To ensure that every student has access to innovative, student-centered education options that drive academic success and long-term opportunities by fostering a diverse ecosystem of high-quality public education choices.
Excellent Schools Washington’s recent grantmaking shows a clear emphasis on helping new and expanding school models get the operational and academic support they need to function well. Its largest recent award, $465,300 to Schoolops LLC, went toward operational quality support, and another major grant of $250,000 supported Impact Public Schools in Tukwila, Washington. The foundation also backed academic quality work at Spokane International Academy with a $125,000 grant, reinforcing that its giving reaches both school-level improvement and the organizational infrastructure behind it. The foundation funds K-12 education organizations, especially public school models and education nonprofits working on launch, growth, literacy, and leadership development. Several recent grants were labeled as growth capacity or academic quality support, which points to a pattern of funding that is not limited to direct classroom programming. It also gives unrestricted support through its Excellent Schools Grant program for leaders launching new public school models in Washington. Across the recent grant list, the mix of schools and education-focused LLCs suggests a practical approach centered on implementation, readiness, and quality improvement.
A recurring theme in Excellent Schools Washington’s grantmaking is school launch and pre-launch support. The foundation’s active Excellent Schools Grant program offers one-year unrestricted support for leaders launching new public school models in Washington, and the 2025 application cycle is closed. Academic quality is another visible area. The foundation gave $250,000 to Impact Public Schools in Tukwila, Washington for an academic quality grant, and $125,000 to Spokane International Academy in Spokane, Washington for the same purpose. Those grants show direct support for school-level improvement. It also funds organizations working on growth and capacity. Summit Public Schools Washington in Redwood City, California received $55,000 for growth capacity, while Catalyst Public Schools in Bainbridge, Washington received $41,000 for growth capacity. In addition, Clarity Consulting Group LLC in Washington, DC was funded with $80,000 for growth support.
Typical grants cluster around a median of $57,575, with a lower quartile at $34,744 and an upper quartile at $156,125. The recent list includes both large operating-style support and smaller technical-assistance awards, ranging from $6,250 to $465,300. The pattern suggests a mix of one-time project support and repeated investment in school-quality work, rather than a single standardized grant amount. Excellent Schools Washington is an independent foundation with annual grantmaking of $1,420,132 and assets of $2,815,217. Its active grant program provides one-year unrestricted support for pre-launch school leaders, and the application page directs interested applicants to submit contact information for future opportunities. The 2025 cycle is closed, and unsolicited applications are not accepted for the Excellent Schools Grant.
$7.8M
$9.5M
$7.1M
$9.5M
Most grants fall between $35K and $156K, with a median of $58K.
25th Percentile
$35K
Median
$58K
75th Percentile
$156K
JULIE KENNEDY
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Excellent Schools Washington gives regionally, with 58% of grants going to recipients in Washington. Recent awards land most often in Seattle, with additional Washington recipients in Tukwila, Spokane, Bainbridge, and Mica. Outside Washington, the foundation funded organizations in Washington, DC; Redwood City, California; New York, New York; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. All recent grants in the data went to U.S. recipients.
It funds K-12 schools and education nonprofit organizations, with a strong emphasis on public charter and innovative public school models, school creation and pre-launch support, leadership development, literacy and academic improvement, and family-facing school information tools.
The typical grant size is $57,575 at the median, with a lower quartile of $34,744 and an upper quartile of $156,125. Recent awards in the list range from $6,250 to $465,300.
For its Excellent Schools Grant program, it does not accept unsolicited applications. The 2025 application cycle is closed, and the site asks interested applicants to submit contact information to be notified about future opportunities.
Its giving is regional, with 58% of grants going to recipients in Washington. Recent grants also went to recipients in Washington, DC; California; New York; and Minnesota, all within the United States.
Recent grants include operational quality support, academic quality grants, growth support, and growth capacity grants. Examples include Schoolops LLC for operational quality support, Impact Public Schools and Spokane International Academy for academic quality grants, and Catalyst Public Schools for growth capacity support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMPACT PUBLIC SCHOOLS | TUKWILLA, WA | $1,553,500 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY & ACADEMIC QUALITY |
| WHY NOT YOU ACADEMY | DES MOINES, WA | $818,000 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY |
| SPOKANE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY | SPOKANE, WA | $612,000 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY & ACADEMIC QUALITY |
| SCHOOLOPS LLC | SEATTLE, WA | $467,406 | 2026 | OPERATIONAL QUALITY SUPPORT |
| SCHOOLOPS LLC | SEATTLE, WA | $435,800 | 2026 | OPERATIONAL QUALITY SUPPORT |
| BRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS | SELAH, WA | $307,334 | 2026 | NEW SCHOOL INCUBATION |
| TURNERDEV LLC | MICA, WA | $279,389 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| ALWAYS BE LEARNING INC | MCLEAN, VA | $261,000 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| CATALYST PUBLIC SCHOOLS | BREMERTON, WA | $250,500 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| CEDAR GROVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS | SPOKANE, WA | $250,000 | 2026 | NEW SCHOOL INCUBATION |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | GROWTH SUPPORT |
| CAMBIAR EDUCATION | SAN DIEGO, CA | $228,000 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| RAINIER PREP | SEATTLE, WA | $179,000 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| MAKSE GROUP LLC | SOUTHLAKE, TX | $165,000 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY |
| MARIPOSA CONSULTING GROUP LLC | HELOTES, TX | $128,749 | 2026 | OPERATIONAL QUALITY SUPPORT |
| MARIPOSA CONSULTING GROUP LLC | HELOTES, TX | $128,200 | 2026 | OPERATIONAL QUALITY GRANT |
| PINNACLES PREP CHARTER SCHOOL | WENATCHEE, WA | $114,500 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| INNOVATION HIGH SCHOOL | SPOKANE, WA | $113,500 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| CATALYST CONNECTIONS LLC | CLARKSVILLE, MD | $100,000 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY |
| WASHINGTON SPECTRUM SCHOOLS | RENTON, WA | $100,000 | 2026 | GROWTH SUPPORT |
| SIMPLICITY EDUCATION LLC | NEW YORK, NY | $96,873 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY & OPERATIONAL QUALIY SUPPORT |
| LDOR STRATEGY LLC | SEATTLE, WA | $75,000 | 2026 | GROWTH SUPPORT |
| LUMEN HIGH SCHOOL | SPOKANE, WA | $65,153 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY |
| SEMINAR CO | SPOKANE, WA | $58,500 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY |
| HMH EDUCATION COMPANY | BOSTON, MA | $55,325 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| AFTON PARTNERS LLC | EVANSTON, IL | $54,748 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT |
| ACE ACADEMY | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY |
| CATALYST CONNECTIONS LLC | CLARKSVILLE, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT |
| EVERGREEN GOODWILL OF NORTHWEST WASHINGTON | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY |
| ROOTED SCHOOL VANCOUVER | VANCOUVER, WA | $50,000 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| WHATCOM INTERGENERATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL | BELLINGHAM, WA | $50,000 | 2026 | ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT |
| AFTON PARTNERS LLC | EVANSTON, IL | $43,163 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY & GROWTH SUPPORT |
| NORTHWEST MARITIME CENTER | PORT TOWNSEND, WA | $40,000 | 2026 | NEW SCHOOL INCUBATION |
| AMH STRATEGIES LLC | SEATTLE, WA | $30,300 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY & GROWTH SUPPORT |
| OPEN DOORS FOR MULTICULTURAL FAMILIES | KENT, WA | $30,000 | 2026 | STRATEGY-ALIGNED SUPPORT |
| REFUGEE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE | SEATTLE, WA | $30,000 | 2026 | STRATEGY-ALIGNED SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF YOUTH | KIRKLAND, WA | $30,000 | 2026 | STRATEGY-ALIGNED SUPPORT |
| 7GEN LEGACY GROUP | HENDERSON, NV | $30,000 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY |
| HOPELINK | REDMOND, WA | $30,000 | 2026 | STRATEGY-ALIGNED SUPPORT |
| KOREAN COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER | LYNNWOOD, WA | $30,000 | 2026 | STRATEGY-ALIGNED SUPPORT |
| WA CHARTERS | SEATTLE, WA | $20,092 | 2026 | GROWTH SUPPORT |
| SIMPLICITY EDUCATION LLC | NEW YORK, NY | $18,349 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT |
| EDUCATION DATA COLLECTIVE LLC | DENVER, CO | $16,100 | 2026 | GROWTH SUPPORT |
| KLG & ASSOCIATES LLC | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,075 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT |
| AMH STRATEGIES LLC | SEATTLE, WA | $15,000 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT |
| WA CHARTERS | SEATTLE, WA | $13,394 | 2026 | GROWTH SUPPORT |
| JOULE GROWTH PARTNERS INC | SEATTLE, WA | $12,500 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT |
| EDUCATION DATA COLLECTIVE LLC | DENVER, CO | $12,050 | 2026 | GROWTH SUPPORT |
| 7GEN LEGACY GROUP | HENDERSON, NV | $9,800 | 2026 | GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT |
| SCHOOLOPS LLC | SEATTLE, WA | $465,300 | 2025 | GRANTS TO OTHER ORGS: OPERATIONAL QUALITY SUPPORT |
SCHOOLOPS LLC
$467,406OPERATIONAL QUALITY SUPPORT
SCHOOLOPS LLC
$435,800OPERATIONAL QUALITY SUPPORT
BRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
NEW SCHOOL INCUBATION
TURNERDEV LLC
$279,389ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT
ALWAYS BE LEARNING INC
$261,000ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT
CEDAR GROVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$250,000NEW SCHOOL INCUBATION
MAKSE GROUP LLC
$165,000GROWTH CAPACITY
MARIPOSA CONSULTING GROUP LLC
$128,749OPERATIONAL QUALITY SUPPORT
MARIPOSA CONSULTING GROUP LLC
$128,200OPERATIONAL QUALITY GRANT
PINNACLES PREP CHARTER SCHOOL
$114,500ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT
INNOVATION HIGH SCHOOL
$113,500ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT
CATALYST CONNECTIONS LLC
$100,000GROWTH CAPACITY
WASHINGTON SPECTRUM SCHOOLS
$100,000GROWTH SUPPORT
SIMPLICITY EDUCATION LLC
$96,873GROWTH CAPACITY & OPERATIONAL QUALIY SUPPORT
LDOR STRATEGY LLC
$75,000GROWTH SUPPORT
LUMEN HIGH SCHOOL
$65,153GROWTH CAPACITY
SEMINAR CO
$58,500GROWTH CAPACITY
HMH EDUCATION COMPANY
$55,325ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT
AFTON PARTNERS LLC
$54,748GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT
CATALYST CONNECTIONS LLC
$50,000GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT
ROOTED SCHOOL VANCOUVER
$50,000ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT
WHATCOM INTERGENERATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
$50,000ACADEMIC QUALITY SUPPORT
AFTON PARTNERS LLC
$43,163GROWTH CAPACITY & GROWTH SUPPORT
AMH STRATEGIES LLC
$30,300GROWTH CAPACITY & GROWTH SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF YOUTH
$30,000STRATEGY-ALIGNED SUPPORT
7GEN LEGACY GROUP
$30,000GROWTH CAPACITY
SIMPLICITY EDUCATION LLC
$18,349GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT
EDUCATION DATA COLLECTIVE LLC
$16,100GROWTH SUPPORT
KLG & ASSOCIATES LLC
$15,075GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT
AMH STRATEGIES LLC
$15,000GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT
JOULE GROWTH PARTNERS INC
$12,500GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT
EDUCATION DATA COLLECTIVE LLC
$12,050GROWTH SUPPORT
7GEN LEGACY GROUP
$9,800GROWTH CAPACITY GRANT
SCHOOLOPS LLC
$465,300GRANTS TO OTHER ORGS: OPERATIONAL QUALITY SUPPORT