Strategy & Budget

Each year, our team engages in a planning process to reflect on what we have learned, reaffirm our mission and values, set goals for our strategy and approaches, and establish a grantmaking budget.

 

2026 Strategic Direction

Significant policy and budget changes will result in fewer families having their basic needs met through the safety net this year and into the near future. While programs for young children have largely been protected, their parents and caregivers may be dealing with cuts to other supportive services. The role of nonprofits in helping families navigate this challenge is as important as ever, particularly as they also face reductions in public funding while continuing to respond to urgent needs. We will maintain our longstanding partnerships with the dedicated community-based organizations that meet families and children where they are, to provide critical support. We are also prioritizing that approach as we welcome several new partners across our region and continue our responsive grantmaking and capacity-building program.

Program Areas

Past Years' Reports

In the first part of the year, we spent time learning more about the ten counties in our geographic focus area. This time in the field — meeting with nonprofits and public and private funding partners — gave us insights into the needs and opportunities in each community. These insights, along with new research that mapped local variation in child poverty, informed our grantmaking approach for the year. We refined our Safe Spaces strategy to place greater emphasis on supporting community-based spaces that promote engagement, connection, and safety. This shift means that we’ve expanded the portfolio to include outdoor spaces, trusted community hubs, and early care/learning centers. Finally, we explored policy and advocacy opportunities across the portfolio. Given the foundation’s focus on safety net services, changing policies and funding cuts out of Washington (both real and threatened) made for a particularly challenging year for our partners and the families they serve. These uncertain times only reinforce our commitment to our communities and the providers serving them.

2017 Grant Data

Grants Paid
266

Unique Grantees
228

Payment Range
$2,000-$500,000

Average Grant Payment
$88,777

Grant Payments
$23,614,650

Payments

Support Type
Program Areas
Grant Term
County