Franciscan Health System concentrates its philanthropy on strengthening local health care delivery and community health programs in the Puget Sound region. Most dollars support expanded access to specialty and clinical services, clinical research and hospital quality/safety initiatives, with occasional support for family services and breast-health care. The foundation favors operational support for health providers and system-level quality efforts over broad national philanthropy.
Franciscan Health System’s recent giving is anchored by a single large program-support grant to Project Access Northwest, a Seattle-based access-to-care provider, which sets the tone for a portfolio focused on local health delivery. The foundation directs most of its philanthropy toward community health in the Puget Sound region, with a clear emphasis on specialty care access, breast health services, clinical research, and hospital quality initiatives. In the latest 990 year on file, its grant list also includes support for Carol Milgard Breast Center in Tacoma and Commonspirit Health Research in Englewood, showing that the foundation funds both direct patient-facing services and system-level health work. Smaller awards to Rebuilding Hope and The Leapfrog Group extend that pattern into survivor support and quality/safety transparency. Across the recent grants, the foundation appears to use program support as its primary mode, favoring restricted funding tied to specific health programs rather than broad, unrestricted philanthropy.
In access to specialty medical care, Franciscan Health System gave $696,490 to Project Access Northwest for program support, indicating a strong emphasis on helping low-income and uninsured patients reach care. Breast health is another clear priority: the foundation awarded $78,238 to Carol Milgard Breast Center in Tacoma for program support. It also funded clinical research through a $54,581 grant to Commonspirit Health Research, again designated for program support. Beyond clinical services, the foundation backed community recovery and health-adjacent support with a $21,150 grant to Rebuilding Hope. A smaller $10,000 award to The Leapfrog Group shows attention to hospital quality, safety, and transparency work.
The recent grant sizes cluster around a broad middle, with a 25th percentile of $21,150, a median of $54,581, and a 75th percentile of $78,238. One award is far larger than the rest, while the remaining grants sit in a relatively compact range, suggesting a mix of anchor support and smaller targeted awards. The 2023 grants listed here all use program support, and the repeated year indicates a current-year snapshot rather than a multi-year pattern in the provided data. Franciscan Health System is a public charity, and the structure shown in the data points to restricted, project-based funding rather than individual giving or program-related investments.
$2.3M
$1.1B
$2B
$2B
Most grants fall between $21K and $78K, with a median of $55K.
25th Percentile
$21K
Median
$55K
75th Percentile
$78K
KETUL PATEL
PRESIDENT / CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER VMFH
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Concentrated and regional: a small number of mostly large grants (one dominant recipient) focused on direct service providers and hospital-affiliated programs rather than many small, diversified awards.
Notable grantees: Project Access Northwest, Carol Milgard Breast Center, CommonSpirit Health Research, The Leapfrog Group, Rebuilding Hope
Franciscan Health System’s grants are concentrated in the United States, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Washington is the top state by grant count, and 60% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recipient cities in the latest list include Seattle and Tacoma in Washington, along with Englewood, Colorado, and Washington, DC. The pattern suggests a Puget Sound center of gravity with a few grants reaching national or cross-state health organizations.
The recent grants point to health-focused organizations: access-to-care programs, a breast center, clinical research, a survivor-support organization, and a hospital quality group. All five listed awards are program support grants, which suggests the foundation prefers funding specific health programs rather than general-purpose philanthropy.
Typical grants are in the mid-five-figure range. The provided distribution shows a 25th percentile of $21,150, a median of $54,581, and a 75th percentile of $78,238. One grant sits well above that range at $696,490.
Washington is the top state by grant count, and 60% of the grants in the recent data go to recipients in the HQ state. The recipient cities listed include Seattle and Tacoma, showing a strong concentration in the Puget Sound area.
No. Most of the recent grants go to Washington recipients, but the list also includes Commonspirit Health Research in Englewood, Colorado, and The Leapfrog Group in Washington, DC. That said, the overall geographic scope is described as regional.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MULTICARE HEALTH SYSTEMS | TACOMA, WA | $437,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PIERCE COUNTY PROJECT ACCESS | TACOMA, WA | $201,241 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VINE MAPLE PLACE | MAPLE VALLEY, WA | $100,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| KITSAP IMMIGRANT ASSISSTANCE CENTER | BREMERTON, WA | $100,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MULTICULTURAL CHILD & FAMILY | TACOMA, WA | $96,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GAME OF LIFE FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $92,730 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YMCA OF PIERCE & KITSAP CTY | TACOMA, WA | $89,600 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CASCADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS | DES MOINES, WA | $87,293 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EMERGENCY FOOD NETWORK | CHARLOTTESVILLE, WA | $75,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MARVIN WILLIAMS RECREATION CTR | BREMERTON, WA | $75,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PHENOMENAL SHE | FEDERAL WAY, WA | $69,544 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| KEY PENINSULA HEALTH COMMUNITY | VAUGHN, WA | $66,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY SERVICES | SEATTLE, WA | $52,601 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| REFUGEE WOMENS ALLIANCE | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TACOMA URBAN LEAGUE | TACOMA, WA | $50,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| INTERCULTURAL CHILDREN & FAMILY | RENTON, WA | $47,382 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNLEASH THE BRILLIANCE | COVINGTON, WA | $46,362 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY PASSAGEWAYS | SEATTLE, WA | $46,362 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SOMALI HEALTH BOARD | TUKWILA, WA | $46,362 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HIDDEN QUEENS | FEDERAL WAY, WA | $41,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YETI | AUSTIN, TX | $41,195 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PROJECT BE FREE | RENTON, WA | $41,044 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| URBAN FAMILY CENTER ASSN | TUKWILA, WA | $40,916 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| LATINO CIVIC ALLIANCE | SEATTLE, WA | $40,908 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UTOPIA WASHINGTON (UNITED TERRITORIES OF PACIFIC ISLANDERS) | KENT, WA | $40,908 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE JOURNEY FUND | GRAHAM, WA | $35,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BUILD2LEAD | FEDERAL WAY, WA | $34,090 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SEATTLE CENTER FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $31,336 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AFRICAN COMMUNITY HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT | SEATAC, WA | $30,909 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PLATEAU OUTREACH MINISTRIES | ENUMCLAW, WA | $30,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RVC SEATTLE | SEATTLE, WA | $24,999 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MUSEUM OF GLASS | TACOMA, WA | $20,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CJK COMMUNITY HOMES | TACOMA, WA | $12,564 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PIERCE COUNTY PROJECT ACCESS | TACOMA, WA | $353,618 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PIKE MARKET SENIOR CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $98,200 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MULTICULTURAL CHILD & FAMILY | TACOMA, WA | $96,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF LAKEWOOD | TACOMA, WA | $95,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VINE MAPLE PLACE | MAPLE VALLEY, WA | $95,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TACOMA SEED | UNIVERSITY PL, WA | $67,013 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| KEY PENINSULA COMMUNITY SERVICES | LAKEBAY, WA | $63,859 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HOPESPARKS | TACOMA, WA | $53,560 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NORTH KITSAP FISHLINE | POULSBO, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY | TACOMA, WA | $42,170 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PEACE EVENGELICAL LUTHERAN | SEATTLE, WA | $36,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| KNIGHTS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL | POULSBO, WA | $35,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TACOMA URBAN LEAGUE | TACOMA, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RAINIER FOOTHILLS WELLNESS FOUNDATION | ENUMCLAW, WA | $24,248 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YMCA OF PIERCE & KITSAP CTY | TACOMA, WA | $18,308 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GOOD SHEPHERD YOUTH OUTREACH | FEDERAL WAY, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PROJECT ACCESS NORTHWEST | SEATTLE, WA | $430,439 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
PIERCE COUNTY PROJECT ACCESS
$201,241PROGRAM SUPPORT
GAME OF LIFE FOUNDATION
PROGRAM SUPPORT
EMERGENCY FOOD NETWORK
$75,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
MARVIN WILLIAMS RECREATION CTR
$75,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
PHENOMENAL SHE
$69,544PROGRAM SUPPORT
KEY PENINSULA HEALTH COMMUNITY
$66,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
INTERCULTURAL CHILDREN & FAMILY
$47,382PROGRAM SUPPORT
UNLEASH THE BRILLIANCE
$46,362PROGRAM SUPPORT
HIDDEN QUEENS
$41,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
YETI
$41,195PROGRAM SUPPORT
PROJECT BE FREE
$41,044PROGRAM SUPPORT
URBAN FAMILY CENTER ASSN
$40,916PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE JOURNEY FUND
$35,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BUILD2LEAD
$34,090PROGRAM SUPPORT
CJK COMMUNITY HOMES
$12,564PROGRAM SUPPORT
PIERCE COUNTY PROJECT ACCESS
$353,618PROGRAM SUPPORT
TACOMA SEED
$67,013PROGRAM SUPPORT
KEY PENINSULA COMMUNITY SERVICES
$63,859PROGRAM SUPPORT
PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY
$42,170PROGRAM SUPPORT
PEACE EVENGELICAL LUTHERAN
$36,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
KNIGHTS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
$35,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RAINIER FOOTHILLS WELLNESS FOUNDATION
$24,248PROGRAM SUPPORT
GOOD SHEPHERD YOUTH OUTREACH
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT