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.

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

WaWF’s grantmaking centers on advancing equity for women and girls most
impacted by systemic inequities. Grounded in our learning on race and gender equity, we
recognize that sexism affects all women and girls, but not equally. Guided by targeted
universalism, we apply an intersectional lens to address these disparities through both
direct services and advocacy that dismantle inequitable systems. Our evolving
understanding of gender includes cis, trans, and non-binary individuals, ensuring our
grants foster inclusive, transformative change.


Our grantmaking also reflects decades of learning and a deep understanding of the
Washington nonprofit landscape. This understanding has led us to develop grants that are:

  • Multiyear & Unrestricted  
  • Transparent, Member-Driven, Staff-Facilitated
  • Accessible via a Year-Round Application Portal    
  • Led by a Grant Leadership Team made up of Members  
  • Grounded in a rigorous educational framework to ensure quality assessments  

We have four types of grants: 

  1. Advocacy Grant 
  2. Direct Services Grant
  3. Grassroots Grant
  4. Place-Based Grant

For more information on each type of grant click here.  

For more information on how we select grantees click here to view our grant criteria, eligibility, and rubric.