Home › Philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking
Seattle Foundation
Seattle Foundation reported $314.7 million in revenue and $244.5 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $95.25 went to program services, $4.27 to management and general costs and $0.48 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 79.1% of the total. Government grants made up 32.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $512,167 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 47 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 41% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $245MFor context, the median across 1,001 covered philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities: $91.65 programs, $6.50 management, $1.85 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 $315MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 95.3% | 90.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 4.3% | 6.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.5% | 1.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 79.1% | 79.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 32.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $512,167 | $325,675 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.21% | 1.56% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 47 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 62.1 | 56.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 11 | 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 expenseDonor-recommended grantmaking: Seattle Foundation's mission is to ignite powerful, rewarding philanthropy to make greater seattle a more vibrant, stronger community for all. With approximately 600 individual, family, and corporate funds, this area of investment reflects the grantmaking recommended by our donors to support a broad range of community needs and scholarship programs. This grantmaking activity primarily serves the greater seattle region and washington state, while also extending nationally and internationally
Community leadership: Seattle Foundation draws on our deep community insight and long history as a civic leader to launch and participate in cross-sector initiatives that amplify our reach and impact. Led by our vision of a joyful community of shared prosperity, belonging, and justice, our role as a civic leader is to align key stakeholders around strategies to address our region's greatest collective challenges
Foundation-directed grantmaking: Seattle Foundation manages targeted funds, called area of interest funds, on behalf of the community and in partnership with community advisory groups, to support defined interest areas. This includes various programs designed to enhance community well-being and support geographies that have been historically underinvested in. Seattle Foundation evaluates organizations and then makes grants that best reflect the intended purpose of the funds. Seattle Foundation frequently leads special initiatives designed to address specific community needs across the greater…
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 & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $481,225 | $0 | $30,942 | $512,167 |
| EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $274,059 | $0 | $51,522 | $325,581 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $280,708 | $0 | $33,804 | $314,512 |
| CIO (THRU 12/23), CONTRACTOR Highest compensated employee, 23.80 hrs/week | $287,236 | $0 | $9,078 | $296,314 |
| HEALTHIERHERE CFO Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $0 | $257,488 | $26,808 | $284,296 |
| CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $248,780 | $0 | $22,703 | $271,483 |
| CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $214,698 | $0 | $40,545 | $255,243 |
| HEALTHIERHERE CEO Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $0 | $239,508 | $12,637 | $252,145 |
47 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Seattle Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.6M (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–1b11 · 11 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 568
- Volunteers Part I, line 625
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| EE VENTURES Consulting | $4,375,593 |
| RSM US LLP It systems design & build | $1,625,493 |
| CREWCIAL PARTNERS LLC Investment consulting | $583,736 |
| SWB STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS LLC Consulting | $381,626 |
| HOMESIGHT Program support | $374,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 19 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
50 private foundations reported grants to Seattle Foundation totaling $23M 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 Seattle Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Seattle Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Seattle Foundation spent in 2024, $95.25 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Bessemer Giving FundWoodbridge, NJ · revenue $312M · programs 98.9% · 2024
- The New York Community TrustNew York, NY · revenue $323M · programs 84.3% · 2024
- Pef Israel Endowment FundsNew York, NY · revenue $311M · programs 99.1% · FY2025
- Christian Community FoundationColorado Springs, CO · revenue $338M · programs 95.9% · FY2025
- The Cleveland FoundationCleveland, OH · revenue $303M · programs 90.2% · 2024
All philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities · Largest charities in Washington
Questions people ask
How much of Seattle Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Seattle Foundation reported that 95.3% of its $244.5 million in expenses went to program services, 4.3% to management and general and 0.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Seattle Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Seattle Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $512,167, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Seattle Foundation get its money?
Of $314.7 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 79.1% came from contributions and grants (including 32.0% from government grants) and 1.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Seattle Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 91-6013536 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 202503189349315665 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202443139349303424 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323149349304782 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202233199349311048 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113029349301626 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202042619349300329 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 91-6013536: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.