Sound Credit Union focuses on local community and economic wellbeing in the Tacoma/King-Pierce region, blending sponsorships of community events with investments in workforce and small-business development. They also direct funding to the credit union movement and basic needs providers (food security, youth services), preferring visible sponsorships and partnerships that raise their community profile. Grants mix regional nonprofits, educational institutions, and peer credit-union organizations, indicating both community relations and industry support priorities.
Sound Credit Union’s largest recent grant was a $45,500 sponsorship to the University of Washington Foundation for the Business Leadership Awards and financial wellness. That pairing captures a consistent pattern in its giving: support for community-facing events and programs that connect financial education, local business leadership, and civic visibility. The foundation also backed Business Impact NW with $45,000 in general support, showing that its community and economic priorities extend beyond one-time sponsorships. Recent grants point to a funder that works close to home, especially in the Tacoma–Pierce County area, while also supporting organizations tied to the credit union movement and local basic-needs service. The foundation gave to Food Lifeline, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, YMCA, Friends of the Children, and the Economic Development Board of Tacomapierce County. It also funded peer and sector organizations such as Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions and Inclusiv Inc, indicating that its grantmaking includes both local community investment and industry support. Across the grant list, the pattern is practical and relationship-based, with awards that combine sponsorship, membership, and general support.
Sound Credit Union supports financial wellness through education and leadership programming. A $45,500 grant to the University of Washington Foundation supported the Business Leadership Awards and financial wellness, linking money management with business recognition. Small-business and economic development are another clear theme. The foundation gave $45,000 to Business Impact NW for general support, and $6,000 to the Economic Development Board of Tacomapierce County as an annual meeting sponsor. Community services and youth-oriented support also appear in the grant list. Food Lifeline received $13,600 for general support, Friends of the Children received $6,250 for general support, and the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation received $11,750 for South Sound Together general support and the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center. The foundation also funds community events and civic engagement. Recent examples include a $10,000 sponsorship to YMCA for the Tom Taylor YMCA and a $7,500 sponsorship to Seattle Pride.
Typical grants cluster in the five-figure range, with a p25 of $7,500, median of $10,000, and p75 of $13,600. The 2023 list includes both larger awards and smaller sponsorships, which suggests a mixed approach rather than a single grant template. The foundation is a public charity, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. The recent recipient list is concentrated in one year, so recurring support is visible in the pattern of sponsorships and general support, but the data provided does not show multi-year repeats for specific grantees.
$209K
$2.7B
$118.1M
$96.1M
Most grants fall between $8K and $14K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$14K
About 85% of grants go to recipients in WA.
DONALD CLARK JR
PRESIDENT/CEO
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Modest number of mid-size to small grants with a handful of larger, visible gifts; funding is geographically concentrated in the South Sound and often takes the form of event or program sponsorships and membership support. They spread gifts across community-facing organizations and industry partners rather than long-term, unrestricted multi-year commitments.
Notable grantees: University of Washington Foundation, Business Impact NW, GoWest Credit Union Foundation, Food Lifeline, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
Giving is highly local: 85% of grants go to recipients in Washington, and every listed recent grant is in the United States. Tacoma appears often, with grants to the University of Washington Foundation, YMCA, Friends of the Children, the Economic Development Board of Tacomapierce County, and the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation. Seattle and Seatac also appear among Washington recipients, along with Puyallup and Tukwila. Outside Washington, the foundation’s recent list includes Madison, Wisconsin, and New York, New York.
The recent grants show support for education, economic development, food security, youth services, family justice, and credit union-sector organizations. Examples include the University of Washington Foundation, Business Impact NW, Food Lifeline, Friends of the Children, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions, and Inclusiv Inc.
The foundation’s grant sizes cluster around five figures. The provided distribution shows a p25 of $7,500, a median of $10,000, and a p75 of $13,600.
Grantmaking is local, with 85% of grants going to recipients in Washington. Recent Washington recipients include organizations in Tacoma, Seattle, Seatac, Puyallup, and Tukwila.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and the recent grant list consists of organizations such as Food Lifeline, YMCA, and the University of Washington Foundation.
The recent list includes Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions for general support and Inclusiv Inc for membership, along with Gowest Credit Union Foundation for general support and the CU4Kids auction. Those awards show direct support for peer and sector organizations as well as local community work.
2023
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2023.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION | TACOMA, WA | $45,500 | 2023 | BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARDS SPONSORSHIP; FINANCIAL WELLNESS |
| BUSINESS IMPACT NW | SEATTLE, WA | $45,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GOWEST CREDIT UNION FOUNDATION | SEATAC, WA | $32,325 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT; CU4KIDS AUCTION |
| FOOD LIFELINE | SEATTLE, WA | $13,600 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER TACOMA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TACOMA, WA | $11,750 | 2023 | SOUTH SOUND TOGETHER GENERAL SUPPORT; CRYSTAL JUDSON FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER |
| WORLDWIDE FOUNDATION FOR CREDIT UNIONS | MADISON, WI | $10,225 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YMCA | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2023 | TOM TAYLOR YMCA SPONSORSHIP |
| TACOMA STARS PROFESSIONAL SOCCER | TUKWILA, WA | $8,000 | 2023 | SPONSORSHIP |
| SEATTLE PRIDE | SEATTLE, WA | $7,500 | 2023 | SPONSORSHIP |
| INCLUSIV INC | NEW YORK, NY | $7,500 | 2023 | MEMBERSHIP |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN | TACOMA, WA | $6,250 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD OF TACOMAPIERCE COUNTY | TACOMA, WA | $6,000 | 2023 | ANNUAL MEETING SPONSOR |
| PUYALLUP MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION | PUYALLUP, WA | $5,500 | 2023 | MEEKER DAYS SPONSOR |
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION
$45,500BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARDS SPONSORSHIP; FINANCIAL WELLNESS
BUSINESS IMPACT NW
$45,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GOWEST CREDIT UNION FOUNDATION
$32,325GENERAL SUPPORT; CU4KIDS AUCTION
FOOD LIFELINE
$13,600GENERAL SUPPORT
GREATER TACOMA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$11,750SOUTH SOUND TOGETHER GENERAL SUPPORT; CRYSTAL JUDSON FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER
WORLDWIDE FOUNDATION FOR CREDIT UNIONS
$10,225GENERAL SUPPORT
YMCA
$10,000TOM TAYLOR YMCA SPONSORSHIP
TACOMA STARS PROFESSIONAL SOCCER
$8,000SPONSORSHIP
SEATTLE PRIDE
$7,500SPONSORSHIP
INCLUSIV INC
$7,500MEMBERSHIP
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN
$6,250GENERAL SUPPORT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD OF TACOMAPIERCE COUNTY
$6,000ANNUAL MEETING SPONSOR
PUYALLUP MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION
$5,500MEEKER DAYS SPONSOR