Rules

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

1. Tax Exempt Status. Organization must currently qualify as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) or 7871 of the Internal Revenue Code or be fiscally sponsored by another tax-exempt organization.
2. Connection to Washington. Organization must operate programs or provide services within the state of Washington.

WA Women’s Foundation does not fund endowments, pass-through scholarships or out-of-state projects of Washington-based organizations.

Grant Criteria

Our funding is unrestricted and our grants should be used wherever they are most needed except that we do not fund endowments, pass-through scholarships, or out-of-state projects of Washington-based organizations.

We are most interested in understanding community needs and how your organization is addressing those needs through the delivery of services to those directly impacted by inequity.

We seek to support and collectively invest in organizations that are reflective of and embedded in the communities they serve, draw on the strengths and assets of these communities, and are accountable to these communities in order to achieve the long-term goals of increasing equity and reducing disparities.

This year, we invite Letters of Inquiry from organizations that meet all the following criteria:

1. Is focused on providing services to or advocating on behalf of people affected by inequity due to race and/or gender identity;
2. Is accountable to the people being served. “Accountable” can mean one or more of the following:
   1. Ensures that people being served are visibly leading;
   2. Develops leadership of the people being served;
   3. Engages the people being served in ongoing decision-making, planning and assessment; and/or
   4. Draws on the strengths, assets, and lived experience of the people being served.
3. Is addressing systemic racial and/or gender inequities in one of the following areas:
   1. Climate + Agricultural Justice: Mitigation for those communities most impacted by climate change
   • We are interested in learning more about how climate change has impacted communities in Washington State and the solutions those communities are creating.
   • We will be investing in alleviating and reversing the effects of climate change on those communities most impacted by its effects in Washington State.
   1. Education: Non-Traditional Adult Education and program opportunities, including programs for immigrants and refugees
   • We are interested in learning more about non-traditional adult education programs and services designed to support adults (ages 18 and older) as they navigate the requirements of employment and civic participation.
   • We will be investing in non-traditional adult education programs and educational opportunities in support of adults navigating the requirements of employment and civic participation (this may include immigrant and refugee education services).  
   1. Healthcare: Youth Mental Health and Connection Building 
   • We are interested in learning more about systems of mental healthcare and how young people (ages 26 and younger) interact and heal within these systems, including systems designed to address youth addiction recovery.
   • We will be investing in culturally relevant mental health and connection-building services for young people (ages 26 and younger), including organizations with counseling staff or working with a network of external providers.
4. Can demonstrate one of the following:

• how they reduce disparities and/or achieve more equitable outcomes through their direct service work 
• how the advocacy methods they employ reduce disparities and/or result in more equitable systemic outcomes  
• how they incorporate both services and advocacy to reduce disparities and/or achieve more equitable outcomes both directly and systemically

Submission Deadline

Please submit your LOI by Friday, December 6th at 11:45 PM PT. Organizations will be notified in February of their status.