Mount Baker Foundation
Bellingham, WA · EIN 61-1862747. Reported 126 grants totalling $6,769,048 to 62 recipients across tax years 2020-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Mount Baker Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $20,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $60,000; the smallest was $500 and the largest $500,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Washington Foundation | Seattle, WA | $1,300,000 | 5 | 3 | 2024 |
| Lighthouse Mission Ministries | Bellingham, WA | $560,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Whatcom Family and Community Network | Bellingham, WA | $401,205 | 7 | 3 | 2024 |
| Chuckanut Health Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $371,200 | 16 | 4 | 2024 |
| Opportunity Council | Bellingham, WA | $360,000 | 6 | 4 | 2024 |
| Communities in Schools | Bellingham, WA | $300,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Western Washington University | Bellingham, WA | $300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Kuleana Technology Inc | Seattle, WA | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lydia Place | Bellingham, WA | $250,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Meridian School District | Bellingham, WA | $227,045 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Whatcom Center for Early Learning | Bellingham, WA | $192,946 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Whatcom Family YMCA | Bellingham, WA | $189,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County | Bellingham, WA | $140,000 | 2 | 1 | 2020 |
| Whatcom Community Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $131,611 | 4 | 2 | 2023 |
| The Whatcom Council on Aging | Bellingham, WA | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Washington State Family and Community Engagement Trust (wafe) | Edmonds, WA | $125,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Common Threads Farm | Bellingham, WA | $110,000 | 3 | 2 | 2024 |
| Racial Unity Now (run) | Lynden, WA | $110,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Bellingham Technical College Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Interfaith Coalition of Whatcom County | Bellingham, WA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kulshan Community Land Trust | Bellingham, WA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Northwest Indian College Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Western Washington University Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Whatcom Community College Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lhaq'temish Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $63,000 | 3 | 2 | 2021 |
| Bellingham Public Schools Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $60,000 | 6 | 4 | 2024 |
| Immigrant Resources and Immediate Support (iris) | Bellingham, WA | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Unity Care Nw | Bellingham, WA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Evergreen Goodwill | Seattle, WA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Northwest Youth Services | Bellingham, WA | $40,000 | 3 | 2 | 2024 |
| Wild Whatcom | Bellingham, WA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Nooksack Valley School District | Everson, WA | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Whatcom Human Rights Task Force | Bellingham, WA | $27,000 | 3 | 2 | 2024 |
| Vamos Outdoors Project | Bellingham, WA | $23,981 | 3 | 2 | 2024 |
| Ferndale School District | Ferndale, WA | $20,500 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Blaine School District | Blaine, WA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lummi Nation Education Department | Bellingham, WA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lynden School District | Lynden, WA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mt Baker School District | Deming, WA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Nooksack Indian Tribe | Deming, WA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Washington State Family & Community Engagement Trust | Lynnwood, WA | $19,200 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| A Watered Garden Family Learning Center | Joplin, MO | $12,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Bellingham Seafeast | Bellingham, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Children of the Setting Sun Productions | Bellingham, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Fatherhood the Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Max Higbee Center | Bellingham, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| NAMI Whatcom | Bellingham, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sent Ones Ministry | Ferndale, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Restorative Community Coalition | Bellingham, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Whatcom Intergenerational High School | Bellingham, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ferndale Public Schools Foundation | Ferndale, WA | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County | Bellingham, WA | $8,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Airow Project | Bellingham, WA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Law Advocates | Bellingham, WA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Recreation Northwest | Bellingham, WA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Health Ministries Network | Bellingham, WA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| American Diabetes Association | Arlington, VA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Bellingham Makerspace | Bellingham, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Ferndale Community Services | Ferndale, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Salish Current | Bellingham, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Whatcom Waves | Bellingham, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Whatcom County Library System | Deming, WA | $2,360 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
23 of 62 (37%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 55%, across 2 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Lighthouse Mission Ministries
Funding for construction of a family micro-shelter in the Lighthouse Building Replacement building (same location as existing building) for emergency housing for families in need. - University of Washington Foundation
This grant will support the ongoing research of the Center for Dialysis Innovation (CDI) to advance modern dialysis methods, including the "wearable kidney backpack" - Western Washington University
Support longhouse construction for healing - Kuleana Technology Inc
Support dialysis innovation - Meridian School District
Support the development of the Early Learning Center at the Whatcom Skills Center - Whatcom Center for Early Learning
Fund the language access project, multiple convenings of local partners to discuss language access needs; part time coordinator position and full time language access position
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 74 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 14 | $553,000 | $32,500 |
| 2021 | 33 | $2,021,050 | $30,000 |
| 2023 | 35 | $2,155,326 | $17,500 |
| 2024 | 44 | $2,039,672 | $10,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Already committed for future years
Form 990-PF has a separate schedule for grants approved but not yet paid. Mount Baker Foundation has 13 of them, worth $2,673,885. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back.
| Organization | Location | Approved |
|---|---|---|
| University of Washington Foundation | Seattle, WA | $830,801 |
| University of Washington Foundation | Seattle, WA | $600,000 |
| Whatcom Family and Community Network | Bellingham, WA | $500,000 |
| Communities in Schools | Bellingham, WA | $200,000 |
| Immigrant Resources and Immediate Support (iris) | Bellingham, WA | $100,000 |
| Evergreen Goodwill | Seattle, WA | $80,000 |
| Washington State Family and Community Engagement Trust (wafe) | Edmonds, WA | $75,000 |
| Immigrant Resources and Immediate Support (iris) | Bellingham, WA | $75,000 |
| The Opportunity Council | Bellingham, WA | $70,000 |
| Evergreen Goodwill | Seattle, WA | $60,000 |
| Chuckanut Health Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $50,000 |
| Washington State Family and Community Engagement Trust (wafe) | Edmonds, WA | $25,000 |
| Discount on Grants Payable | Bellingham, WA | $8,084 |
Where its money goes
100% of its giving went to organizations in Washington. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $20,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Washington.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Mount Baker Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2020-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 1323 Commercial St 103, Bellingham, WA, 98225. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 61-1862747 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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