Washington Catholic Schools
Central Washington Catholic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the centralized philanthropy arm for the Diocese of Yakima, channeling donations to Catholic schools, parish religious education programs, and student scholarships across seven Central Washington counties.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersYakima, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Washington Catholic Schools does
Central Washington Catholic Foundation (CWCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable foundation headquartered in Yakima, Washington, that serves as the centralized philanthropy arm for the Diocese of Yakima. It supports Catholic education and ministries across seven Central Washington counties, channeling donations to six Catholic elementary schools, two high schools, parish religious education programs, and individual students across 41 parishes. Its core programs include the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP, $1,200 per student), Celebration of Faith College Scholarships ($3,000 per student), Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) Grants, and the Digital Learning Fund, with a technology partnership with FORMED.org providing digital content for parishes and schools.
The foundation's revenue model is entirely donation-based, with no commercial products or services. Revenue streams include individual online donations, annual fundraising events (the flagship Celebration of Faith gala and the 2026 Summer Social Series replacing it), IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions for donors aged 70½ and older, planned giving via Donor Advised Funds, Endowment Funds, and Legacy Estate Gifts. Fundraising totals are not publicly disclosed at the organizational level; single-event figures have ranged from $68,000 (2023 Celebration of Faith, specified for TAP) to $265,000 (2014 Celebration of Faith) to $325,000 (2020 "40 Ways in 40 Days" campaign). The foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees and has operated continuously since at least 2012, with adaptations to its fundraising model during COVID-19 and a 2026 pivot to regional summer social events.
Distribution of funds is direct and grant-based: the foundation evaluates applications and disburses tuition assistance, scholarships, and program grants to approved recipients. There is no SaaS product, no proprietary technology platform, and no AI/ML component — the foundation is a pure philanthropic intermediary. Its competitive position rests on institutional lock-in with the Diocese of Yakima (sole regional philanthropy organization for the diocese), a 20+ year brand history, and recurring donor relationships facilitated by multi-year giving vehicles.
Washington Catholic Schools firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Washington Catholic Schools
- Legal name
- Central Washington Catholic Foundation
- Website
- https://cwcatholicfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Central Washington Catholic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the centralized philanthropy arm for the Diocese of Yakima, channeling donations to Catholic schools, parish religious education programs, and student scholarships across seven Central Washington counties.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Washington Catholic Schools industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Foundation
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious Organizations (8131)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)
Keywords
Where Washington Catholic Schools is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Yakima
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Washington Catholic Schools business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Individual Donations and Gifts: The foundation accepts individual donations through its website and various giving programs including online donations, donor advised funds, endowment funds, and legacy estate gifts.
- Annual Fundraising Events: The foundation hosts annual Celebration of Faith events and Summer Social Series to raise funds for Catholic education support programs.
- IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions: Individuals aged 70½ or older can make charitable distributions directly from their IRA to the foundation, up to $100,000 per year, which can satisfy Required Minimum Distributions.
- Planned Giving: The foundation offers planned giving options including legacy estate gifts and endowment funds for long-term charitable giving.
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Washington Catholic Schools product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Central Washington Catholic Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation that supports Catholic education across Central Washington. It provides tuition assistance, college scholarships, parish religious education grants, and digital learning funding to Catholic schools, parishes, and individual students in the region.
Product overview
Central Washington Catholic Foundation is a non-profit foundation that supports Catholic education and ministries in Central Washington through a portfolio of grant programs, scholarship offerings, and fundraising events. Core programs include the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), College Scholarships, Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) Grants, and the Digital Learning Fund. The Foundation conducts annual fundraising through the Celebration of Faith event and Summer Social Series. Charitable giving vehicles include Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs, Donor Advised Funds, Endowment Funds, and Legacy Estate Gifts. The organization does not offer a technology product but provides financial support and resources to Catholic schools and parishes across the Diocese of Yakima.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Financial aid program that provides tuition assistance to students attending Catholic schools in Central Washington, helping families afford Catholic K-12 education.
- College Scholarships Scholarship awards for college students from Catholic school and parish backgrounds in Central Washington to support higher education affordability.
- Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) Grants Grants provided to parishes to support religious education programs for children and youth outside of school settings, including catechesis and faith formation.
- Digital Learning Fund Program Funding program that supports access to digital Catholic learning content through FORMED.org for students, schools, and parishioners across Central Washington.
- Donor Advised Funds Giving vehicle allowing donors to contribute to the foundation and recommend grants to Catholic education causes in Central Washington over time.
- Endowment Funds Permanently invested funds where principal is preserved and investment income supports ongoing Catholic education programs, tuition assistance, and parish grants.
Quantifiable outcome
- Provides tuition assistance grants of $1,200 per student per year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Washington Catholic Schools
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Washington Catholic Schools technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Washington Catholic Schools partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Diocese of YakimacoreThe foundation serves as the primary philanthropy organization for the Diocese of Yakima, supporting all 41 parishes and Catholic schools across seven Central Washington counties with grants, scholarships, and tuition assistance.
- Homeboy IndustriesminorFeatured as keynote speaker at 2017 Celebration of Faith - Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. founder spoke on Catholic schools and gang intervention.
- Gonzaga UniversityminorFr. Robert Spitzer, former President of Gonzaga University, served as keynote speaker at 2019 Celebration of Faith.
- St. Martin's UniversityminorFeatured partner at 2022 Celebration of Faith with President Dr. Jennifer Bonds-Raacke and Abbot Marion Qui-Thac Nguyen.
- Moses Lake DistilleryminorPartnership for 2024 Celebration of Faith to offer specialty fall-inspired cocktails at the event.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Washington Catholic Schools competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fulcrum Foundation: Catholic education foundation serving schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle and Pacific Northwest. Closest geographic and mission-aligned peer to Central Washington Catholic Foundation, with overlapping donor base potential and similar tuition-assistance/scholarship programming.
- The Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Newark: Catholic foundation managing donor-advised funds, endowments, and scholarships for schools and parishes within the Newark archdiocese. Directly comparable in mission, giving vehicles, and grantmaking structure.
- Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of St. Louis: Archdiocesan foundation managing endowments, donor-advised funds, and grants for Catholic ministries and schools in the St. Louis region. Closely comparable in mission, geography-of-donors model, and programs.
- Catholic Education Arizona: Arizona-based nonprofit supporting Catholic schools through tuition assistance and scholarships. Comparable tuition-assistance focus and donor-base development through community Catholic education appeals.
- Today's Catholic Foundation (Fort Wayne–South Bend): Diocesan Catholic foundation supporting Catholic schools and parish programs in northern Indiana. Mirrors Central Washington's combination of tuition assistance, parish grants, scholarships, and annual fundraising events.
- The Catholic Foundation of Michigan: Diocesan Catholic foundation administering donor-advised funds, endowments, and grants for Catholic ministries and schools in Michigan. Comparable model: donor advised funds, planned giving, and education-focused grantmaking.
- Catholic Education Foundation (Archdiocese of Los Angeles): Long-established Catholic education foundation providing tuition assistance and scholarships for students attending Catholic schools in Southern California. Operates the same core grant/scholarship model with annual fundraising events and endowment funding.
- Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota: Independent Catholic foundation providing grants and donor-advised fund services to Catholic schools, parishes, and nonprofits in Minnesota. Comparable scale and regional-diocesan model with similar programming.
Broad incumbents
- National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA): National membership and advocacy organization for Catholic schools. Not a direct grantmaking peer but the broad incumbent shaping Catholic education funding policy, advocacy, and sector data that influences diocesan foundations like Central Washington.
Others
- FACTS Management (Renweb/FACTS): Catholic school-focused tuition management, financial aid assessment, and donor-advised fund administration platform. Not a peer foundation but an adjacent enabling technology/vendor serving many of the same Catholic schools and education foundations.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Washington Catholic Schools social profiles
Digital presenceWashington Catholic Schools financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Washington Catholic Schools leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Washington Catholic Schools funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Washington Catholic Schools M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Washington Catholic Schools
What does Washington Catholic Schools do?
The Central Washington Catholic Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation that supports Catholic education across Central Washington. It provides tuition assistance, college scholarships, parish religious education grants, and digital learning funding to Catholic schools, parishes, and individual students in the region.
Is Washington Catholic Schools a public or private company?
Washington Catholic Schools is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Washington Catholic Schools founded?
Washington Catholic Schools was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Washington Catholic Schools based?
Washington Catholic Schools is headquartered in Yakima, United States, in the North America region.
How does Washington Catholic Schools make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations and Gifts are the primary driver. The others are annual Fundraising Events, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions and planned Giving.
Who are Washington Catholic Schools's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fulcrum Foundation, The Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Newark, Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Catholic Education Arizona, Today's Catholic Foundation (Fort Wayne–South Bend), The Catholic Foundation of Michigan, Catholic Education Foundation (Archdiocese of Los Angeles) and Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota. National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) is listed as a broad incumbent. FACTS Management (Renweb/FACTS) is listed as an others.
Does Washington Catholic Schools have an API?
No public API is recorded for Washington Catholic Schools.
What industry is Washington Catholic Schools in?
Washington Catholic Schools's product category is Education Foundation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.