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. We fund change and changemakers: The people and organizations driving equitable solutions to the greatest challenges facing our community. Our grantmaking is organized by annual themes and priorities. Click here to learn more about this year’s priorities.
Grantmaking Philosophy
At WaWF we strive to implement Trust-Based Philanthropy practices in a collective grantmaking setting. We aim to limit the burden of grant application processes on nonprofits and leverage the skills of our membership to review and research organizations. We give unrestricted grants because we believe that organizations know their communities best and deserve the flexibility that unrestricted funding provides.
We see philanthropy as one way to put justice into action. As part of that work, we accept our responsibility for the systemic underinvestment in various communities in WA State, in particular those affected by inequity due to race and/or gender identity, and we strive to ameliorate these harms.
We know nonprofit organizations and individuals embedded in their communities are the best changemakers for our future. We are honored to join them as partners in the work by investing resources and building relationships.
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.
To be considered, organizations must meet our grant criteria and minimum eligibility requirements. Click here for more information and application instructions.
Advocacy Grants
In response to feedback from nonprofits and WaWF members, and with the approval of our board, our Advocacy Grants have now been folded into our Collective Grants program. This decision came from our desire to underscore our commitment to supporting advocacy and to acknowledge the critical work advocacy does in manifesting systemic change.
Women & Girls Grants
At WA Women’s Foundation, one of our cherished values is to elevate and amplify the power of all who identify as women. Supported by the Women’s Funding Alliance Fund for Women, we offer the Women & Girls Grant to organizations and programs focused on women and girls within the year’s chosen priorities. Organizations may opt into consideration for our Women & Girls Grant while applying for the Collective Grant on the LOI form. Three grants of $15,000 will be made each year through the Women & Girls Grant.
To be considered, organizations must apply for the Collective Grants and meet our grant criteria and minimum eligibility requirements. Click here for more information and application instructions.
Rest & Repair Awards
The Rest & Repair Awards are currently on hiatus. These awards are made in recognition and support of Black women leaders working in Washington State’s nonprofit sector. WaWF is proud to have made ten $100,000 awards to ten extraordinary Black women in 2022 and 2023. As investments in Black women and Black leadership, there are no restrictions on the use of Rest & Repair Awards. The awards are intended to give recipients the resources to find some ease and wellness—to rest and repair.