The Herbert Jones Foundation concentrates its giving on supporting entrepreneurship and innovation programs at Washington state public universities, funding university-run accelerators, business-plan competitions, and student venture initiatives. It also makes targeted investments in specialized K–12 services, notably education for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Grants are programmatic and capacity-oriented, aimed at building university entrepreneurship ecosystems and practical student outcomes.
The Herbert Jones Foundation C/o Keybank Private Bank Trust Officer has built a clear pattern around university entrepreneurship in Washington, pairing accelerator-style support with business-plan and milestone awards. One of its largest recent grants went to Seattle University, where the foundation funded Jones Progress Awards, a business plan competition award, Idea Challenge Awards, and an Innovation & Entrepreneurship Grant. Another major grant supported the Nw School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Shoreline with a general purpose grant, showing that its giving includes specialized education alongside campus entrepreneurship. Across the recent grants list, the foundation repeatedly backs public universities and college foundations that run entrepreneurship programs for students. Washington State University received grants tied to business plan awards, milestone awards, and a student venture manager. Eastern Washington University was funded for its Center for Entrepreneurship, while Central Washington University Foundation received support for a Center for Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship Major. The foundation’s grantmaking also reaches community and technical colleges, indicating a practical approach that favors program delivery, student participation, and campus-based ecosystem building rather than isolated one-time awards.
A central theme is entrepreneurship education on Washington campuses. The foundation gave $553,200 to Pierce College Foundation for an entrepreneurship program and $529,100 to Spokane Colleges Foundation for the same purpose, alongside $493,000 to Seattle Colleges Foundation for entrepreneurship programming. It also supports student venture development through competition and award structures. Seattle University received funding for Jones Progress Awards, a business plan competition award, Idea Challenge Awards, and an Innovation & Entrepreneurship Grant, while Washington State University was funded for business plan awards, milestone awards, and a student venture manager. A third thread is specialized education. The Nw School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children received both a $1,500,000 general purpose grant and a separate $138,895 grant for educational programs for deaf and hard of hearing children. The foundation also backed environmental and health challenges at the University of Washington.
$8.2M
$9.8M
$949K
$8.3M
Most grants fall between $30K and $108K, with a median of $35K.
25th Percentile
$30K
Median
$35K
75th Percentile
$108K
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Concentrated, large grants to a small set of repeat institutional grantees (public universities in Washington), focused on program support and awards rather than broad community grants; regional and issue-specific rather than diversified nationally.
Notable grantees: University of Washington, Eastern Washington University, Washington State University, NW School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, Central Washington University Foundation
Typical grants cluster around a mid-five-figure to low-six-figure range, with p25 at $30,000, median at $35,040, and p75 at $108,377. The recent list also shows much larger program grants, including seven-figure support, which suggests a mix of routine awards and outsized commitments to selected institutions. The giving pattern looks recurring rather than one-off. Washington State University appears across 2023, 2024, and 2025; Eastern Washington University appears in multiple years; and the Nw School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children also appears more than once. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it funds individuals. No application process is stated in the provided data.
Grantmaking is entirely in Washington, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and WA listed as the top state by grant count. Seattle appears repeatedly through Seattle University, Seattle Colleges Foundation, Seattle Pacific University, and University of Washington. Other recipient cities include Shoreline, Cheney, Pullman, Tacoma, Spokane, and Puyallup. The footprint also reaches Auburn, Bellevue, Olympia, Ellensburg, Pasco, Yakima, Port Angeles, Walla Walla, Aberdeen, Lynnwood, and Mount Vernon.
It most often funds Washington state colleges and universities, especially institutions running entrepreneurship centers, accelerator programs, business-plan competitions, and student venture initiatives. The recent grants list also includes specialized education support for the Nw School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children.
Its typical grant size is p25 $30,000, median $35,040, and p75 $108,377. The recent grants list includes both smaller awards near that range and much larger program commitments to selected institutions.
The pattern is recurring. Washington State University received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, Eastern Washington University appears in multiple years, and the Nw School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children also received more than one grant.
All grants in the provided data go to recipients in Washington state. Recipient cities include Seattle, Shoreline, Cheney, Pullman, Tacoma, Spokane, Puyallup, Auburn, Bellevue, Olympia, Ellensburg, Pasco, Yakima, Port Angeles, Walla Walla, Aberdeen, Lynnwood, and Mount Vernon.
The main themes are university entrepreneurship programs, student venture support, and specialized education for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Recent grants also include environmental and health challenges, social venture awards, and entrepreneurship curriculum or major development at Washington institutions.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NW SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN | SHORELINE, WA | $1,500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE GRANT |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSITY | SEATTLE, WA | $1,494,330 | 2026 | JONES PROGRESS AWARDS, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION AWARD, IDEA CHALLENGE AWARDS, INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP GRANT |
| PIERCE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | PUYALLUP, WA | $553,200 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| SPOKANE COLLEGES FOUNDATION | SPOKANE, WA | $529,100 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| SEATTLE COLLEGES FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $493,000 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY | TACOMA, WA | $307,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PRGM.; NOURISH CERTIFICATE PRGM. |
| GREEN RIVER COLLEGE FOUNDATION | AUBURN, WA | $288,600 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| HIGHLINE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, WA | $276,600 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| SHORELINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | SHORELINE, WA | $276,600 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| WALLA WALLA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | WALLA WALLA, WA | $276,600 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| EDMONDS COLLEGE FOUNDATION | LYNNWOOD, WA | $252,500 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| PENINSULA COLLEGE FOUNDATION | PORT ANGELES, WA | $252,500 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| GRAYS HARBOR COLLEGE FOUNDATION | ABERDEEN, WA | $252,500 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| SKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | MOUNT VERNON, WA | $252,500 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| BELLEVUE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | BELLEVUE, WA | $240,500 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| COLUMBIA BASIN COLLEGE FOUNDATION | PASCO, WA | $240,500 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| SOUTH PUGET SOUND COMM COLLEGE FNDN | OLYMPIA, WA | $216,500 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| YAKIMA VALLEY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | YAKIMA, WA | $204,400 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| TACOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | TACOMA, WA | $204,400 | 2026 | GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM |
| SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | SEATTLE, WA | $53,075 | 2026 | 2024-2025 HBJ ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM, SOCIAL VENTURE AWARDS & LAUNCH, INNOVATION LAB |
| EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | CHENEY, WA | $222,100 | 2025 | CENTER FOR ENTERPRENEURSHIP |
| NW SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN | SHORELINE, WA | $138,895 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN |
| WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY | PULLMAN, WA | $110,000 | 2025 | BUSINESS PLAN AWARD, MILESTONE AWARDS, STUDENT VENTURE MANAGER |
| CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | ELLENSBURG, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP MAJOR |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSITY | SEATTLE, WA | $45,000 | 2025 | PROGRESS AWARDS AND BUSINESS PLAN AWARD |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON | SEATTLE, WA | $45,000 | 2025 | ACCELERATOR AWARD, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CHALLENGES |
| SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | SEATTLE, WA | $33,068 | 2025 | CAMPUS COURSE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL VENTURE COMPETITION, STUDENT LAUNCH AWARDS |
| VENTURES | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | BUSINESS SAVERS CLUBS |
| ENTERPRISE FOR EQUITY | OLYMPIA, WA | $23,000 | 2025 | LOW INCOME SCHOLARSHIPS AND MOMENTUM AWARDS |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON | SEATTLE, WA | $327,500 | 2024 | ACCELERATOR AWARD, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CHALLENGES |
| EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | CHENEY, WA | $172,800 | 2024 | CENTER FOR ENTERPRENEURSHIP |
| WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY | PULLMAN, WA | $120,000 | 2024 | BUSINESS PLAN AWARD, MILESTONE AWARDS, STUDENT VENTURE MANAGER |
| WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY | SPOKANE, WA | $52,000 | 2024 | BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSITY | SEATTLE, WA | $45,000 | 2024 | PROGRESS AWARDS AND BUSINESS PLAN AWARD |
| SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | SEATTLE, WA | $32,508 | 2024 | CAMPUS COURSE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL VENTURE COMPETITION, STUDENT LAUNCH AWARDS |
| NW SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN | SHORELINE, WA | $31,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN |
| WASHINGTON BUSINESS WEEK | RENTON, WA | $30,000 | 2024 | SEATTLE UNIVERSITY LAUNCH |
| VENTURES | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2024 | BUSINESS SAVERS CLUBS |
| ENTERPRISE FOR EQUITY | OLYMPIA, WA | $23,000 | 2024 | LOW INCOME SCHOLARSHIPS AND MOMENTUM AWARDS |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON | SEATTLE, WA | $202,500 | 2023 | ACCELERATOR AWARD, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CHALLENGES |
| WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY | PULLMAN, WA | $140,000 | 2023 | BUSINESS PLAN AWARD, MILESTONE AWARDS, STUDENT VENTURE MANAGER |
| EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | CHENEY, WA | $103,509 | 2023 | CENTER FOR ENTERPRENEURSHIP |
| SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | SEATTLE, WA | $35,080 | 2023 | CAMPUS COURSE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL VENTURE COMPETITION, STUDENT LAUNCH AWARDS |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSITY | SEATTLE, WA | $35,000 | 2023 | PROGRESS AWARDS AND BUSINESS PLAN AWARD |
| WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY | SPOKANE, WA | $33,000 | 2023 | BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION |
| NW SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN | SHORELINE, WA | $31,000 | 2023 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN |
| UNIVERSITY DISTRICT SPOKANE | SPOKANE, WA | $30,000 | 2023 | BUSINESS PLAN AWARDS |
| WASHINGTON BUSINESS WEEK | RENTON, WA | $30,000 | 2023 | SEATTLE UNIVERSITY LAUNCH |
| VENTURES | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2023 | BUSINESS SAVERS CLUBS |
| PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY | TACOMA, WA | $16,900 | 2023 | BUSINESS PLAN AWARD |
NW SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN
$1,500,000GENERAL PURPOSE GRANT
JONES PROGRESS AWARDS, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION AWARD, IDEA CHALLENGE AWARDS, INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP GRANT
PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY
$307,000COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PRGM.; NOURISH CERTIFICATE PRGM.
GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
EDMONDS COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$252,500GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
PENINSULA COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$252,500GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
GRAYS HARBOR COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$252,500GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
SKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$252,500GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
YAKIMA VALLEY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$204,400GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
TACOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$204,400GRANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$53,0752024-2025 HBJ ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM, SOCIAL VENTURE AWARDS & LAUNCH, INNOVATION LAB
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
$110,000BUSINESS PLAN AWARD, MILESTONE AWARDS, STUDENT VENTURE MANAGER
CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP MAJOR
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
$45,000ACCELERATOR AWARD, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CHALLENGES
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$33,068CAMPUS COURSE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL VENTURE COMPETITION, STUDENT LAUNCH AWARDS
ENTERPRISE FOR EQUITY
$23,000LOW INCOME SCHOLARSHIPS AND MOMENTUM AWARDS
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
$327,500ACCELERATOR AWARD, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CHALLENGES
EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
$172,800CENTER FOR ENTERPRENEURSHIP
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
$120,000BUSINESS PLAN AWARD, MILESTONE AWARDS, STUDENT VENTURE MANAGER
WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY
$52,000BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$32,508CAMPUS COURSE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL VENTURE COMPETITION, STUDENT LAUNCH AWARDS
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN
WASHINGTON BUSINESS WEEK
$30,000SEATTLE UNIVERSITY LAUNCH
ENTERPRISE FOR EQUITY
$23,000LOW INCOME SCHOLARSHIPS AND MOMENTUM AWARDS
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
$202,500ACCELERATOR AWARD, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CHALLENGES
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
$140,000BUSINESS PLAN AWARD, MILESTONE AWARDS, STUDENT VENTURE MANAGER
EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
$103,509CENTER FOR ENTERPRENEURSHIP
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$35,080CAMPUS COURSE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL VENTURE COMPETITION, STUDENT LAUNCH AWARDS
WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY
$33,000BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
NW SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN
$31,000EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT SPOKANE
$30,000BUSINESS PLAN AWARDS
WASHINGTON BUSINESS WEEK
$30,000SEATTLE UNIVERSITY LAUNCH
PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY
$16,900BUSINESS PLAN AWARD