The TEW Foundation makes very large, targeted gifts primarily to higher-education institutions and specialized academic programs, with a particular emphasis on the University of Washington. Its grants favor endowed positions and program-specific endowments (e.g., rehabilitation medicine, Arctic/Alpine studies) and occasional campus infrastructure or student-life projects. Most dollars are concentrated in a very small number of gifts rather than broad small-dollar giving.
Tew Foundation’s largest recent gifts are directed to named, restricted accounts and endowed academic positions, including $3,195,000 to Attachment A in 2023 and $2,550,500 to Attachment A in 2024. That pattern sits alongside major support for higher education, especially the University of Washington and related academic infrastructure. A 2025 gift of $500,000 to the University of Washington Foundation established the Herring Endowed Chair for Rehabilitation Medicine, while another $400,000 grant to Dickinson College supported an Arctic and Alpine Studies Endowment. The foundation also backed a $250,000 restoration project for the ASUW Shell House at the University of Washington. Its grantmaking includes universities, museums, media, human services, and arts organizations, but the largest commitments are concentrated in specialized institutional purposes rather than broad unrestricted giving. Several 2025 grants also show support for community-serving organizations in Seattle, including arts, journalism, housing, and public-service groups, but always in relatively large, targeted awards. Across the recent record, the foundation gives in a local pattern that is highly focused on Washington recipients, with Seattle as the main city appearing across many of the grants.
In higher education, Tew Foundation paired an endowed chair with a research endowment: $500,000 to the University of Washington Foundation for the Herring Endowed Chair for Rehabilitation Medicine, and $400,000 to Dickinson College for the Arctic and Alpine Studies Endowment. The foundation also funded campus preservation with $250,000 to the University of Washington for restoring the ASUW Shell House. Beyond universities, it supported arts and public culture in Seattle. Grants included $100,000 to Seattle Repertory Theatre for education and community programs, $90,000 and $80,000 to Path With Art for ArtTransforms, and $30,000 to Northwest Film Forum for WA Na Wari art exhibitions. Public-interest media and civic information also appear in the record, including $100,000 to Grist for its local news/Indigenous desk and $50,000 to KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio for content growth, audience development, and digital platforms.
The typical grant size is very large: p25 is $2,711,625, the median is $2,872,750, and p75 is $3,033,875. That distribution reflects a few exceptionally large awards rather than a broad small-grant portfolio. The recent record also includes repeated grants to the same recipient, including Attachment A in 2023 and 2024, and Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King Co. appearing twice in 2025 for home repair programs. Tew Foundation funds individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grants shown are all to U.S. recipients, with a strong local pattern centered on Washington.
$3M
$22.8M
$9.2M
$3.5M
Most grants fall between $2.7M and $3M, with a median of $2.9M.
25th Percentile
$2.7M
Median
$2.9M
75th Percentile
$3M
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Highly concentrated funding: a few very large grants account for most of the budget (one beneficiary received >80% of total). Gifts are institution-focused, often structured as endowed or purpose-restricted support rather than many small community grants.
Notable grantees: ATTACHMENT A, University of Washington Foundation, University of Washington (ASUW Shell House project), Dickinson College
The foundation’s giving is concentrated in Washington recipients, with 100% of the recent grants going to organizations in the HQ state. Seattle appears repeatedly across the list, alongside Renton, Bellevue, and Lopez Island. Outside Washington, the only recent recipient location shown is Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for Dickinson College. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with no non-U.S. grants in the recent record.
Its typical grant size is in the multimillion-dollar range: p25 at $2,711,625, median at $2,872,750, and p75 at $3,033,875. The recent record also includes several smaller six-figure gifts, but the distribution is anchored by very large awards.
Recent grants show support for higher education, arts and culture, journalism, housing repair, disaster and emergency relief, veterans’ services, and health-related support. Named recipients include universities, museums, theaters, public radio, and human-service organizations.
The recent grants are all to U.S. recipients, and 100% of grants went to organizations in Washington. Seattle is the most common city, with additional Washington recipients in Renton, Bellevue, and Lopez Island.
Yes. Attachment A appears in both 2023 and 2024, and Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King Co. appears twice in 2025 for home repair programs. Path With Art also received two separate 2025 grants.
The record shows endowed support in rehabilitation medicine, an Arctic and Alpine Studies Endowment, restoration of the ASUW Shell House, and support for local arts, Indigenous news coverage, home repair, disaster relief, and veterans’ services.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $500,000 | 2025 | HERRING ENDOWED CHAIR FOR REHABILITATION MEDICINE |
| DICKINSON COLLEGE | CARLISLE, PA | $400,000 | 2025 | ARTIC AND ALPINE STUDIES ENDOWMENT |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON | SEATTLE, WA | $250,000 | 2025 | RESTORING THE ASUW SHELL HOUSE |
| MINI MART CITY PARK | SEATTLE, WA | $125,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SEATTLE OPERA | SEATTLE, WA | $116,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT 24/25 SEASON |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SEATTLE-KING CO | RENTON, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS |
| CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES | BALTIMORE, MD | $100,000 | 2025 | DISASTER/EMERGENCY RELIEF |
| SEATTLE REPERTORY THEATRE | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| GRIST | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | LOCAL NEWS/INDIGENOUS DESK |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SEATTLE-KING CO | RENTON, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS |
| GOT GREEN | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MAINE HUTS & TRAILS | KINGFIELD, ME | $100,000 | 2025 | 2024 RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT |
| PATH WITH ART | SEATTLE, WA | $90,000 | 2025 | ARTTRANSFORMS |
| PATH WITH ART | SEATTLE, WA | $80,000 | 2025 | ARTTRANSFORMS |
| ST VINCENT DE PAUL OF SEATTLEKING CTY | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | VETERANS' SERVICES |
| SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KUOW PUGET SOUND PUBLIC RADIO | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTENT GROWTH, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT, AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | MS NAVIGATOR SERVICES NW CHAPTER |
| THE GRACE FOUNDATION | BELLEVUE, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| YWCA | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| SEATTLE ART MUSEUM | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | TARIQA WATERS EXHIBITION |
| PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCE | SEATTLE, WA | $44,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SEATTLE SYMPHONY | SEATTLE, WA | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| VENTURES | SEATTLE, WA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NORTHWEST FILM FORUM | SEATTLE, WA | $30,000 | 2025 | WA NA WARI ART EXHIBITIONS |
| MULTICARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FDN | TACOMA, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | NAVOS CHILD YOUTH FAM MENTAL HEALTH |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | SERVICE TO THE ARMED FORCES |
| FRIENDS OF LOPEZ ISLAND POOL | LOPEZ ISLAND, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL BUILDING FUND |
| NW CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $20,000 | 2025 | HEAL CHILDREN, STRENGTHEN FAMILIES, AND EMPOWER YOUTH |
| WOODLAND PARK ZOO | SEATTLE, WA | $20,000 | 2025 | FOREST TRAILHEAD EXHIBIT |
| ST JAMES CATHEDRAL | SEATTLE, WA | $15,000 | 2025 | HUNGER/HOMELESSNESS |
| SHUNPIKE | SEATTLE, WA | $15,000 | 2025 | FRIENDS OF ART ZONE, VIDEO SHOOTS, BANDS, AND BROADCAST EPISODE/PROGRAMMING |
| EVERGREEN GOODWILL | SEATTLE, WA | $15,000 | 2025 | ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| BURKE MUSEUM ASSOCIATION | SEATTLE, WA | $12,500 | 2025 | BURKE BOX SHIPPING 24-25 |
| NW CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | HEAL CHILDREN, STRENGTHEN FAMILIES, AND EMPOWER YOUTH |
| DUCKS UNLIMITED INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | WINGS & WETLANDS NW |
| LI FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER | LOPEZ ISLAND, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS |
| FRACTURED ATLAS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | ROCKLAND RESIDENCY AFRICAN AMERICAN COHORT |
| CLASSICAL KING FM | SEATTLE, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| FOREST RIDGE SCHOOL OF THE SACRED HEART | BELLEVUE, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | 2024/25 FOREST RIDGE FUND |
| SEATTLE CHILDREN'S THEATRE | SEATTLE, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
HERRING ENDOWED CHAIR FOR REHABILITATION MEDICINE
DICKINSON COLLEGE
$400,000ARTIC AND ALPINE STUDIES ENDOWMENT
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
$250,000RESTORING THE ASUW SHELL HOUSE
MINI MART CITY PARK
$125,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SEATTLE OPERA
$116,000GENERAL SUPPORT 24/25 SEASON
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SEATTLE-KING CO
$100,000HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
$100,000DISASTER/EMERGENCY RELIEF
GRIST
$100,000LOCAL NEWS/INDIGENOUS DESK
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SEATTLE-KING CO
$100,000HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS
MAINE HUTS & TRAILS
$100,0002024 RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT
CONTENT GROWTH, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT, AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$50,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY
$50,000MS NAVIGATOR SERVICES NW CHAPTER
THE GRACE FOUNDATION
$50,000EDUCATION
YWCA
$50,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
SEATTLE SYMPHONY
$40,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
MULTICARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FDN
$25,000NAVOS CHILD YOUTH FAM MENTAL HEALTH
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$25,000SERVICE TO THE ARMED FORCES
WOODLAND PARK ZOO
$20,000FOREST TRAILHEAD EXHIBIT
ST JAMES CATHEDRAL
$15,000HUNGER/HOMELESSNESS
FRIENDS OF ART ZONE, VIDEO SHOOTS, BANDS, AND BROADCAST EPISODE/PROGRAMMING
EVERGREEN GOODWILL
$15,000ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
DUCKS UNLIMITED INC
$10,000WINGS & WETLANDS NW
LI FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER
$10,000YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
FOREST RIDGE SCHOOL OF THE SACRED HEART
$5,0002024/25 FOREST RIDGE FUND
SEATTLE CHILDREN'S THEATRE
$5,000GENERAL OPERATIONS