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Humanities Washington

EIN 51-0191115 · Seattle, WA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HUMANITIES WASHINGTON (HW) OPENS MINDS AND BRIDGES DIVIDES BY CREATING SPACES TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. WE ENVISION A STATE WHERE ALL PEOPLE SEEK A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF OTHERS, THEMSELVES, AND THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE, IN ORDER TO DISCERN AND PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD.

Income
$2.6 million
Spending
$2.6 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
4.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 89%
Employees
13
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$179,855, ceo/executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    22 of 22 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $878,742 spent. FAMILY READING: HW SUPPORTS THE STATEWIDE DELIVERY OF PRIME TIME FAMILY READING, PRIME TIME PRESCHOOL, AND PRIME TIME BOXES, PROMOTING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS, CREATING FAMILY BONDS, AND CONNECTING COMMUNITIES TO THEIR LIBRARIES. IN 2024, HW SPONSORED 67 SIX-WEEK FAMILY READING PROGRAMS AT LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS IN ALL CORNERS OF THE STATE, BENEFITING NEARLY 3,100 CHILDREN AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATED IMPROVED CONFIDENCE AROUND READING, WITH 91% INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY READ TOGETHER, 90% EXPERIENCING POSITIVE CHANGES IN ATTITUDES TOWARD READING, AND 98% MORE LIKELY TO USE LIBRARY SERVICES.
  2. $364,556 spent. SPEAKERS BUREAU: DRAWING FROM A VETTED POOL OF LEADING CULTURAL EXPERTS AND SCHOLARS, HW'S SPEAKERS BUREAU PROVIDES CONVERSATIONAL LECTURES THAT ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. TOPICS ARE AS DIVERSE AS THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE, WITH 39 SPEAKERS COVERING HISTORY, POLITICS, MUSIC, PHILOSOPHY, AND MORE. IN 2024, OVER 9,700 PEOPLE ATTENDED 335 PRESENTATIONS. PARTICIPANTS OVERWHELMINGLY INDICATED THAT EVENTS SPARKED MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS AND HELPED THEM CONSIDER NEW PERSPECTIVES.
  3. $360,665 spent. CULTURAL TRADITIONS: FOLKLIFE AND TRADITIONAL ARTS ARE EXPRESSIONS OF PEOPLES' HERITAGE AND ARE CRITICAL TO CULTURAL COMMUNITIES' HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. IN 2024, HW'S HERITAGE ARTS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM SERVED 16 MASTER/APPRENTICE GROUPS, PRESERVING IMPORTANT CULTURAL TRADITIONS AND PROVIDING MENTORSHIP AND JOB SKILLS TO EMERGING PRACTITIONERS. IN ADDITION, WORK BEGAN ON AN ARCHIVAL PROJECT THAT WILL MERGE THREE SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS OF MATERIALS DOCUMENTING DECADES OF WASHINGTON STATE'S FOLK AND TRADITIONAL ARTS, MAKING THEM ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
  4. $667,117 spent. 4D. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: LIVE EVENTS ENGAGE AND INSPIRE AUDIENCES WITH CONTEXT AND NEW PERSPECTIVES FROM SCHOLARS ON CURRENT EVENTS; WASHINGTON STATE POET LAUREATE BUILDS AWARENESS OF AND APPRECIATION FOR THE RICH LEGACY OF POETRY IN WASHINGTON STATE; AND A GRANTS PROGRAM PROVIDES FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR CITIZENS TO ENGAGE WITH IDEAS AND ISSUES THROUGH THE LENS OF THE HUMANITIES. MORE INFORMATION ON ALL PROGRAMS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.HUMANITIES.ORG.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1976.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

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