Open Foundations · Washington

Foster Foundation

Kirkland, Washington · EIN 911265474. Its Form 990-PF says giving is not restricted to organizations picked in advance, which is how a private foundation files that it accepts unsolicited requests. It paid $2.3M across 59 grants in 2024, a median of $10K each.

All Washington foundations · All states

$2.3M
paid in 2024
59
grants paid
$10K
median grant
1%
to first-time recipients
$57.1M
assets on file

How to apply, as filed

Straight off Part XV of the return. Where the foundation left a line blank, this says so rather than guessing.

Send requests to
KAREN ROWE
Address
13 CENTRAL WAY, KIRKLAND, WA, 98033
Phone
2067261815
Email
Not stated in the filing
Form the request should take
GRANT MAKING CRITERIA: INQUIRIES FOR FUNDING OF PROJECTS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE FOUNDATION'S PURPOSE SHOULD BE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED IN LETTER FORM. INCLUDED IN THIS LETTER SHOULD BE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT & ITS INTENDED PURPOSE. IF THE INQUIRY IS DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE FOUNDATION, A FORMAL APPLICATION WILL BE REQUESTED. A DETAILED APPLICATION SHOULD THEN BE PRESENTED & MUST CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING: NAME AND ADDRESS OF ORGANIZATION PROOF OF TAX-EXEMPT STATUS A LIST OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS A BRIEF HISTORY & SUMMARY OF PROGRAM AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS FINANCIAL REPORTS, INCLUDING BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT YEAR PROJECT PLAN, A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT TO BE FUNDED, DEFINING THE NEED OR PROBLEM, OBJECTIVES, METHODS FOR ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES, & A METHOD TO EVALUATE RESULTS. IF THE PROJECT IS INTENDED TO BE ONGOING, METHODS FOR ONGOING SUPPORT MUST BE PROVIDED. A DETAILED BUDGET FOR THE PROJECT, INCLUDING TOTAL AMOUNT NEEDED, AMOUNTS REQUESTED FROM THIS FOUNDATION AND FROM OTHER SOURCES
Submission deadline
NONE -- RESPONSE TO SUBMISSION USUALLY MADE WITHIN 90 DAYS
Restrictions on awards
PURPOSE OF THE FOUNDATION: TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND ALASKA THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF QUALIFIED NEEDS IN AREA OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, EDUCATION, SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, HEALTH, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. TYPES OF SUPPORT: GRANTS WILL BE AWARDED TO THE ORGANIZATIONS FOR ONE YEAR ONLY, GENERALLY IN THE FORM OF BUILDING FUNDS, EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS, RESEARCH, MATCHING OR CHALLENGE GRANTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS. GRANTS TO INDIVIDUALS WILL BE MADE AS SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS THROUGH A SCHOOL, COLLEGE, OR UNIVERSITY.

As filed on the Form 990-PF for tax year 2024, IRS filing object id 202503199349101030. Printed word for word, including the entries that only say to see a website or an attachment.

What it funds, in its own words

The words that come up most often across the purposes it wrote on its 2024 grants. These are the foundation's own words, not a category we assigned.

socialmedicaleducation

Biggest grants in 2024

The 15 largest of the 59 grants paid in 2024, with the purpose the foundation wrote for each.

#RecipientStateAmountPurpose as filed
1Uw Athletic DepartmentWA$750,000GENERAL
2Swedish Medical Center FoundationWA$260,000MEDICAL
3Montlake FuturesWA$160,000GENERAL
4Overlake Medical Center FoundationWA$135,000SOCIAL SERVICES
5Seattle FoundationWA$127,792GENERAL
6University of Washington - Foster School BuildingWA$100,000EDUCATION
7Northwest HarvestWA$60,000SOCIAL SERVICES
8Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterWA$50,000MEDICAL
9Seattle Art MuseumWA$50,000GENERAL
10Paws- Progressive Animal Welfare SocietyWA$47,500SOCIAL SERVICES
11Make-a-wishWA$35,000SOCIAL SERVICES
12Overlake SchoolWA$25,000SOCIAL SERVICES
13University of Washington - Tougher TogetherWA$22,500EDUCATION
14Seattle Children's HospitalWA$20,000MEDICAL
15YouthcareWA$20,000SOCIAL SERVICES

Giving by year, and who received it

Grants paid by year

Every year of this foundation's grants that Civly holds
Tax yearGrantsPaid
202061$2.5M
202158$1.8M
202261$1.9M
202362$2.2M
202459$2.3M

Where the money went

Share of 2024 grant dollars by recipient state
Washington98%
Illinois2%

Who decides

Officers, directors and trustees as filed, with the year of the return they appeared on.

J Bradford SmithDIRECTOR · 2024
Karen O RoweCORP. SECRETARY/TREASURER · 2024
Michael G Foster JrPRESIDENT · 2024
Todd PatrickDIRECTOR · 2024

Every figure on this page is that foundation's own latest filed year, which is 2022 or later. This foundation is listed because its Form 990-PF says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and it paid at least 5 grants totaling $100K or more that year. Latest-year grants and terms per foundation from IRS 990-PF e-file returns; the newest tax year is partial until the IRS finishes releasing it. Grants are de-duplicated on funder, year, recipient and amount, so identical repeat grants collapse into one and totals can run low. Full method.

Source: IRS Form 990-PF e-file releases (public domain). Analysis: Civly.

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