The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation is a faith-driven funder that concentrates large gifts to evangelical Christian ministries and churches, supporting both local congregations in the Pacific Northwest and faith-based international mission/relief work. Their grants are few but sizable and often directed to organizations that carry out religious programming, church planting/expansion, and overseas ministry. The foundation favors established ministry partners and appears to repeat support to related organizations within the same church networks.
Highly concentrated: a small number of very large grants to a narrow set of faith-based organizations, including repeat support within the same church network and a mix of local (Pacific Northwest/Hawaii) and international mission partners.
The Gunnar and Ruth Lie Foundation makes large, repeated grants to evangelical Christian ministries, churches, and faith-based mission partners. In the recent record, that support includes a $2,000,000 grant to The Pursuit Church and a $1,500,000 grant to Pursuit Northwest, both in Snohomish, along with seven-figure gifts to American Bible Society and Kings Cathedral Hi. The pattern is not limited to one institution: the foundation also backs related organizations across church networks, with recurring support visible for Jubilee Reach, Union Gospel Mission, and Northwest University. Its giving is framed as assistance for organizations carrying out charitable purposes, but the recipients show a consistent religious orientation. Local congregations in Washington appear alongside ministries in Hawaii, California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The foundation’s portfolio includes church expansion, Bible-focused work, campus ministry, and Christian service organizations. Several grantees receive multiple awards across different years, suggesting ongoing relationships rather than isolated transactions. The scale of individual grants is substantial, and the awards often sit in the six- and seven-figure range.
Church support is a clear thread in the foundation’s recent grants. The Pursuit Church received $2,000,000 in 2024, and Pursuit Northwest received $1,500,000 in 2025, both in Snohomish. Campus and education-related ministry also appears in the record through $50,000 grants to Northwest University in 2024 and 2025, plus a $30,000 grant in 2023. Bible and Scripture-centered work is another visible area. American Bible Society received $1,332,000 in 2023. International Christian mission and development partners also appear: Foundation for the Nations USA received $400,000 in 2025, and Youth for Christ International received $216,000 in 2023 and $200,000 in 2024. The foundation additionally supports faith-based public-service groups, including Union Gospel Mission in Seattle with grants of $200,000, $100,000, and $50,000 across 2025, 2024, and 2023.
Typical grants cluster around the six-figure range, with a p25 of $35,000, a median of $100,000, and a p75 of $200,000. The recent record also shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including Jubilee Reach, Union Gospel Mission, Northwest University, Kings Cathedral Hi, Youth for Christ International, and Family Policy Institute of Washington. That pattern points to ongoing support rather than one-time gifts. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grants are issued as assistance for organizations carrying out charitable purposes.
$202K
$40.9M
$3.1M
$240K
Most grants fall between $35K and $200K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$35K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$200K
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Notable grantees: The Pursuit Church / Pursuit Northwest, American Bible Society, Kings Cathedral (Hawaii), Jubilee Reach, Foundation for the Nations USA
Grants are concentrated in the United States, with 29 awards all going to U.S. recipients. Washington is the most frequent recipient state by count, and 54% of grants land there. Within Washington, Snohomish, Bellevue, Seattle, Redmond, Lynnwood, Kirkland, Renton, and Edmonds all appear among recipient cities. Outside Washington, the recent record includes Philadelphia, Kahului, Parker, Englewood, Plano, Palm Desert, and San Diego.
The recent grants point to evangelical Christian ministries, churches, and faith-based service organizations. Examples include church support in Snohomish, Bible-focused giving to American Bible Society, and grants to organizations such as Union Gospel Mission, Youth for Christ International, and Foundation for the Nations USA.
The recent distribution centers on larger gifts: p25 is $35,000, median grant size is $100,000, and p75 is $200,000. The record also includes grants above $1 million, showing that the foundation sometimes makes very large awards.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Jubilee Reach, Union Gospel Mission, Northwest University, Kings Cathedral Hi, Youth for Christ International, and Family Policy Institute of Washington. That suggests recurring support is common in this portfolio.
Most grants go to recipients in Washington, which accounts for 54% of grants by count. The recent record also includes recipients in Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Colorado, California, and Texas, but the strongest concentration is in Washington.
Yes, through organizations with an international mission or development profile. The record includes Foundation for the Nations USA in Parker, Colorado, plus Youth for Christ International, which received grants in 2023 and 2024.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTE | PLANO, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNION GOSPEL MISSION | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2026 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TULARE BETHEL CHURCH | TULARE, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PURSUIT NORTHWEST | SNOHOMISH, WA | $1,500,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| FOUNDATION FOR THE NATIONS USA | PARKER, CO | $400,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| JUBILEE REACH | BELLEVUE, WA | $200,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNION GOSPEL MISSION | SEATTLE, WA | $200,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| FAMILY POLICY INSTITUTE OF WASHINGTON | LYNNWOOD, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NORTHWEST UNIVERSITY | KIRKLAND, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| MOSAIC ARTS NW | EDMONDS, WA | $1,500 | 2025 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| THE PURSUIT CHURCH | SNOHOMISH, WA | $2,000,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| JUBILEE REACH | BELLEVUE, WA | $700,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| YOUTH FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL | ENGLEWOOD, CO | $200,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| KINGS CATHEDRAL HI | KAHULUI, HI | $200,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNION GOSPEL MISSION | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| FIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTE | PLANO, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| MAMA'S HOUSE CAL | PALM DESERT, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NORTHWEST UNIVERSITY | KIRKLAND, WA | $50,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TURNING POINT USA | SAN DIEGO, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $1,332,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| KINGS CATHEDRAL HI | KAHULUI, HI | $1,000,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| YOUTH FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL | ENGLEWOOD, CA | $216,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| JUBILEE REACH | BELLEVUE, WA | $177,424 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| IMPACT MINISTRIES | REDMOND, WA | $120,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| LIBERTY FIRST | PLANO, TX | $100,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| VISION HOUSE | RENTON, WA | $50,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNION GOSPEL MISSION | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NORTHWEST UNIVERSITY | KIRKLAND, WA | $30,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| MAMA'S HOUSE CAL | PALM DESERT, CA | $30,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| CHURCH AWAKENING | EDMONDS, WA | $5,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| FAMILY POLICY INSTITUTE OF WASHINGTON | LYNNWOOD, WA | $5,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| JAQUITH MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL | KIRKLAND, WA | $5,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
UNION GOSPEL MISSION
$100,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TULARE BETHEL CHURCH
$2,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PURSUIT NORTHWEST
$1,500,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
FOUNDATION FOR THE NATIONS USA
$400,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNION GOSPEL MISSION
$200,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
MOSAIC ARTS NW
$1,500TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
THE PURSUIT CHURCH
$2,000,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
YOUTH FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL
$200,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
KINGS CATHEDRAL HI
$200,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNION GOSPEL MISSION
$100,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
MAMA'S HOUSE CAL
$50,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TURNING POINT USA
$1,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
KINGS CATHEDRAL HI
$1,000,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
YOUTH FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL
$216,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
IMPACT MINISTRIES
$120,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
LIBERTY FIRST
$100,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNION GOSPEL MISSION
$50,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
MAMA'S HOUSE CAL
$30,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
CHURCH AWAKENING
$5,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES
JAQUITH MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
$5,000TO ASSIST ORG. IN CARRYING OUT CHARITABLE PURPOSES