About Friends of Seattle Waterfront
To bring people and local communities together to ensure Waterfront Park thrives as a vibrant gathering space—fostering connections and honoring Seattle's natural beauty and stories.
Focus Areas
Park stewardship and maintenancePublic programming and eventsArts & cultureCommunity engagement and partnershipsEquity and inclusion
Who They Fund
local community members / general publiccommunity-based organizations
Funding Style
capital grantcapital project / infrastructure fundingone-time/project-based supportprogram space development
About Friends of Seattle Waterfront
Friends of Seattle Waterfront’s largest recent awards are capital grants to the City of Seattle, including $25,000,000 in 2024 and $20,000,000 in 2025, which points to a funder built around Waterfront Park’s physical development and long-term upkeep. The foundation’s public purpose is to bring people and local communities together so the park thrives as a gathering space while reflecting Seattle’s natural beauty and stories. That mission shows up in grants that combine infrastructure with community use, rather than stand-alone charitable giving. Alongside city-level capital support, the foundation has also backed organizations tied to waterfront programming and public access. Pike Place Market Foundation received grants for community programming across 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Seattle Aquarium Society received community-programming support in each of those same years. With annual grants of $65,230,000 and a local giving scope, Friends of Seattle Waterfront appears to use grantmaking as part of a place-based strategy centered on the Seattle waterfront and the people who use it.
What Friends of Seattle Waterfront Funds
Public programming is a visible part of the foundation’s work. Pike Place Market Foundation received $70,000 in 2023 for community programming, then $35,000 in both 2024 and 2025 for community programs. Seattle Aquarium Society also received repeated support for community programs, with $30,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The pattern suggests consistent support for activities that activate the waterfront for the public. Capital and infrastructure funding is another clear theme. The City of Seattle received $25,000,000 in 2024 for a capital grant and $20,000,000 in 2023 for a capital project, matching the foundation’s emphasis on Waterfront Park stewardship and program space development.
How Friends of Seattle Waterfront Gives
Friends of Seattle Waterfront’s typical grant size clusters around a median of $52,500, with a p25 of $31,250 and a p75 of $15,017,500. That spread reflects a mix of large capital commitments and smaller operating-style awards tied to programming. The recent grants list shows repeat support to the same recipients across 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-off gifts only. The organization is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$20.1M
Total Assets
$25M
Total Revenue
$21M
Total Expenses
$28.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $31K and $15M, with a median of $53K.
25th Percentile
$31K
Median
$53K
75th Percentile
$15M
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
About 100% of grants go to recipients in WA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
John Nesholm
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