthropic Services: Fees support broader mission of connecting donors to community-led solutions and investing in long-term equity. Services include donor advising, event access, nonprofit network connections, and complex asset acceptance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Donor Advised Fund (DAF) - Tiered by balance |
| Subscription | Monthly | Designated Fund - Endowed charitable distributions |
| Subscription | Monthly | Area of Interest Fund - Flexible cause-based giving |
| Subscription | Monthly | Immediate Impact Fund (QCDs) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Nonprofit Agency Fund - Endowments and reserves |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Seattle Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Seattle Foundation is a community foundation that administers charitable giving vehicles (donor advised funds, designated funds, area of interest funds, immediate impact/QCD funds, athlete and entertainer funds, nonprofit agency funds) and makes grants to community-led nonprofits in Greater Seattle. It combines philanthropic advising, professional investment management across multiple pools, and grantmaking programs targeting racial and economic equity, affordable housing, climate justice, voter engagement, and BIPOC community-led organizations.
Product overview
Seattle Foundation is a community foundation that offers a portfolio of philanthropic fund products and grantmaking programs. The core fund products include Donor Advised Funds (DAF), Designated Funds, Area of Interest Funds, Immediate Impact Funds (QCDs), Athlete & Entertainer Funds, and Nonprofit Agency Funds. These funds are supported by investment pools (Balanced, Socially Responsible, Intermediate-Term, Short-Term, Index, and Growth) and serviced through a grants/donor portal built on Microsoft Power Apps. Seattle Foundation also administers multiple named grant programs including Neighbor to Neighbor, Communities of Opportunity, Voter Education Fund, Black-Led Joy and Wellness Fund, and First Peoples Climate Fund, alongside the Evergreen Impact Housing Fund for impact investing and the Civic Commons initiative platform. The organization manages over $1 billion in net assets and has mobilized over $5 billion in public investments over the past decade.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Civic Commons: An initiative of Seattle Foundation that brings cross-sector collaborators together to take action on Greater Seattle's biggest economic and social challenges. Includes Black Home Initiative, Scorecard for Shared Prosperity, We Belong Here, and Democracy Network.
- Black Home Initiative
- Journey to Joy
Products and services
- Donor Advised Fund (DAF) A charitable giving vehicle that allows donors to contribute assets, receive immediate tax benefits, and recommend grants to nonprofits over time. Seattle Foundation provides personalized philanthropic advising, professional investment management across multiple pools, and community insights alongside this fund. Targeted at high-net-worth individuals, families, and legacy planners.
- Designated Fund A fund that distributes to one or more predetermined nonprofits in specified amounts. These funds are often endowed to provide permanent, ongoing income to named charitable beneficiaries and are commonly used in legacy and estate planning.
- Area of Interest Fund A fund that allows donors to identify a charitable cause or geographical area to impact without specifying particular nonprofits. An assigned Philanthropic Advisor at Seattle Foundation determines grant recipients through the fund.
- Immediate Impact Fund (Qualified Charitable Distributions) A fund that allows donors to contribute qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from IRAs to designated funds that make gifts to predetermined charities on a chosen timeline, providing a tax-advantaged short-term philanthropic giving option.
- Athlete & Entertainer Fund A specialized philanthropy service for athletes and entertainers, offering tailored fund structures ranging from individual Donor Advised Funds to teamwide giving strategies, designed to integrate with personal brands and long-term goals.
- Nonprofit Agency Fund A fund structured as an endowment or reserve that Seattle Foundation manages on behalf of nonprofit organizations. Can be used for permanent operating revenue (endowment) or drawn upon in times of need (reserve fund), supporting nonprofit stability and sustainability.
- Evergreen Impact Housing Fund A first-of-its-kind impact investing fund that closes critical gaps in affordable housing developments, increasing production for working families and promoting health, well-being, and equity throughout Washington State.
- Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) A grassroots grant program supporting community-led organizations in South Seattle, White Center, Kent, and SeaTac/Tukwila. Provides flexible funding and technical assistance to organizations led by people from communities of color, Indigenous, immigrant/refugee, and low-income communities.
- Communities of Opportunity (COO) A partnership initiative between Seattle Foundation, King County, and community that invests in community-led partnerships in White Center, Rainier Valley, and SeaTac-Tukwila focusing on health, housing, and economic opportunities.
- Voter Education Fund A government, philanthropic, and community partnership between Seattle Foundation and King County Elections investing $950,000 every two years in community-based organizations for non-partisan voter outreach and civic engagement activities in historically excluded communities.
- Black-Led Joy and Wellness Fund A fund that supports staff well-being at Black-led organizations, providing grants to help address burnout and wellness needs among organizations serving Black communities.
- First Peoples Climate Fund A landmark $5.5 million partnership with the City of Seattle supporting projects that center Tribal sovereignty, traditional knowledge, and address climate change impacts on Indigenous communities in the Puget Sound region.
- Civic Commons A cross-sector initiative bringing collaborators together to address Greater Seattle's biggest economic and social challenges. Includes programs such as Black Home Initiative, Scorecard for Shared Prosperity, We Belong Here, and Democracy Network.
- Journey to Joy A campaign by Seattle Foundation to bring their vision of a joyful region of shared prosperity, belonging, and justice to life, focusing on families in homes they love, connected to vibrant communities with opportunity for fulfilling lives.
- Professional Advisor Services Services for professional advisors including premium Donor Advised Funds with complex asset acceptance, flexible foundation alternatives, custom charitable legacy plans, strategic philanthropy advising, and integrated financial-estate-philanthropic planning. Targeted at attorneys, wealth managers, accountants, and financial advisors.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $5 billion in public investments mobilized over the past decade for children, housing, transit, and climate justice
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Seattle Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Seattle Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
Seattle Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of Seattle Office of Sustainability & EnvironmentcorePartnership on First Peoples Climate Fund with $5.5 million investment to advance Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous leadership in climate action, supporting traditional knowledge and community resilience.
- King County ElectionscorePartnership on Voter Education Fund investing $950,000 every two years in community-based organizations for non-partisan voter outreach and civic engagement in historically excluded communities.
- King CountycorePartnership launched Communities of Opportunity (COO) in 2014 with $2.5 million initial investment to improve health, social, racial, and economic outcomes through places, policies, and systems changes. Work focuses on White Center, Rainier Valley, SeaTac-Tukwila.
- Washington State Housing Finance CommissioncoreCo-created Evergreen Impact Housing Fund, first-of-its-kind financing closing critical gaps in affordable housing development, earning 2024 Secretary's Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships.
- Seattle International FoundationcoreSupporting organization of Seattle Foundation, co-founded by Bill and Paula Clapp in 2008, enabling global philanthropy with access to 700+ community foundations worldwide.
- VertueLabminorNonprofit accelerator partner in Seattle Climate Innovation Hub, supporting climate tech ecosystem and Battery Scale-Up Program for early-stage energy storage companies.
- University of Washington CoMotion LabsminorInnovation hub partner providing research and development infrastructure for climate tech startups in the Pacific Northwest.
- 9ZerominorClimate network partner in Seattle Climate Innovation Hub, contributing to cross-sector collaboration in green economy development.
- HomeSightcorePartner in Black Home Initiative, working on Field Order 15 to address Black homeownership gap through community development programs.
- Converge MediaminorMedia partner for collaborative storytelling initiatives including The Power of Us documentary showcasing grantees and fundholders.
- ArtsFund, 4Culture, Seattle Office of Arts & CulturecoreFunder collective for Creative Equity Fund directing $600,000 to arts and culture groups using strategies to address structural racism in King County.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Seattle Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation: One of the largest community foundations in the U.S. with multi-billion AUM, serving a tech-driven Pacific Coast region. Direct peer given similar high-net-worth donor base, complex-asset DAF offerings, and focus on regional equity initiatives.
- The San Francisco Foundation: Bay Area community foundation focused on racial and economic equity with substantial DAF and grantmaking programs. Closely comparable mission, product mix, and urban West Coast operating context.
- The Boston Foundation: Major urban community foundation with $1B+ AUM, donor advised funds, civic leadership programs, and a strong equity lens. Comparable in scale, product breadth, and cross-sector convening role.
- Chicago Community Trust: Large metropolitan community foundation serving the Chicago region with comprehensive DAF, designated, and agency fund offerings plus impact investing. Comparable regional grantmaking scale and civic infrastructure.
- The New York Community Trust: One of the oldest and largest community foundations, offering a full suite of philanthropic funds and competitive grantmaking for a major metro region. Direct peer in fund products, scale, and urban equity focus.
- Greater Houston Community Foundation: Texas-based community foundation managing multi-billion in charitable assets across DAFs, endowments, and impact investing. Comparable in asset scale, fund products, and regional systems-change grantmaking.
- Greater Kansas City Community Foundation: Mid-size metro community foundation with a robust DAF platform, donor advised funds, and community grant programs. Comparable in core community-foundation product set and regional convening role.
- Cleveland Foundation: First U.S. community foundation, similar long-tenured nonprofit structure with DAFs, competitive grantmaking, and civic leadership initiatives. Comparable age, fund product mix, and community leadership positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Fidelity Charitable: Largest U.S. commercial donor-advised fund sponsor and direct competitor for DAF assets nationally. Relevant as the primary alternative donors compare Seattle Foundation against, though it is a national sponsor rather than a community-focused foundation.
- Schwab Charitable: Large national DAF sponsor affiliated with Charles Schwab, competing for philanthropic dollars with lower-fee, brand-name service. Relevant competitor for donor advised fund balances, especially tech-sector wealth in the Pacific Northwest.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Seattle Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceSeattle Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Seattle Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Seattle Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Seattle Foundation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Seattle Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Seattle Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Seattle Foundation
What does Seattle Foundation do?
Seattle Foundation is a community foundation that administers charitable giving vehicles (donor advised funds, designated funds, area of interest funds, immediate impact/QCD funds, athlete and entertainer funds, nonprofit agency funds) and makes grants to community-led nonprofits in Greater Seattle. It combines philanthropic advising, professional investment management across multiple pools, and grantmaking programs targeting racial and economic equity, affordable housing, climate justice, voter engagement, and BIPOC community-led organizations.
Is Seattle Foundation a public or private company?
Seattle Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Seattle Foundation founded?
Seattle Foundation was founded in 1946. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Seattle Foundation based?
Seattle Foundation is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Seattle Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donor Advised Fund Administration is the primary driver. The others are investment Management Fees and philanthropic Services.
Who are Seattle Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Silicon Valley Community Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, The Boston Foundation, Chicago Community Trust, The New York Community Trust, Greater Houston Community Foundation, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and Cleveland Foundation. Broad incumbents are Fidelity Charitable and Schwab Charitable.
Does Seattle Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Seattle Foundation.
What industry is Seattle Foundation in?
Seattle Foundation's product category is Community Foundation / Philanthropic Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations, with a secondary code of FSAAANAI, Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.