Our Themes & Priorities
We know the challenges we face as a community are as diverse and complex as our people, society, cultures, and histories. At WaWF our annual themes and priorities enable us to focus our work on specific areas each year, ensuring that our investments are timely, responsive to, and reflective of the people who call Washington State home.
Our Philosophy
At WaWF, we know that the challenges our society wrestles with are constantly changing, and deeply interconnected. We also believe that individuals and nonprofit organizations embedded in community have the deepest understanding of these challenges, and the best ideas for change.
As such, our grantmaking and learning priorities shift each year and are selected through a participatory process that begins with asking the wider community to guide us in determining our funding priorities every year.
Theme Definitions
Law, Justice, & Incarceration: Exploring how people interact with the legal system in WA State, including the push for more equitable laws, and the impact of incarceration on our community.
Housing & Hunger: Exploring how our community provides the basic necessities of a safe place to live and culturally appropriate food to eat, with an emphasis on addressing systems that create barriers for all to thrive.
Arts & Community Culture: Exploring the beautiful variety of the living expression and rooted history of culture, including how creativity and tradition enhance our community.
Healthcare: Exploring how people interact with the healthcare system in WA State, including more equitable access to culturally informed care.
Climate & Agricultural Justice: Exploring agricultural systems and their intersection with our environment, including creative approaches to mitigating the inequitable impacts of climate change.
Education: Exploring how our community is served by the education system, including efforts to provide equitable opportunities for Washington’s learners.