To empower change in the world, one individual at a time, and one child at a time by advancing education, children’s health, and the fight against poverty—equipping today’s youth with the skills and opportunities to become tomorrow’s leaders.
The Russell Wilson Foundation C/o Williams Kastner gives through invite-only partnerships, and its largest recent grant reached $1,010,147 for Why Not You Academy in Des Moines, WA. That single award signals the foundation’s emphasis on education and youth-serving institutions, especially where it can support a program or center directly rather than through open solicitation. Recent grants also show sustained support for children’s health, including $500,000 to Seattle Children’s Hospital and $211,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Western PA. The foundation’s mission centers on advancing education, children’s health, and the fight against poverty while equipping young people with skills and opportunities to become future leaders. Its giving includes support for community-based organizations, hospitals, and youth programs, along with named partnerships tied to the Why Not You brand. In practice, the foundation appears to favor concentrated, program-linked grants over broad, dispersed philanthropy, with several awards at the $100,000 level and some larger commitments tied to specific institutions and centers.
Education is a major thread in the foundation’s giving. In 2024 it awarded $1,010,147 to Why Not You Academy in Des Moines, WA for youth education, and in 2025 it gave $10,000 to Pittsburgh School District for children’s education. Children’s health is another core area: grants include $100,000 to Kids First Health Care in Commerce City, CO, and $25,000 to Cancer Bridges in Pittsburgh, PW. The foundation also supports pediatric cancer-related work through a $25,000 grant to The V Foundation in Cary, NC. Youth development appears in grants to community-based organizations such as Friends of the Children National in Portland, OR, and Boys and Girls Club of Western PA in Pittsburgh, PW.
Typical grants cluster at $100,000, with the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile each at $100,000. The distribution also includes larger program commitments, such as a seven-figure award and several grants above $200,000, suggesting a mix of anchor partnerships and smaller targeted awards. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and makes no grants to individuals. Available records show repeated support across multiple years, including Why Not You Academy in 2023 and 2024 and organizations in Seattle and Pittsburgh in more than one year. Grantmaking is invited and partnership-based rather than open application.
$591K
$99K
$989K
$929K
Most grants fall between $100K and $100K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$100K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$100K
About 14% of grants go to recipients in CO.
SCOTT PICKETT
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The foundation gives regionally, with Colorado as its top state by grant count and 21% of grants going to recipients in Washington. Recent awards reach Seattle, Des Moines, Colorado Springs, Commerce City, Denver, Broomfield, Pittsburgh, Portland, Phoenix, Midvale, Cary, and West Nyack. Colorado appears frequently across children’s health and education grants, while Washington includes both Seattle and Des Moines. All recorded grants in the file went to U.S. recipients.
It funds organizations working in education, children’s health, food security, pediatric cancer research or support, youth mentorship and development, and community centers or programming. Recent grants include youth education, children’s health, and children’s education awards, often through invited partnerships.
No. The grant programs listed are invite-only, directed, or strategic partnership-based, and the records show accepts unsolicited as false across the active programs.
The typical grant size is $100,000. The 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile are all $100,000, which indicates that many awards are made at that level.
Colorado is the top state by grant count, and 21% of grants go to recipients in Washington. Recent recipient cities include Colorado Springs, Commerce City, Denver, Broomfield, Seattle, Des Moines, and Pittsburgh.
Yes. The records show repeat support for Why Not You Academy in 2023 and 2024, and for organizations in Seattle and Pittsburgh across multiple years. That pattern suggests ongoing partnership funding rather than one-time awards only.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF WESTERN PA | PITTSBURGH, PW | $211,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | PHOENIX, AZ | $100,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PW | $100,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN NATIONAL | PORTLAND, OR | $75,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S EDUCATION |
| SALVATION ARMY | WEST NYACK, NY | $45,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| CANCER BRIDGES | PITTSBURGH, PW | $25,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| THE V FOUNDATION | CARY, NC | $25,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| PITTSBURGH SCHOOL DISTRICT | PITTSBURGH, PW | $10,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S EDUCATION |
| WHY NOT YOU ACADEMY | DES MOINES, WA | $1,010,147 | 2024 | YOUTH EDUCATION |
| A PRECIOUS CHILD | BROOMFIELD, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| FOSTERING HOPE FOUNDATION | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| REACH OUT AND READ COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| KIDS ON BIKES INC | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| CPCD (COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT) | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| KIDS IN NEED OF DENTISTRY | COMMERCE CITY, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| KIDS FIRST HEALTH CARE | COMMERCE CITY, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| EDUCATING CHILDREN OF COLOR INC | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF METRO DENVER | DENVER, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| EYE CARE 4 KIDS | MIDVALE, UT | $100,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S HEALTH |
| WHY NOT YOU ACADEMY | DES MOINES, WA | $525,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | SEATTLE, WA | $500,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO FOUNDATION | AURORA, CO | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN NATIONAL
$75,000CHILDREN'S EDUCATION
SALVATION ARMY
$45,000CHILDREN'S HEALTH
CANCER BRIDGES
CHILDREN'S HEALTH
PITTSBURGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
$10,000CHILDREN'S EDUCATION
KIDS ON BIKES INC
$100,000CHILDREN'S HEALTH
CPCD (COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT)
$100,000CHILDREN'S HEALTH
EYE CARE 4 KIDS
$100,000CHILDREN'S HEALTH