Seattle Foundation
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Seattle Foundation is the heart and science of philanthropy, igniting powerful, rewarding philanthropy to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all
05/26/2026
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’re proud to spotlight UTOPIA Washington—a community-rooted organization and former Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) grantee.
From their early days with N2N to continued support through the Fund for Inclusive Recovery, UTOPIA has grown its impact—uplifting and empowering LGBTQ+ communities of color across our region.
This month, they’re bringing the community together through events and programming that center connection, care, and cultural pride. If you're interested in getting involved, their Community Listening Session Townhall takes place this Wednesday, May 27th from 6-8 PM at the Green River College Campus. The space is designed to uplift the voices, lived experiences, and priorities of Q***r and Trans Pacific Islanders (QTPI) and broader frontline communities across Washington State.
We’re honored to be part of their journey and to celebrate their leadership as part of N2N’s 35th anniversary.
Learn more and get involved: https://utopiawa.org/
05/21/2026
Giving should never be caught in political crosshairs.
The decision by large commercial DAF providers to freeze giving to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) amid recent Capitol Hill hearings has sparked a critical national conversation.
At Seattle Foundation, we take this deeply seriously. When philanthropy is weaponized for political points, it threatens a donor’s ability to mobilize capital that nonprofit partners depend on every day.
Commercial financial institutions frequently hedge political risks to protect their bottom lines. That is what sets them apart from values-based community foundations. We stand firmly as trusted allies to donors, neighborhoods, and nonprofits. We do not retreat when conversations become difficult. We lean in.
Freezing resources based solely on an allegation:
• Imposes a severe penalty in advance of due process
• Weaponizes administrative procedures
• Sets a chilling precedent for civil society as a whole
Our values in practice demand that we prioritize community over politics and partnership over partisanship.
Philanthropy is at its best when it transcends partisan divides to build an equitable, resilient future for everyone.
Council on Foundations | Philanthropy Northwest | United Philanthropy Forum | Southern Poverty Law Center
Every thriving organization begins with people who see a need in their community and step forward to meet it.
Open Doors for Multicultural Families (ODMF) received one of its earliest grants from Seattle Foundation’s Neighbor to Neighbor program. In those early years, N2N also provided technical assistance to help the organization strengthen its foundation and expand its vision.
Founded in 2009 by Ginger Kwan and a group of parents, professionals, and community leaders, ODMF works at the intersection of disability support, cultural understanding, and community empowerment. Through its cultural brokerage model, ODMF connects multicultural families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to critical services, advocacy, and community resources across King and Pierce Counties.
Over the years, Seattle Foundation has continued partnering with ODMF through additional grants, including support as part of a broader coalition of BIPOC-led organizations advocating for families and individuals with disabilities.
Today, ODMF remains a vital resource—providing culturally responsive services, supporting families across the lifespan, and empowering communities that are too often overlooked.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can support organizations like ODMF or looking for options to help clients invest in meaningful local change, connect with one of our team to make a lasting difference in the communities and causes you care about.
In the late 1980s, foundations across the country, including Seattle Foundation, were called to examine how philanthropy was reaching communities of color and low-income neighborhoods.
In response, Seattle Foundation partnered with the C.S. Mott Foundation to launch Neighbor to Neighbor: a grants program designed to invest directly in grassroots efforts led by those most impacted by inequities.
What began in a handful of Central and Southeast Seattle neighborhoods has grown into a decades-long model for community-centered philanthropy—one that continues to inform how Seattle Foundation advances equity and opportunity across our region today.
Learn more about the impact of Neighbor to Neighbor or support the program:
- Support: https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Form/a3786b7b-04ba-454d-ba12-b0d99453db9c
- Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBWliYXrvF-1mV7l_ulg4YdJp94iN1Xow
- Professional Advisors: If your clients are looking for meaningful ways to invest in local communities, our philanthropic advisors can help guide strategic giving.
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1601 5th Avenue, Ste 1900
Seattle, WA
98101
