Search Through Grants for 501(c)(3) in Washington in the U.S.

Overview

Founded in 2007 by Kat Taylor and Tom Steyer, Beneficial State Bank is a B Corp Certified community development bank with branches in California, Oregon, and Washington. One hundred percent of the economic rights of Beneficial State Bank are owned not by private shareholders, but by nonprofit organizations, including Beneficial State Foundation. As nonprofit shareholders, we reinvest all distributed bank profit back into communities to promote thriving people, a healthy economy and a prosperous planet. This ownership structure allows us to learn and develop new metrics and standards as Beneficial State Bank tests and implements equitable banking products and practices.

As of 2023, Beneficial State Bank is a $1.7 billion asset state-chartered, federally insured bank with branches in California, Oregon, and Washington. Learn more about the origins of Beneficial State Bank.

Supporting Our Communities With Sponsorships

From day one, Beneficial State Bank has been committed to supporting our community above and beyond our lending by providing sponsorships to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations each year. We provide sponsorships to 501(c)(3) organizations in California, Oregon, and Washington that are engaged in transformative social justice and environmental work in our target sectors:

Social:

• Affordable and Multi-family Housing
• Arts, Culture and Community Building
• Education and Youth Development
• Beneficial Financial Services
• Economic, Business and Job Development
• Making, Manufacturing and Production
• Social Justice

Environmental:

• Environmental Sustainability
• Health and Well-being (non-food)
• Healthy Food
• Other Mission Categories (Business Ownership, Structures and Practices)

Beneficial State Bank has a unique business model compared to other banks. As a mission-driven bank majority-owned by the nonprofit Beneficial State Foundation, we work to maximize prosperity for our communities and our customers instead of working to maximize shareholder profits. We structure our business practices to benefit our stakeholders, not just our shareholders, so our total sponsorship budget is smaller than what you’ll find at a large, national bank. Therefore, we are limited in the number of sponsorships we can approve each year.

Who We Are

The Creag Foundation is a private grant making foundation established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington.

The founders of the Creag Foundation believe that meaningful change can only be achieved through hard work, creativity and passion. They also understand the practical mechanisms that allow charitable organizations to succeed and grow. As a group, Creag Foundation principals are dedicated to helping today’s most innovative programs improve the human condition in a wide variety of ways.

Our Focus

The broad purpose of the Foundation is to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations who are innovators in the field of human services. Our particular focus is on smaller organizations that are starting out or established organizations that are looking for funding to take their organization in a new direction.

What We Fund

/ What We Fund

The Creag Foundation is focused on innovation in the industry. We will consider proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations that are finding new ways to address societal issues facing the nonprofit community. Applicants must have held 501(c)(3) status for one year before submitting. If your organization has held 501(c)(3) status for over a year, and your believe that your organization has a new approach to an existing social problem or is addressing a previously unaddressed social issue, you are welcome to contact us and request that we consider your organization for a funding opportunity.

The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation funds direct service non-profit organizations that help improve the quality of people’s lives by providing them with the tools they need to succeed. Since its inception in 1988, it has funded programs for those with special needs, summer camps for cancer-stricken or troubled children and ensured access to theater, arts and music programs by economically disadvantaged youth and their families. It has granted wishes for terminally ill children, awards for science and math fair winners, and funded programs to purchase clothing, school supplies and toys for needy children. The Foundation also has supported rescue missions, food banks, shelters for victims of domestic violence, free mammogram exams for low-income women, and dental screenings and preventive care for underprivileged youth.

When making a grant decision, we examine each organization’s financial stability, staffing and facility capacity, and relevant partnerships. Additionally, we assess the capability of an organization to sustain a program into the future and their ability to show measurable impact on the population they serve. Finally, funding is guided toward organizations that support low income, rural, and underserved populations through one of our four main focus areas:

Our Four Main Focus:

The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation funds organizations that have accurately identified needs consistent with our mission and scope and who have successfully worked to provide programs and services that give youth and economically and socially disadvantaged individuals, families and those with special needs the tools they need to succeed in life.

Education

Education taps the immeasurable potential of the mind. Reaching children through early childhood education, after-school learning programs, post-secondary and graduate scholarships help our young people get the start they deserve. Providing higher education scholarships and funding educational programs helps build a strong educational foundation for future leaders.

Health and Human Services

Health and Human Services ensures the vitality of the human body and spirit. We target programs that ensure access to basic health care services to the most vulnerable members of our communities, as well as programs that educate our youth about wellness, nutrition, exercise and healthy lifestyles. We also support experiential programs that offer disabled or disadvantaged people opportunities they may not have otherwise.

Arts and Culture

Arts and Culture represents the innovation and creativity of a society. Through cultural endeavors we help bring people together to share their creative talents, intellects, passions, customs and bold initiatives to explore new ways of doing things. In the areas of theatre, art, and music the Foundation grants have helped organizations reach a broader audience, infused new life into programs and created long-lasting cultural traditions within our communities.

Community Service

Community Service touches the lives of everyone where they work, play and live. Despite our individual differences, we are linked by common interests to do more for the places we call home. The Foundation invests in organizations that fortify this connection. When everyone is involved one way or another in the improvement of their community, the community progresses in a positive direction.

Our Mission

Group Health Foundation will shape and accelerate efforts to improve health equity and advance community aspirations for a vibrant, healthy future in Washington.

Sponsorship Requests

Events and gatherings are important opportunities for people to come together, and we aim for organizations and leaders working for equity and racial justice to do just that through sponsorships.

We are most likely to support organizations whose leadership reflects the communities they serve. Sponsorships are one way we get to know more about the work of organizations, how they are connected to their communities, and their efforts to bring people together for change.

Deciding Factors for Sponsorships

We are most likely to support organizations whose leadership reflects the communities they serve because we believe the people most affected by racial and social inequities should be at the center of solutions.

Throughout our work, we support organizations led by and serving Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; immigrants and refugees; the queer and disability communities; and people who identify with more than one of these groups.

For sponsorships, we consider the following:

Race/Ethnicity

• We evaluate how your event reflects the communities you serve — including your organization’s leadership, the event design, and more—giving preference to culturally specific, multiracial, and cross-racial organizations and events.

Disability/Ability

• We prioritize disability-led organizations and those organizing for disabled people to be fully included because we recognize that people with disabilities frequently experience inequities. We also ask applicants to share how a sponsored event will be accessible to all people.

Socioeconomics

• We prioritize sponsorships for organizations based in communities experiencing poverty that are led by individuals living with low incomes.

Organization size

• We encourage small and mid-size nonprofits to apply and prioritize support for events where sponsorships might have the biggest effect.

Geography

• We prioritize areas where philanthropic funding is less common, and our support can go further, recognizing that the bulk of philanthropic funding is concentrated in Western Washington.

We also welcome applications from organizations serving communities along our state’s borders and from tribes for whom Washington is part of their traditional territory.

Sponsorships

Sponsorships are not limited to the examples here, and we welcome your ideas for the events you are hosting that will benefit your organization and community and advance equity and racial justice. We support in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. 

Celebrations and Similar Events

that bring people together based on culture, community, and/or personal identities to build connections and foster collective action.

Staff and Leadership Retreats

with agendas focused on learning and action planning related to systems change or equity efforts.

Professional Development

to equip your staff and/or volunteers with knowledge and skills that deepen their understanding of equity and justice work, further your mission, or serve your community.

Strategic Planning Sessions

that allow your organization to think big-picture and identify key strategies to move your work forward.

Open Houses

that welcome community members and other organizations to tour your space, learn about your work, and connect with your organization and one another.

Fundraisers

to support and strengthen your organization’s long-term agenda.

Liberty Mutual Foundation

At Liberty Mutual Insurance, we believe progress happens when people feel secure. By providing protection for the unexpected and delivering it with care, we help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow. This purpose serves as a guiding principle for our philanthropic efforts, which seek to advance security and build resiliency for vulnerable people and communities.

We support organizations that work to empower individuals who are struggling to thrive amid challenging situations. 

Types of Support:

Liberty Mutual Foundation primarily provides programmatic and general operating support to 501(C)(3) organizations. Priority is given to organizations and projects that serve low-income youth and young adults. Each year, the Foundation awards a limited number of capital grants to current partner organizations whose missions closely align with our strategic grantmaking framework. 

About the Muckleshoot Charity Fund

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe has long understood the importance of being proactive in meeting the needs of its community. The Muckleshoot Charity Fund has placed high priority in awarding grants to organizations throughout the region that address the unique local and regional issues facing the population.

Most Muckleshoot Charity Fund awards range from $1,500 to $5,000, allowing many agencies to benefit from the funds available. Profits from the Muckleshoot Casino are the sole source of funding for the Muckleshoot Charity Fund grants.

Funding Priorities

• Education
• Health and Human Services
• Culture
• Arts
• Communities of Color
• Native American Programs
• Environmental
• Civic/Community Advocacy

There are no application deadlines. Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis and successful applicants will be notified when funding is approved.

The Norcliffe Foundation is a private family foundation established to improve the ​quality of life for all people in our community.

What we fund

Areas of support include human services, healthcare, civic and community projects, education, and arts and culture. 

Funding Areas

The foundation makes grants in the following areas: 

• Arts & Culture
• Civic & Community
• Education
• Healthcare & Research
• Human & Social Services

Grant Amounts

The Norcliffe Foundation provides support to a wide variety of organizations and projects. Grant size depends on the scope of the project and the capacity of the organization.

Nearly 60% of the grants we make are $15,000 or less.

Things to consider when determining the appropriate amount to request:

• What is the gift range already committed or pending from other funders and foundations? The Norcliffe Foundation is most interested in joining a community of funders and is rarely the largest donor to a project.
• Is there a history of funding from The Norcliffe Foundation and what is the range for those grants?

Funding Types

Funding types include:

• Capacity Building
• Capital and Infrastructure 
• Challenge or Matching
• General Operating
• Program Support ​

Pacific Power Foundation

The Pacific Power Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pacific Power. Our mission, through our charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of our communities.

Apply for a Grant

The foundation manages its grants in four cycles. This helps the foundation carefully review similar requests to ensure maximum benefit.

• The information on this page is for Health, safety and wellness organizations including:
  • addiction, disability resources, disaster relief, domestic violence, first responders, food insecurity, healthcare accessibility, homeless support, mental health, public safety initiatives, veteran organizations, wellness and preventative care.

Perdue Farms is the family-owned parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Perdue Farms are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products.

Through Perdue Farms Perdue, Harvestland and Coleman Natural food brands; through Perdue Farms agricultural products and services; and through Perdue Farms stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, Perdue Farms are committed to making Perdue the most trusted name in food and agricultural products. At Perdue, Perdue Farms believe in responsible food and agriculture.What We Support

• We strive to strengthen our communities by focusing our efforts on agriculture and the environment, education, fighting hunger and poverty, health and social services, and public safety
• We also support organizations that celebrate the heritages and cultures of our communities
• We may give additional preference to organizations in which our associates have direct involvement, but the overarching consideration is the betterment of the community

Charis Fund Grant

Charis Fund is a small, benevolent family trust established in 1938, intended to support projects focused on social welfare (prioritizing hunger, housing, homelessness, at-risk youth), health and education. Charis is non-denominational but often funds religious organizations which provide services in the above categories. Charis Fund aids organizations located in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada. Charis Fund has two funding cycles per year. Charis Fund exists to support organizations addressing some of society’s greatest challenges.

Charis Fund’s goal is to help initiate or expand programs focused on the areas below:

• Housing issues/homelessness
  • Example: New showers for a shelter, shelter program expansion
• Food insecurity/feeding programs
  • Example: Food purchase, location expansion
• At-risk youth/education
  • Example: After-school programs, mentoring support
• Mental health/health care
  • Example: Wrap around programs for families and children, counseling programs
• Domestic violence
  • Example: Furniture for safe houses, violence prevention programs
• Substance abuse
  • Example: Treatment center/program expansion, substance free housing

Funding

Our grants range from $2,500 - $7,500.

OUR GRANTMAKING

Since our founding, the collective membership of Washington Women’s Foundation (WaWF) has granted millions of dollars to nonprofit organizations across Washington State. Despite these investments, inequity and disparate access to justice, housing, food, art, community culture, healthcare, environmental safety, fair labor, and education persist throughout our state.

At the same time, we know there is no shortage of impactful, hopeful work being done to disrupt systems of oppression and the inequities they perpetuate. We fund change and changemakers in Washington State: the people and organizations driving equitable solutions to the greatest challenges facing our communities.

COLLECTIVE GRANTS

The Collective Grants are our core grantmaking program. Through our Collective Grants, our members invest in three priority areas by granting to organizations working within those areas. The priorities change each year based on our annual funding themes. These unrestricted grants range from $500 to $50,000 or more (up to 30 grants). As part of the application process, organizations can opt into consideration for our Women & Girls Grant.

Our 2025 funding priorities in the thematic areas of Climate & Agricultural Justice, Healthcare, and Education:

• Mitigating the Impact of Climate Change: We will invest in alleviating and reversing the effect of climate change on those communities most impacted by its effects in Washington State.​
  • We are interested in learning more about how climate change has impacted communities in Washington State and the solutions those communities are creating.
• Youth Mental Health: We will invest in culturally relevant mental health and connection-building services for young people (ages 26 and younger) including organizations with counseling staff or working with a network of external providers.
  • We are interested in learning more about systems of mental healthcare and how young people (ages 26 and younger) interact and heal within these systems, including systems designed to address youth addiction recovery.​
  • Adult Educational Opportunities: We will invest in non-traditional adult education programs and educational opportunities in support of adults navigating the requirements of employment and civic participation (this may include immigrant and refugee education services).​
  • We are interested in learning more about non-traditional adult education programs and services designed to support adults (ages 18 and older) as they navigate the requirements of employment and civic participation.​

The Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation (NBO Foundation) is committed to improving communities and impacting lives through unique philanthropic committees, The Community Impact Fund, The Education Committee and the Journalism Committee.

Education Committee Grants

The Education Committee makes contributions to education programs or institutions that support educational opportunities for the economically disadvantaged. Examples of this would include afterschool education based programs, tutoring programs, college testing preparation (PSAT/SAT), college visits, internship programs, and college/financial aid application assistance programs. 

African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund Grants

Grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund advance ongoing preservation activities for historic sites, museums, and landscape projects representing African American cultural heritage. The fund supports work in four primary areas: Capital Projects, Organizational Capacity Building, Project Planning, and Programming and Interpretation. Grants made from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund will range from $50,000 to $150,000. In 2022, the National Trust awarded $3 million to 33 projects. Since establishing the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund’s National Grant Program in 2017, the National Trust has supported more than 200 preservation projects nationally.

AARP Community Challenge

The AARP Community Challenge grant program is part of the nationwide AARP Livable Communities initiative that helps communities become great places to live for residents of all ages. The program is intended to help communities make immediate improvements and jump-start long-term progress.

Since the program's debut in 2017, AARP has awarded $20.1 million through over 1,700 grants. Projects have been completed across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Flagship Grant

Flagship AARP Community Challenge grants have ranged from several hundred dollars for smaller, short-term activities to tens of thousands of dollars for larger projects. Since 2017, AARP has funded projects with an average grant amount of $10,000 to $12,000. Nine out of 10 grants (or 92 percent) are for $20,000 or less.

This year, grants will not exceed $25,000. AARP also reserves the right to award compelling projects of any dollar amount.

We are accepting applications for projects that benefit residents — especially those age 50 and older — in the following categories:

• Creating vibrant public places that improve open spaces, parks and access to other amenities.
• Delivering a range of transportation and mobility options that increase connectivity, walkability, bikeability and access to public and private transit
• Supporting a range of housing options that increases the availability of accessible and affordable choices
• Increasing digital connections and enhancing digital literacy skills of residents
• Supporting community resilience through investments that improve disaster management, preparedness and mitigation for residents

Our roots run deep.

The Ash Grove Charitable Foundation makes grants annually to support the work of public charities with tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in the geographical markets that we serve.

As one of the largest cement companies in the United States and one of the oldest still in operation, Ash Grove plays an important part in the foundation and infrastructure of our country. And with plants from coast to coast, being a good neighbor in the communities in which we live and serve is a priority and part of our DNA.

Ash Grove territory is a lot of ground to cover. We believe in active participation to improve the existing and future quality of life in the communities we serve. This participation includes financial support to charitable activities. We aren’t just focused on building highways and buildings – we are also helping to build better communities.

Ash Grove is one of the largest cement companies in the United States and one of the oldest still in operation. Ash Grove plays a part in the foundation and infrastructure of our country. With plants from coast to coast, being a good neighbor in the communities we live and serve is a priority and part of our DNA.

The Ash Grove Charitable Foundation mission is to support communities today without compromising future needs, where nature is respected, minds challenged, opportunities created, and neighbors gather in the community. We stand together to build better communities. Communities that thrive today and for future generations.

Funding Priorities

The Foundation awards grants to charitable, educational, and scientific organizations, which are public charities.

The Foundation gives primary consideration to capital building and renovation projects for the following funding priorities:

• Nature – Protect or Preserve.
• Education – STEM
• Economic – Trade Skills
• Civic – Gather in Community
• Human Services – Shelter

Funding

The Foundation’s goal is to provide significant support to public charities for capital building and renovation projects. Grants for these projects generally are limited to $25,000. Consideration is also given to program grant requests. Grants for these projects are generally limited to $5,000.

About our Grant Making

Ninety-nine girlfriends makes annual grants, called Impact Awards, in the Portland Metro/SW Washington region from a pool of money contributed by our members. Impact awards range from $50,000-$100,000 each year, depending on that year’s pool.

We fund equally in four focus areas, selecting nonprofits whose work is aligned with our vision of a more equitable future for all and our values of strength in diversity, collective action, and community impact.

Letters of Interest are due in early April. Then, we use our internal processes to select the ones that are most aligned with our vision and values. These organizations are invited to submit applications. During this time, our member-volunteer teams are learning about implicit bias, equity and inclusion, Trust-Based Philanthropy, and consensus building. 

Guiding Principles

In addition to our eligibility criteria, we apply the following principles and trust-based philanthropy to guide decision-making on grant applications.

Equity - Grant making must be grounded in equity.

Trust - We believe the organizations that apply for our grants are the experts in their field. We will lead with trust, respect, humility and curiosity.

Learning - At our heart, we are a learning organization. We value new approaches as much as experience, we recognize our missteps as learning opportunities, and we learn best together. 

Responsiveness and Transformative Impact - We fund organizations that respond to a critical need and/or are working to address the root causes of systemic issues.

Initiative and risk-taking - We believe that taking risks and exploring new ideas can lead to innovative solutions to complex societal problems.  

We engage women in a collaborative learning environment of inclusiveness and mutual respect, incorporating our collective voices, perspectives, talents, and skills. We educate ourselves about implicit bias, equitable grant making, and consensus-building, and we are embedding racial equity in our work. Each year is a new year of grantmaking at ninety-nine girlfriends. Community context changes as do our members, our grant review teams, and our annual Funding Priority. In the end, what we fund is determined by the votes of our members. 

Focus Areas

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our work. Our vision is a more equitable community for all, therefore we prioritize funding that supports communities that are historically and/or currently underserved with respect to socioeconomic status, race, identity, or ability.

We seek to fund organizations working to improve educational equity, opportunity, or education-related services for children and youth from pre-K through high school in the areas of:

• Early childhood education and development
• Out-of-school time and summer learning
• Programs that work to close achievement and opportunity gaps
• Career and/or college readiness tools and skills for high school students
• Arts education, cultural education, and creative expression

We seek to fund organizations working to ensure everyone has equal access to resources and safe spaces, across environmental issues in the areas of:

• Access to environmental resources - healthy food, homes, water and green space
• Countering environmental burdens - pollution in air, water, and land
• Providing educational resources around sustainability and climate change preparedness
• Advancing participation in the green workforce
• Promoting systems change that includes meaningful and inclusive participation in the environmental decision-making process, that promotes environmental justice and equitable environmental policies

We seek to fund organizations delivering trauma-informed services that focus on housing solutions and home stability for families, youth, and adults in the areas of:

• Prevention of homelessness and helping people stabilize and keep their housing
• Emergency, temporary, and transitional housing and shelters
• Housing placement
• Resources and support that help prevent adverse childhood experiences or provide healing resources for families experiencing housing/home instability
• Wrap-around services that strengthen housing/home stability including mental and physical health services, recovery support, and domestic violence advocacy

We seek to fund organizations that advance the economic security and financial well-being of women by removing barriers to work in the areas of:

• Job readiness - including skills training, trades, and education
• Adult literacy and language proficiency
• Financial literacy
• College and post-secondary success
• Accessibility to affordable and reliable childcare
• Accessibility to safe and affordable healthcare including physical, mental, dental, and reproductive health

Ninety-nine girlfriends recognizes the complexities of gender identity and gender expression, and welcome cisgender women, transgender women, and gender non-binary, gender non-conforming, or gender queer persons.

Use of Funds

Funds may be used for general operating or project support to advance your mission. Awardees may choose to have funds disbursed in one payment in 2024, or in two payments: one in 2024 and one in 2025. 

Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program

Building a More Just and Sustainable Outdoor and Environmental Movement Together

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led organizations are on the frontlines of the grassroots work being done to build a better planet but our work is chronically overlooked and underfunded. We know that when our voices are left out, our communities suffer, and our planet does too. With the Liberated Paths Program, we envision a way to bridge that gap.

Through this program, we are working to create a more just and sustainable outdoor and environmental movement by shifting resources to and building power with Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color. The Liberated Paths Program supports outdoor initiatives and organizations that cultivate and celebrate the contributions of Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color and affirm the many experiences and identities our communities hold, through grantmaking, capacity building, and network building.

Through our Liberated Paths regional grants, we support organizations and initiatives of all sizes located in California, the Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington), the Southwest (Arizona and New Mexico), and the Delaware River Watershed that work at the intersection of racial justice, outdoor experiences, and the environment. In 2023, we will also launch grantmaking in North and South Carolina. Our Liberated Paths: Youth Access to Nature Fund supports efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area that increase safe and equitable access to the outdoors for Young People of Color.

We work with leaders and organizations who are rooted within their communities with the lived experiences to understand how to best advance justice and center the needs of the community. We support Leaders of Color to design and lead the types of joyful outdoor experiences and environmental efforts that are most meaningful to them and their communities. 

Liberated Paths support looks like:

• Relationship-driven and trust-based support
• Multi-year grants of $1,000 to $20,000 per year when possible
• Long-term, deep engagement in financial, operational, and fundraising capacity building
• Network building with a cohort of grantees to facilitate shared learning and systems-level changes
• Eligibility that is not hinged on organization size, ability to do impact reporting, or 501(c)(3) status
• Support for organizations and initiatives of all sizes and in all stages of their development
• Prioritized funding for organizations and initiatives led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
• Capacity building trainings and workshops for grantee partners

Capacity Building

Our model offers financial grants, as well as consistent coaching and mentorship. We want to connect our grantee partners with the tools and resources they need to sustain their vital work. To that end, in addition to trainings and workshops for all grantee partners, we work with each partner to identify areas where they want to grow and tailor our support to their needs. These areas could include: board recruitment, financial sustainability, staffing and hiring considerations, executive leadership coaching, budget planning, program design, insurance and liability considerations, safety, guidance on applications for additional grants, and more.

Network Building

Through Liberated Paths, we seek to bring together organizations and leaders working at the intersection of environment and racial justice. We do this through virtual get-togethers and information sessions. We facilitate network building within each cohort of grantees to facilitate shared learning and systems-level changes.

We also bring together funders and partners through a webinar series to connect, share information about the Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program and to also hold critical conversations regarding topics such as the explicit role of race in Liberated Paths, the racial funding gap, and racial bias and its impact in philanthropy.

Nominate a Nonprofit

The People Helping People Awards are a celebration of exceptional work within the communities we serve and provide us the opportunity to honor members and nonprofits that drive positive change through service to others.

Each year, BECU members can nominate local nonprofits for a People Helping People Award of up to $50,000 in grant funds.

So look around you for heroes who deserve recognition, and nominate a nonprofit for a BECU People Helping People Award today.

Giving Areas and Subcategories

Nonprofit work must be focused in any one of the following seven giving areas:

• Advancing education (Pre-K through college): Access to education, mentoring, educational materials and programming, classroom, school and PTSA funding for educational programs/materials/experiences.
• Arts and culture: Equitable access to art experiences, underrepresented art and cultural organizations, cultural programs.
• Creating economic opportunity: Living-wage jobs, small and startup businesses, job quality for low-wage workers.
• Preserving health and promoting wellness: Access to healthcare, illness prevention/cure, mental health, patient support, disabilities, veteran advocacy.
• Preserving or restoring the environment: Conservation, stewardship, sustainability.
• Providing for basic human needs: Affordable housing, homelessness, senior advocacy, infant and child advocacy, food/diaper/clothing banks.
• Strengthening local communities: Neighborhoods, public safety, search and rescue, outdoor spaces, rotary/chamber.

Our Mission

The Joseph E. and Marjorie B. Jones Foundation is a private, philanthropic institution dedicated to improving the quality of life for all people, particularly those residing in the greater Washington, D.C. region (DC/MD/VA), by funding human services and health care initiatives and furthering the cause of education.

Our Beliefs

• We believe that civic duty is not a choice; it is an important responsibility of living in a vibrant and progressive community.
• We believe that all individuals have inherent worth and dignity.
• We believe that given the right opportunities and resources, all people can improve their lives regardless of race, sex, religion or current social-economic condition.
• We believe that seemingly complex and insurmountable civic problems can be solved using cooperation, respect, hope and the combinations of physical, spiritual and financial resources.
• We believe that we must work as partners with other businesses and individuals in supporting the charitable institutions through which The Jones Foundation assists residents of Washington, DC and its surrounding communities.

Our Goals

• We strive to build partnerships that help us fulfill our mission of making a difference in the greater Metropolitan Washington, DC region (DC/MD/VA).
• We preserve our credibility by remaining independent and objective.
• We vow that although our financial resources are limited, we will aid organizations that inspire, uplift and motivate.
• With our financial help, our grant awardees will foster progression of the individual and therefore, the community.
• We seek to support organizations that create strong and sustainable bonds of trust between those living in the communities we support, and the infra-structure of that community.

The mission of The Stimson-Miller Foundation is to carry on the civic, cultural, educational, and health and human services charitable interests and concerns of the shareholders of Stimson Lumber Company in the greater Portland area and communities throughout the United States where Stimson Lumber Company conducts its business. 

The Glaser Foundation's Board of Directors is currently focusing on direct-line services, mainly to children and the elderly.

Grant Focus Areas

Medical

The roots of the Foundation’s Medical funding began when Paul Glaser sponsored a bed at Swedish Medical Center for low income patients. As medical funding models changed through the advent of Medicare and Medicaid, the Foundation’s support adapted to support immediate needs, hospital programs, and cutting-edge research. Through the Medical category, the Foundation funds innovative research and direct clinical services to low income residents of King County.

Services to Children with Disabilities

The Foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations that provide Services to Children with Disabilities with a particular focus on early intervention programs that address the needs of children from birth to five years old. Requests that address the needs of children from birth to twenty-one years will be also be considered.

Education

Education requests should share the goal of keeping kids excited about school and addressing the underlying conditions that contribute to the drop-out rate. Programs may include after school programs from the elementary level through community college and vocational programs are viewed favorably.

Services to the Elderly

The focus of the Services to the Elderly requests should be to enrich the lives of the elderly, particularly economically disadvantaged seniors. Grant requests that seek to address the physical needs, isolation, lack of mobility, and lack of intellectual stimulation will be considered. The Foundation prefers to fund direct line services, not large capital campaigns, and is supportive of new innovative programs and organizations.

Services to Children and Families from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

The focus of this category is to address challenges stemming from or contributing to poverty and economic insecurity. Grants will support programs that target food, shelter and clothing needs as well as domestic violence, addiction and homelessness.

Services to At-Risk Youth

Grants in this category seek to address systematic issues that keep youth vulnerable to interrupted education, homelessness, sex trafficking as well as addressing the needs of youth in foster care.

Our Mission

Supporting charitable work that makes Oregon a better place.

We primarily award grants to small non-profit organizations focusing on social services, arts and culture, education, environmental initiatives, and youth-centered missions.

Pacific Power Foundation

The Pacific Power Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pacific Power. Its mission, through charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of local communities.

Together with our foundation and employees, we've given $13 million to local communities since 2019 to lend a helping hand and spur economic development.

Grant Focus

The foundation manages its grants in four cycles. This helps the foundation carefully review similar requests to ensure maximum benefit.

Community Enhancement

Affordable housing, community resilience, community and recreation centers, economic development, libraries, monuments, memorials and science centers.

Environmental Respect

Animal and wildlife biodiversity; carbon and methane emissions; conservation of natural resources; environmental management systems; parks, trails and gardens; resource stewardship; waste management reduction, and water usage management.

About the Foundation

Ruth A. Wheeler and Henry O. Wheeler established their charitable trust in 1982. The Wheeler’s parents moved to Tacoma, Washington, in the mid-1880s and were Tacoma pioneers. The Wheelers were born in Tacoma in the early 1890s and died in Tacoma in the early 1990s. They were privileged to experience essentially the entire American twentieth century in Tacoma, with time spent most years in California. There, they lived and worked through two World Wars, the financial surge of the ‘20s, the Great Depression of the ‘30s, the economic boom of the ‘50s and ‘60s, and the social turmoil of the ‘70s. They endured challenges and found opportunities. Their experience was that adversity produces patience and patience produces hope. The Trust aspires to further the high ideals exemplified by the productive and generous lives lived by Ruth A. Wheeler and Henry O. Wheeler.

Funding Priorities

The Ruth Anderson Wheeler and Henry O. Wheeler Charitable Trust supports a variety of charitable causes with a major focus on education and organizations primarily located in California and the state of Washington.

Program areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities;
• Education;
• Health;
• Human services;
• Public/society benefit;
• Religion. 

What We Fund

To maximize the impact of our financial support, the Foster Foundation cultivates long-term partnerships with organizations whose work aligns with our priority funding issues. By identifying well run nonprofit programs with the vision and capacity to get things done, we continue to make sound investments in the people, communities and future of the Pacific Northwest.

Priority Areas

Building strong communities benefits all of us. Improving community life encompasses not only meeting critical needs such as food, housing, healthcare, education and employment, but also enriching community spirt and well-being through the support of artistic expression, cultural programs and sports/recreational opportunities.

We seek to identify and fund under-resourced opportunities to make a difference in these four areas:

Social Services/ Human Welfare

We fund emergency and critical human services that support people and families in need. This includes food, emergency/transitional housing, job/life's skills training, counseling and other resources and opportunities that build economic self-reliance.

Education

We support innovative programs that improve literacy, learning and academic success for all ages. Training, tutoring, mentoring and enrichment programs are examples of our outreach in this area.

Medical Research, Treatment & Care

We provide funding for promising medical research to aid in the understanding, treatment and prevention of diseases. The Foundation also supports hospice care as well as HIV/AIDs research and education.

Community Engagement

We nurture the spirt and well-being of Northwest communities by supporting cultural, artistic and recreational activities that engage all ages and populations. Foundation grants help sustain arts organizations and programs that express and grow the creative imagination. We also support community sports/recreational programs, centers and activities that promote health, well-being and teamwork.

Geographic Reach

With both family and business roots in the Pacific Northwest, The Foster Foundation takes a regional approach to giving. We target our funding to assist nonprofits engaged in our priority funding concerns within Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.

In addressing the founders' original intent, the Foundation will expand our philanthropy into smaller, more diverse communities within this five state area over the coming years. We will continue to support existing grantees. But, we desire to learn about and fund other pioneering initiatives and nonprofit programs that address the underserved and disadvantaged segments of this population―especially children, women and seniors.

Jean E. Thomson Foundation Grant

The Jean E. Thomson Foundation considers grant requests from Non-Profit Organizations located in Tacoma and Seattle, Washington; as well as Minneapolis, Minnesota. These Organizations must fall under one of the following catagories:

• Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, or Education.

Our cut-off date for receiving grant applications is October 1st of each year, and our grants are usually awarded towards the end of each year.

A Brief History

The Jean E. Thomson Foundation is a 501(c)3 Organization that is named in memory of the Founder & primary contributor; Jean Eleanor Thomson of Tacoma, Washington, and makes donations in memory of her and Carol D. Zajac, a dear friend of Jean's. The Foundation was organized in 1999 under the name Thomson-Zajac Foundation in memory of Carol D. Zajac, who passed in 1998. The Foundation name was later changed to the Jean E. Thomson Foundation, which continues to donate in memory of both Jean and Carol.

Mission Statement

The JET Foundation operates as an Endowment-funded Non-Profit that supports the following categories of 501(c)3 Organizations: 

Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Education. 

The Foundation's guidelines are for these Organizations to be located in Tacoma/Seattle, as well as considerations to Minneapolis, Minnesota, as Jean was born and raised there, and that the contributions are made to be a positive influence in the local community's health, well-being, and advancement of humanity. Consideration is also given to programs and research that benefits advancements in human diseases treatments and cures.

The Inukai Family Foundation was established in honor of Richard Michael “Dick” Inukai.

Born May 25, 1943 to Tom and Mecha Inukai in a Japanese internment camp in Tule Lake, California, Dick’s parents moved to Hood River while he was an infant, and later relocated the family to Portland where his father owned a gasoline service station. A graduate of Madison High School, Dick joined the Marine Corps where he served four years as a reserve. Eventually, Dick’s love of cars drove him into the automobile industry in 1962 when he took his first job with a local auto dealership as a salesperson. Dick quickly established himself as a top salesman and worked his way up the ladder. Inukai found his way into ownership with his first auto franchise at the young age of 30.

Coming to Hillsboro in the early 1970’s, Inukai later acquired what is now known as Dick’s Country Chrysler Jeep Dodge and in 1994 became a full partner in Dick’s Mackenzie Ford. Hard work, honesty and integrity were the foundation of Dick’s business dealings which quickly endeared him to the local business community. Dick’s philosophy on running his business was simply never asking anyone to do something he would not do himself. Inukai devoted much of his work in the community to dozens of organizations with causes that impact children, such as providing books and readers to elementary schools through Operation Outreach; providing food, gifts and adopt-a-family coordination during the holidays for the Domestic Violence Resource Center; and with Hillsboro Parks and Recreation.

Inukai Family Foundation

Inukai Family Foundation goals are to create positive youth development, educational grants and scholarship support to teachers and students, scholarship support to the sons and daughters of employees of Dick’s Auto Group, support healthcare needs, and Japanese education and awareness.

Education

Inukai Family Foundation creates Positive Youth Development in our community by supporting opportunities for youth to enhance their interests, skills, and abilities. We offer grants to a wide variety of programs that work toward this goal.

Senior Care

Inukai Family Foundation is dedicated to improving care for seniors, and those with chronic or debilitating illness. After his mother, Mecha, passed away in 2002, Dick Inukai saw firsthand the value of quality care, and was compelled to put his time and resources into assisting the elderly.

Japanese Culture

Born in a Japanese internment camp in Tule Lake, California, Dick Inukai spent a lifetime promoting Japanese culture and educating his community about his proud heritage. Inukai’s roots drew him to the Japan-American Society of Oregon (JASO), serving as a member for over 20 years.