About Northwest Fund for the Environment
Grants by the Northwest Fund are from an endowment designated to be spent promoting change in the uses of natural resources which will increase their protection and preservation in the State of Washington. Special emphasis is placed on the protection of wild fish, native wildlife, natural forests, wetlands and shorelines, and the preservation of pure and free-flowing waters.
Focus Areas
Water quality and quantityInstream flow protectionHabitat connectivityMarine and estuarine protection (Puget Sound, Washington coast)Litigation and policy enforcement (CWA, ESA, SMA)Community organizing and engagementEnvironmental justice and empowering communities of color
Who They Fund
Washington state river and marine ecosystems (instream habitats, Puget Sound / Salish Sea)riverside and coastal Washington communities (including tribal communities)
About Northwest Fund for the Environment
The Northwest Fund for the Environment backs Washington-focused work to protect natural resources through core grants, bridge funding, board-directed awards, and rapid-response community grants. Its recent awards show a clear pattern of support for organizations working on water quality, instream flow protection, marine and estuarine habitat, growth management, and enforcement campaigns tied to the Clean Water Act and related laws. Several of the larger recent grants went to groups advancing that agenda from different angles. Re Sources received $20,000 in 2025 for "Protecting the Salish Sea: Watchdogging pollution, game-changing policies, and community action," while Columbia Riverkeeper received $20,000 in both 2024 and 2025 for its "Clean Water Action Project." Futurewise also received $20,000 in 2024 and 2025 for work described as protecting farms, forests, and water habitat. Those awards fit the fund’s stated emphasis on fish, wildlife, forests, wetlands, shorelines, and free-flowing waters in Washington State. The foundation also supports organizations working on policy, litigation, monitoring, and public engagement. Recent grants include support for Clean Water Act enforcement, dam removal advocacy, pesticide outreach to farmworkers, and marine vessel traffic monitoring. Across the recent grants list, the fund’s portfolio stays closely tied to ecosystem protection and regulatory action in Washington and nearby watersheds linked to the state’s environmental systems.
What Northwest Fund for the Environment Funds
Water protection appears across multiple program areas. The Northwest Fund for the Environment gave $20,000 in 2024 to the Center for Environmental Law & Policy for "Protecting and Restoring Washington's Instream Water resources," and $10,000 in 2024 to Spokane Riverkeeper for its "Clean Water Defense Program." Marine and estuarine work is another clear thread. Friends of the San Juans received $10,000 in 2024 for "Vessel Traffic Safety, Spill Response, Stand Up to oil campaign," and Friends of the Earth received $10,000 in 2025 for "Puget Sound and Outer Coast marine vessel traffic monitoring and enforcement program." The foundation also funds work on land use and habitat protection. Cascade Forest Conservancy received $10,000 in 2025 for "Protecting the Green River Valley from mining," and Okanogan Highlands Alliance received $10,000 in 2024 for "Buckhorn Mine CWA Litigation and Watchdogging."
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$399K
Total Assets
$5.7M
Total Revenue
$76K
Total Expenses
$480K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $10K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$10K
Geographic Reach
Regional8 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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