Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Philanthropy Northwest

EIN 91-1110995 · Seattle, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair56 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PHILANTHROPY NORTHWEST GROWS PHILANTHROPY'S CAPACITY TO DO TRANSFORMATIVE WORK TOWARDS REDISTRIBUTING RESOURCES AND THE POWER TO UNDERINVESTED COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTHWEST AND BEYOND.

Income
$5.8 million
Spending
$7.1 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
2.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 50%
Employees
35
Volunteers
34
Highest pay
$318,130, ceo

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

Fair: 56 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 22% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 37% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 18 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. $1.6 million spent. THE GIVING PRACTICE (TGP) DELIVERS TAILORED CONSULTING SERVICES TO PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE NORTHWEST AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. OUR TEAM SUPPORTS FOUNDATIONS AND COLLABORATIVES IN STRENGTHENING THEIR STRATEGIES, OPERATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY ALIGN FUNDING WITH COMMUNITY PRIORITIES. TGP'S WORK SPANS COACHING AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION, STRATEGIC PLANNING, MISSION-ALIGNED INVESTING, EVALUATION, AND FACILITATION.
  2. $1.1 million spent. EPA THRIVING COMMUNITIES: PHILANTHROPY NORTHWEST IS ADMINISTERING OVER $40 MILLION IN EPA GRANTS OVER THREE YEARS TO SUPPORT LOCALLY DRIVEN INITIATIVES IN ALASKA, IDAHO, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON. THESE FUNDS WILL SUPPORT EFFORTS THAT TACKLE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. THRIVING COMMUNITIES GRANTS WILL SUPPORT PROJECTS DEVELOPED AND LED BY LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING EFFORTS SUCH AS ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUPS, EMERGENCY PLANNING AND RESPONSE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY SECTORS, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, AIR AND WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS, LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS, HEALTHY HOUSING, AND MORE.
  3. $884,441 spent. THE BUILDING COMMUNITY PHILANTHROPY (BCP) SPECIAL INITIATIVE HAS HELPED STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS, UNITED WAYS AND IDENTITY-BASED FOUNDATIONS TO DRIVE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE.
  4. $1.5 million spent. PNW BUILT MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WITH MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AND PROSPECTIVE MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH CALLS, MEETINGS, AND NETWORK CALLS. IN 2024, THIS INCLUDED DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH 147 MEMBERS, INCLUDING 123 RENEWED MEMBERS, 15 NEW MEMBERS, AND 9 FORMER MEMBERS. IN 2024, MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAMS LED THE ORGANIZATION OF PNW24, PNW'S BI-ANNUAL CONFERENCE. PNW24 IS THE LARGEST GATHERING OF PHILANTHROPY PRACTITIONERS, WITH OVER 350 ATTENDEES WHO PARTICIPATED IN 29 BREAKOUT SESSIONS AND 7 BREAKOUT SESSIONS. IN ADDITION, AT PNW24, THE PROGRAM TEAM WORKED WITH OVER 850 PARTICIPANTS THROUGH 2 COHORTS, 7 PEER NETWORKS, BI-MONTHLY NETWORK CALLS (EXPERT-SUPPORTED CONVERSATIONS ON KEY ISSUES AND EMERGING TOPICS), AND UPLIFTED PERSONAL STORIES FROM OUR NETWORK. OUR POLICY WORK INCLUDED DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO SUPPORT MEMBERS AND THE PHILANTHROPIC SECTOR IN GENERAL TO DEVELOP UNDERSTANDING OF KEY POLICY ISSUES, INCLUDING HR 9495, THE UNIVERSAL CHARITABLE INCENTIVE, DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS, AND THE JOHNSON AMENDMENT, AMONG OTHERS. WE ALSO SUPPORTED A DELEGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL FOUNDATIONS ON THE HILL EVENT IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since February 1982.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.