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Friends of Seattle Waterfront
Also known as Friends of Waterfront Park
Friends of Seattle Waterfront reported $21.0 million in revenue and $28.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $91.73 went to program services, $4.41 to management and general costs and $3.86 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 86.2% of the total. Government grants made up 14.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $310,410 (PRESIDENT AND CEO). 13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 108% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $29MFor context, the median across 479 covered community improvement & capacity building charities: $90.45 programs, $9.31 management, $0.24 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $21MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 91.7% | 89.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 4.4% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.9% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 86.2% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 14.3% | 14.9% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 11.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $310,410 | $291,103 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.08% | 1.49% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 13 | 5 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 27 of 27 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseGrant to city of seattle for capital improvements to the central waterfront project
Friends of Waterfront park is the nonprofit partner to the city of seattle to help build, operate, program, and steward the future waterfront park, slated to open in 2025. In 2024, friends hosted over 60 activations at waterfront park, including performances, festivals, and a vending program pilot, drawing 30,000+ attendees. Most events were free, with one ticketed event. Programs featured 23 events, 4 indigenous art installations, and 9 minority-owned vendors. Of these, 17 had poc representation and 7 included indigenous partners, involving over 100 collaborators, including 39 event…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT AND CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $291,275 | $0 | $19,135 | $310,410 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $204,000 | $0 | $6,726 | $210,726 |
| SR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY IMPACT & PROGRAMS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $170,000 | $0 | $36,951 | $206,951 |
| CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $176,212 | $0 | $16,939 | $193,151 |
| DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $144,525 | $0 | $8,746 | $153,271 |
| SR MANAGER OF MARKETING & CONTENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $106,822 | $0 | $25,193 | $132,015 |
| ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $105,883 | $0 | $13,623 | $119,506 |
13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Friends of Seattle Waterfront (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $521K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b27 · 27 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13No
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 545
- Volunteers Part I, line 627
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CITY OF SEATTLE Park maintenance and security | $945,000 |
| TRANSWEST Operation of waterfront shuttle | $700,886 |
| WELLSPRING CONSULTING Strategic planning facilitation | $168,000 |
| EVERGREEN TREATMENT SERVICES Social services, case management | $118,333 |
| RIEIMAGINE SOLUTIONS LLC Strategic partnerships advisory | $109,520 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 6 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
14 private foundations reported grants to Friends of Seattle Waterfront totaling $6.1M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Friends of Seattle Waterfront's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Friends of Seattle Waterfront, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Friends of Seattle Waterfront spent in 2024, $91.73 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Choose New JerseyNewark, NJ · revenue $21M · programs 88.2% · 2024
- Campus Partners for Community Urban RedevelopmentColumbus, OH · revenue $21M · programs 97.9% · FY2025
- The Latino Coalition for Community LeadershipBakerfield, CA · revenue $21M · programs 95.7% · FY2025
- Detroit Belle Isle Grand PrixBloomfield Hills, MI · revenue $21M · programs 91.3% · 2024
- Ohio Community Development Finance FundColumbus, OH · revenue $21M · programs 94.0% · 2024
All community improvement & capacity building charities · Largest charities in Washington
Questions people ask
How much of Friends of Seattle Waterfront's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Friends of Seattle Waterfront reported that 91.7% of its $28.7 million in expenses went to program services, 4.4% to management and general and 3.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Friends of Seattle Waterfront pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Friends of Seattle Waterfront reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $310,410, for the role of PRESIDENT AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Friends of Seattle Waterfront get its money?
Of $21.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 86.2% came from contributions and grants (including 14.3% from government grants) and 0.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Friends of Seattle Waterfront a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 80-0867356 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202523089349302867 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202411589349301216 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202342209349301304 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202201329349303785 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112849349301236 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043159349302219 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 80-0867356: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.