About Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation
The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation makes a small number of large, targeted gifts to local cultural and environmental education institutions in the Port Townsend/Jefferson County area. Their recent grants show a clear interest in sustaining a regional historical society and supporting marine science education, indicating a focus on community cultural preservation and hands-on environmental learning.
Focus Areas
Jefferson County historic preservation and local history organizationsMarine science education and public coastal/environmental educationRegional cultural institutions and community heritage projects
Who They Fund
cultural institutions (museums, aquaria, cultural projects)marine/aquatic audiences and learners (visitors, students)wildlife and companion animals (rehabilitated and rehomed animals)general public reached through environmental education programs
Giving Approach
About Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation
The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation’s recent giving centers on a small number of large, targeted awards to cultural institutions, marine science educators, and heritage organizations in Washington. A defining thread is support for Port Townsend and Jefferson County: the Jefferson County Historical Society received $110,000 in 2023, and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center received $100,000 in 2023, showing the foundation’s interest in both local history and hands-on environmental learning. That pattern continues across Seattle and the broader Puget Sound region. The Burke Museum received $90,000 in 2025 after earlier awards of $55,000 in 2024 and 2023, while the Seattle Aquarium was supported with $57,500 in 2024 and $57,500 in 2023. Other grants point to related priorities in cultural programming, coastal education, and community heritage, including support for the Wing Luke Asian Museum, Woodland Park Zoo, and the Makah Cultural and Research Center. The foundation also backs Native cultural preservation and natural resource protection through grants to organizations such as Potlatch Fund, American Indian College Fund, and Alaska Wilderness League. Across these awards, the foundation combines institutional support with place-based giving in Washington.
What Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation Funds
One clear theme is local history and cultural preservation. The Jefferson County Historical Society received $110,000 in 2023 and another $20,000 in 2025, pointing to sustained support for regional historical work in Port Townsend. Marine and environmental education is another major strand. The Port Townsend Marine Science Center received $100,000 in 2023 and $20,000 in 2025, while the Seattle Aquarium received $57,500 in 2024 for development of hands-on marine experiences and conservation education. The foundation also funds cultural institutions and Native cultural preservation. In Seattle, the Wing Luke Asian Museum received $50,000 in 2023 and $40,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and the Makah Cultural and Research Center received $25,000 in 2025. Environmental protection appears in grants to the Burke Museum, including $90,000 in 2025 and $55,000 in 2024 and 2023, along with support for conservation work at Seattle Parks Foundation and Alaska Wilderness League.
How Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation Gives
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$850K
Total Assets
$1.9M
Total Revenue
$1.3M
Total Expenses
$955K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $10K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$10K
Geographic Reach
Local9 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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