About Avista Foundation
The Avista Foundation directs its philanthropic resources almost exclusively to regional higher education capital needs, with large gifts aimed at campus infrastructure projects at Eastern Washington University. Its giving appears tightly focused on a single institution and a specific capital campaign (the EWU Catalyst Building). The foundation favors substantial, project-specific investments that strengthen educational facilities in the Spokane/Eastern Washington area.
Focus Areas
Higher education capital projects at Eastern Washington University (EWU Catalyst Building)Regional university infrastructure in Spokane and Eastern WashingtonMajor institutional gifts to support campus development
Who They Fund
people experiencing homelessness (including youth)low-income / ALICE students and familiesrural communities and small townsearly-career / technical students and scholarship recipientssmall business start-ups and entrepreneurs
About Avista Foundation
The Avista Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by a $350,000 grant to Eastern Washington University for the Catalyst Building, followed by a matching $350,000 award to the EWU Foundation for the same project. That concentration makes campus infrastructure the clearest throughline in the foundation’s recent record. The pattern extends beyond one institution: they have also backed Gonzaga University’s EE Power Lab with $72,000, and several community facilities in Spokane, Cheney, and other Inland Northwest cities. The foundation’s mix of grants shows a preference for project-specific support, capital pledges, and facility improvements rather than broad, undirected funding. Alongside higher education, it has funded youth shelter space, hospital and residency-related work, arts venues, and local civic institutions. The grants are mostly regional and strongly tied to communities served by Avista Utilities, with repeated support to Spokane-area organizations and other recipients in Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. Across these awards, The Avista Foundation appears to fund tangible infrastructure and capacity-building projects that affect education, health, housing, and community services.
What Avista Foundation Funds
Higher education capital projects are the most visible theme in The Avista Foundation’s recent grants. In 2025, Eastern Washington University received $350,000 for Catalyst Building 5 of 10, and in 2024 the EWU Foundation received $350,000 for EWU Catalyst Building. The foundation also supported Gonzaga University with $72,000 for 8 EA Terminals for EE Power Lab, showing interest in campus-based learning infrastructure beyond one institution. Community facilities is another recurring area. Grants include $25,000 to Cheney Depot Society for Cheney Depot Rehabilitation Pledge 2 of 2 and $25,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Spokane County for Northtown Campus Replacement. Public-serving housing and health-related projects also appear, such as $50,000 to Volunteers of America for Crosswalk Youth Shelter and $25,000 to Pullman Regional Hospital Foundation for the Family Medicine Physician Residency Program.
How Avista Foundation Gives
Typical awards are small relative to the largest capital gifts: p25 is $200, median $500, and p75 is $3,000. The recent record also shows a narrower band of larger project grants clustered around $25,000 to $350,000. The same recipients appear across multiple years, including United Way of Spokane County, Spokane Symphony Society, Spokane Guilds School, Ronald McDonald House, and United Human Services of AK, which points to recurring support rather than one-time-only giving. The foundation is a regular funder and accepts unsolicited applications through its community investment grants program. Program language indicates support is aimed at nonprofits serving communities and citizens in Avista Utilities and Alaska Electric Light and Power Co. service territories.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.2M
Total Assets
$10.6M
Total Revenue
$1.4M
Total Expenses
$2.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $200 and $3K, with a median of $500.
25th Percentile
$200
Median
$500
75th Percentile
$3K
Geographic Reach
Regional21 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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