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Washington · Community foundation

Whatcom Community Foundation

To cultivate neighborliness. Lift community voices. Invest in equity and hope.

$7.4M
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
106
Itemized grants FY2025
116
Organizations funded FY2024
22%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Itemized, FY2025
$5.9M
The rest is grants the schedule does not break out
Median grant, FY2025
$15,040
Largest grant, FY2025
$1,010,000
Organizations funded a year
66 to 122
FY2018 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
8
Total assets, FY2025
$90M

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 22% of the organizations Whatcom Community Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 10% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 90% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $476k went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EducationHealthHuman ServicesArts & CultureEnvironmentInternationalOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving105$5.8M27%
FY2024116$4.8M22%
FY202395$7.1M31%
FY2022122$6.8M41%
FY202182$5.1M24%
FY202096$5.2M29%
FY201966$3.6M29%
FY201882$3.5M48%
100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Food & Nutrition$9.4MEducation$7.0MEnvironment$6.2MHuman Services$3.7MPublic Safety & Disaster$3.6MCommunity Improvement$3.1MHealth$3.0MArts & Culture$2.8MOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

NH
WA
MN
IL
MI
NY
MA
OR
IN
OH
CA
CO
VA
MD
KS
AR
DC
HI
GA
TX
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Sustainable Connections$5,991,383944%
Alternatives to Hunger Bellingham Food Bank$2,783,96488%
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association$1,981,760941%
Re Sources$1,798,418921%
Whatcom Council on Aging$1,701,56198%
Mercy Housing Northwest$1,557,59559%
Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group$1,411,589348%
Bellingham School District 501$1,317,0734n/a
Opportunity Council$1,081,63191%
Meridian School District #505$1,010,0001n/a
Show all 295 grantees
All grantees of Whatcom Community Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Sustainable Connections$5,991,383944%
Alternatives to Hunger Bellingham Food Bank$2,783,96488%
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association$1,981,760941%
Re Sources$1,798,418921%
Whatcom Council on Aging$1,701,56198%
Mercy Housing Northwest$1,557,59559%
Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group$1,411,589348%
Bellingham School District 501$1,317,0734n/a
Opportunity Council$1,081,63191%
Meridian School District #505$1,010,0001n/a
National Council for Community Development Inc$988,35013%
Northwest Agriculture Business Center$980,000520%
City of Lynden$980,0003n/a
First Reformed Church$850,0001n/a
Mount Baker Theatre$813,82796%
Cloud Mountain Farm Center$811,163248%
Bellingham Public Library$695,7379n/a
Bellingham Technical College$610,5002n/a
Bellingham Bay Community Boating Center$552,252630%
Whatcom Land Trust$548,011918%
Foundation for Western Washington University and Alumni$465,46691%
Mt Baker Planned Parenthood$447,85973%
Northwest Youth Services$432,58895%
Earth Island Institute Inc$408,64041%
The Bellingham Public School Foundation$396,46187%
Common Threads Farm$378,770724%
Lhaq'Temish Foundation$331,48786%
North Cascades Institute$317,05783%
Chuckanut Health Foundation$301,48763%
Whatcom Museum Foundation$282,07193%
Pacific Shellfish Institute$279,84356%
Institute for Washingtons Future$269,948736%
Mount Baker School District #507$264,6009n/a
Allied Arts of Whatcom County$258,515919%
Whatcom Family & Community Network$256,32188%
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington$247,50050%
Maui Youth and Family Services Inc$246,269210%
Lydia Place$243,33082%
Wild Whatcom$239,278711%
Jansen Art Center$232,277260%
Pioneer Meadows Montessori School$228,74569%
Unity Care Northwest$227,94880%
Whatcom Family Young Men's Christian Association$220,44581%
Whatcom Community College Foundation$218,71993%
EarthAction Alerts Network$204,492461%
Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center$190,81085%
Whatcom Center for Early Learning$187,67163%
Vamos Outdoors Project$175,79658%
Brigid Collins House$160,71662%
Nooksack Valley Assembly of God$160,0001n/a
Haven Church$160,0001n/a
Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship$155,1522n/a
Bellingham Symphony Orchestra$154,12594%
Futuresnw$152,500659%
Panthera Corporation$150,00011%
Lighthouse Mission Ministries$148,7559n/a
Max Higbee Community Recreation Center$145,60066%
Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho$145,30910%
Ferndale Community Services$142,998516%
Pickford Film Center$135,04373%
Ichthus International Ministries$130,66356%
Bellingham Festival of Music$126,45695%
South Fork Valley Community Association$122,9808n/a
Forward$111,0001n/a
The Whatcom Literacy Council$110,282910%
Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County$107,50053%
Ferndale School District$106,8413n/a
Colectiva Legal del Pueblo$105,00013%
Blaine Food Bank Association$101,57932%
Children of the Setting Sun Product$101,50062%
Institute for Food and Development Policy Inc$100,31239%
Whatcom Conservation District$99,4613n/a
Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County$96,85081%
The Arc of Whatcom County$96,377413%
Interfaith Coalition of Whatcom County$93,64482%
Skookum Kids$82,85071%
Downtown Bellingham Association Dba Downtown Bellingham Partnership$80,50054%
Heifer Project International$79,56120%
Young Women's Christian Association of Bellingham$78,90045%
Sculpture Northwest$75,7314n/a
Earth Sanctuary Inc$75,00013%
Peacehealth St Joseph Medical Center Foundation$75,00060%
The Whatcom Hospice Foundation$73,15081%
Philanthropy Northwest$70,00021%
Whatcom County Search and Rescue Council$69,9602n/a
Compass Health$66,97740%
Kulshan Community Media$65,2502n/a
Yoga Behind Bars$65,00045%
Makeshift$63,500316%
Kulshan Community Land Trust$62,04972%
Foothills Food Bank$61,55732%
Ferndale Food Bank$61,45342%
Salish Current$60,500214%
Puget Sound Guitar Workshop$55,641612%
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project$55,00030%
Blue Skies for Children$53,34245%
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc$51,56050%
Whatcom County Health Department$50,6711n/a
The Salvation Army$50,4483n/a
Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County$50,00011%
Northwest Washington Fair Foundation$50,00013%
Christian Hope Association$49,87722%
Roots of Empathy USA$49,4681n/a
Law Advocates$48,64354%
PNW Plateful$48,000260%
Natural Resources Defense Council Inc$47,40450%
Immigrant Resources and Immediate Support$46,000212%
Alzheimer Society of Washington$45,900322%
Washington Association of Land Trusts$45,000212%
Ferndale Public Schools Foundation$43,732113%
Whatcom County Library Foundation$43,591413%
Ferndale Band Boosters$43,3077n/a
NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc$43,20040%
United Way of Whatcom County$42,45031%
Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc$42,13030%
Spark Museum of Electrical Invention$41,71345%
Cordata Presbyterian Church$41,6611n/a
Nooksack Indian Tribe$41,0002n/a
Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington$40,00030%
Legacy Forest Defense Coalition$40,00027%
University of California Berkeley Foundation$40,00020%
Bellingham Intl Film Festival$39,125322%
Archdiocese of Seattle$39,0145n/a
Nooksack Valley Food Bank Association$38,95724%
Paper Whale Arts Spc$38,50026%
Nooksack School District$38,1602n/a
Whatcom County Health Department$37,6523n/a
NAMI of Whatcom County$37,047313%
The Center for Victims of Torture$37,00030%
Baay$36,63236%
Road2home$36,60036%
Friends of Birch Bay Library$35,0002n/a
Whatcom County Executive$32,0001n/a
Sylvia Center for the Arts$31,600214%
Our Treehouse$31,58539%
Bellingham Makerspace$30,076315%
Feast Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment Eating Disorders$30,00034%
Whatcom Clubhouse$30,00015%
Growing Veterans$27,73026%
Kulshan Carbon Trust$27,7001n/a
Partners in Health a Nonprofit Corporation$27,00030%
Bellingham Central Lions Club Foundation$26,804117%
Diocese of Olympia Inc$25,7004n/a
Animals as Natural Therapy$25,42823%
Surge Northwest$25,183123%
Whiteswan Environmental We$25,000112%
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Associatio Evergreen Chapter$25,00012%
Medical Debt Resolution Inc$25,00010%
Institute for Black Justice$25,00017%
Next Chapter Foundation$25,00015%
Bellingham SeaFeast$25,00036%
Wild Whatcom$24,7452n/a
Whatcom Humane Society$24,45620%
New Hope Community Development Institute$24,000125%
Snow Leopard Conservancy$23,83014%
Hearing Speech and Deafness Center Dba Hearing Speech and Deaf Center$23,01520%
Sahak Khemararam Buddhist Association$23,0001n/a
Sudanese American Unity Association$23,000115%
Bellingham Childcare and Learning Center$22,50022%
Lummi Island Heritage Trust$22,50031%
Princeton Education Foundation Inc$22,2851n/a
University of Washington Foundation$22,11320%
Salish Center for Sustainable Fishing Methods$21,04039%
Pacific Arts Association$20,454137%
Rebound of Whatcom County$20,00025%
Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Foundation$20,00011%
City of Blaine$20,0001n/a
Wa-Gro Foundation$20,000122%
Cascade Medical Advantage$20,00021%
Pedal Project$20,000117%
Christ the King Community Church$20,0002n/a
ReUse Works Ragfinery$20,00016%
Se Si Le$20,000114%
Emory University$20,00010%
Whatcom Alliance for Healthcare Access C/O Chuckanut Health Fdn$20,00021%
Ferndale Chamber of Commerce$19,900142%
Unkitawa$19,00011%
Whatcom Chamber Foundation$19,0002n/a
Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation$19,00023%
Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition$19,00024%
Whatcom Environmental Council$18,1151n/a
Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc$17,15020%
Brotherhood Rise Center$17,00012%
Whatcom Parks and Recreation Foundation$16,764242%
Shriners Hospitals for Children$15,00010%
City of Ferndale - Ferndale Arts Commission$15,0001n/a
Sfusd$15,0001n/a
Healing Through Hope$15,0001n/a
Washington State Rural Development Council$15,00013%
Whatcom Art Guild$15,00018%
Institute for Nonprofit News$15,00010%
Friends of the Republic Library$15,000121%
Multicultural Service Center of South Sound$15,0001n/a
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc$14,52020%
Self-Support for Early Learning & Families$14,00010%
Kuow Puget Sound Public Radio$14,00020%
Walla Walla Community College Foundation$14,00010%
Machinists Institute$14,00010%
Granite Falls School District$13,5001n/a
City of Airway Heights$13,5001n/a
Kittitas County Health Network$13,50011%
Clallam County Ecomomic Dev Cncl$13,50012%
African Community Housing & Development$13,50010%
Rise Up Academy$13,50011%
Eglise Evangelique Maranatha Jasmin Ministries Inc$13,5001n/a
Hugging Tree Legacy$13,500126%
Homesnow$12,75027%
Hope Care Clinic$12,550112%
Killer Whale Tales$12,1002n/a
Graces Mahali$12,0001n/a
Maui Humane Society$12,00010%
Whatcom Peace & Justice Center$10,5942n/a
North Sound Accountable Community of Health$10,50010%
Earthjustice$10,25010%
Afp Foundation for Philanthropy$10,0001n/a
Vashon Maury Community Food Bank$10,00010%
Village Project Africa Inc$10,00012%
Whatcom Million Trees Project$10,0001n/a
Save Oswit Canyon Inc$10,0001n/a
Whatcom Poetry Series$10,0001n/a
Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods C/O Melanie Stevenson$10,00010%
The San Juan Preservation Trust$10,00010%
Providence Hospice & Home Care Foundation Snohomish County$10,00011%
United Ways of the Pacific Northwest$10,00010%
Kohe Malamalama O Kanaloa Protect Kaho'Olawe Fund$10,000111%
Blaine Elementary School$10,0001n/a
Reader to Reader Inc$10,00014%
Ethnic Support Council$10,0001n/a
Growing Alliances for Sustainable Agriculture$10,0001n/a
Brigadoon Service Dogs$10,00012%
Lifeline Connections$10,00010%
Pioneer Human Services Inc$10,00010%
Creative Visions Foundation$10,00010%
Local Media Foundation$10,00010%
Sea Mar Community Health Centers$10,00010%
Congregation Beth Israel$10,0001n/a
Kitsap Black Student Union$10,00019%
Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest$10,00010%
Vietnamese American Nongovernmental Organization Network$10,00012%
Intergenerational High School$10,00011%
Fosterful$9,30012%
Running for Combat Veterans$9,0001n/a
Twin Sisters Market$9,00015%
Northwest Therapeutic Riding Center$9,0001n/a
The Whatcom Dream$8,87318%
National Independent Venue Foundation$8,34811%
Northwest Avalanche Center$8,12411%
Cascade Connections$8,0001n/a
Fatherhood the Foundation$8,0001n/a
First Congregational Church$8,0001n/a
Ferndale Golden Eagles Booster Club$8,000110%
Assistance League of Bellingham$8,00011%
American Indian College Fund$8,00010%
Northwest Education Access$7,50010%
Cornwall Church of God$7,5001n/a
Girl Strong Foundation$7,5001n/a
Transgender Health and Wellness Center of Washington Np PC$7,5001n/a
Washington State University Foundation$7,5001n/a
Recreation Northwest$7,50014%
Shared Beginnings$7,50011%
Secret Harbor$7,30010%
Has Everything & Co$7,0001n/a
Everson Police Foundation$7,0001n/a
Cazenovia College$7,00010%
Rooted Resiliency$7,0001n/a
Whatcom Reads$6,9951n/a
Alatheia Riding Center$6,6001n/a
The United States Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation Inc$6,50010%
Cascade Public Media$6,50010%
Pro Publica Inc$6,50010%
Loving Space Programs Non Profit$6,3541n/a
Florida School of Holistic Living$6,00011%
Sean Humphrey House$6,0001n/a
Technology Alliance Group for Northwest Washington$6,00013%
Our Saviour's Lutheran Church for Happy Valley Neighborhood Association$6,0001n/a
Unbridled Spirit 7$6,00012%
Sun Community Service$6,00011%
Rotary Club of Bellingham Foundation$5,50014%
Empowering Youth and Families Outreach$5,50010%
Racial Unity Now$5,50015%
Start Early$5,50010%
Jefferson Healthcare Foundation$5,50018%
The Washington STEM Center$5,50010%
Chocorua Lake Conservancy$5,3001n/a
Archdiocesan Housing Authority$5,26510%
Skagit Land Trust$5,25010%
Whatcom County Pregnancy Clinic$5,1701n/a
Center for Local Self-Reliance$5,0251n/a
The Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Seattle (6871)$5,00010%
Center for Constitutional Rights$5,00010%
Mt Baker Youth Symphony$5,000111%
Shelterbox USA Inc$5,00010%
Washington State Dept of Natural Resources$5,0001n/a
The Franklin Academy$5,00010%
Globalgiving Foundation Inc$5,00010%

Plus 4 recipients with no EIN on record ($435k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Whatcom Community Foundation supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 14 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 200 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetSustainable Connections: $5,991,383 over 9y, 44% of budgetAlternatives to Hunger Bellingham Food Bank: $2,783,964 over 8y, 8.3% of budgetNooksack Salmon Enhancement Association: $1,981,760 over 9y, 41% of budgetRe Sources: $1,798,418 over 9y, 21% of budgetWhatcom Council on Aging: $1,701,561 over 9y, 7.5% of budgetMercy Housing Northwest: $1,557,595 over 5y, 9.3% of budgetWhatcom Long Term Recovery Group: $1,411,589 over 3y, 48% of budgetOpportunity Council: $1,081,631 over 9y, 0.6% of budgetNational Council for Community Development Inc: $988,350 over 1y, 2.6% of budgetNorthwest Agriculture Business Center: $980,000 over 5y, 20% of budgetMount Baker Theatre: $813,827 over 9y, 5.9% of budgetCloud Mountain Farm Center: $811,163 over 2y, 48% of budgetBellingham Bay Community Boating Center: $552,252 over 6y, 30% of budgetWhatcom Land Trust: $548,011 over 9y, 18% of budgetFoundation for Western Washington University and Alumni: $465,466 over 9y, 1.0% of budgetMt Baker Planned Parenthood: $447,859 over 7y, 2.8% of budgetNorthwest Youth Services: $432,588 over 9y, 4.7% of budgetEarth Island Institute Inc: $408,640 over 4y, 1.4% of budgetThe Bellingham Public School Foundation: $396,461 over 8y, 7.0% of budgetCommon Threads Farm: $378,770 over 7y, 24% of budgetLhaq'Temish Foundation: $331,487 over 8y, 6.5% of budgetNorth Cascades Institute: $317,057 over 8y, 2.6% of budgetChuckanut Health Foundation: $301,487 over 6y, 3.5% of budgetWhatcom Museum Foundation: $282,071 over 9y, 3.0% of budgetPacific Shellfish Institute: $279,843 over 5y, 6.1% of budgetInstitute for Washingtons Future: $269,948 over 7y, 36% of budgetAllied Arts of Whatcom County: $258,515 over 9y, 19% of budgetWhatcom Family & Community Network: $256,321 over 8y, 8.0% of budgetCatholic Community Services of Western Washington: $247,500 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetMaui Youth and Family Services Inc: $246,269 over 2y, 10% of budgetLydia Place: $243,330 over 8y, 1.6% of budgetWild Whatcom: $239,278 over 7y, 11% of budgetJansen Art Center: $232,277 over 2y, 60% of budgetPioneer Meadows Montessori School: $228,745 over 6y, 9.3% of budgetUnity Care Northwest: $227,948 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetWhatcom Family Young Men's Christian Association: $220,445 over 8y, 0.8% of budgetWhatcom Community College Foundation: $218,719 over 9y, 2.6% of budgetEarthAction Alerts Network: $204,492 over 4y, 61% of budgetWhatcom Dispute Resolution Center: $190,810 over 8y, 5.5% of budgetWhatcom Center for Early Learning: $187,671 over 6y, 2.5% of budgetVamos Outdoors Project: $175,796 over 5y, 7.8% of budgetBrigid Collins House: $160,716 over 6y, 1.9% of budgetBellingham Symphony Orchestra: $154,125 over 9y, 4.4% of budgetFuturesnw: $152,500 over 6y, 59% of budgetPanthera Corporation: $150,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetMax Higbee Community Recreation Center: $145,600 over 6y, 5.7% of budgetPlanned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho: $145,309 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetFerndale Community Services: $142,998 over 5y, 16% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 200.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Chuckanut Health FoundationWA97.4× affinity45 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Chuckanut Health Foundation · North Sound Accountable Community of Health · Puget Sound Energy Foundation · The Norcliffe Foundation · Mount Baker Foundation · First Fed Foundation · PeaceHealth · United Way of Whatcom County · Mary H Storer Foundation · Riverstyx Foundation · Eleanor and Henry Jansen Foundation · Jerry H Walton Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Compare Whatcom Community Foundation with peer funders

About Whatcom Community Foundation

How much does Whatcom Community Foundation give?
Whatcom Community Foundation reported 106 itemized grants totaling $5,917,846, out of $7,409,494 in total grant expense reported on the return in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 66 and 122 organizations a year over FY2018 to FY2024.
What does Whatcom Community Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2025, its largest causes are Food & Nutrition (20%), Education (15%), Environment (13%).
Who are Whatcom Community Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2025: Sustainable Connections ($6.0M), Alternatives to Hunger Bellingham Food Bank ($2.8M), Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association ($2.0M).
Does Whatcom Community Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 22% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Which funders back the same organizations as Whatcom Community Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Chuckanut Health Foundation, North Sound Accountable Community of Health, Puget Sound Energy Foundation.
Where is Whatcom Community Foundation based?
Whatcom Community Foundation is based in WA.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 303 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Whatcom’s filings →

More from the funding graph