Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation

Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation is a US private foundation based in Missoula, MT.

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Foundation funds direct-service non-profit organisations that provide people with tools to improve their lives. Its four focus areas are education, health and human services, arts and culture, and community service. It prioritises low-income, rural and underserved populations, including at-risk youth, economically and socially disadvantaged individuals and families, and people with special needs; eligible programmes serve people in areas where the Washington Companies operate. Requests should build life skills or meet a basic societal need, and most funding should reach recipients through direct services. The Foundation considers financial stability, staffing and facility capacity, relevant partnerships, programme sustainability and measurable impact. It values local support and collaboration and is not a long-term funder.

Themes

• Education
• Health and Human Services
• Arts and Culture
• Community Service

Geographic Focus

Montana; Kent; Spokane; Rochester; Boise; Pocatello; Jerome; Eugene; Portland; Vancouver; Victoria.

What They Don't Fund

• Most capital and equipment campaigns
• Sponsorships including auctions, dinners, tickets, marketing or advertising, or annual fundraising events
• Organizations that, in policy or practice, unfairly discriminate against race, ethnic origin, sex, creed, or religion
• Loans, debt retirement, or operational deficits
• Individuals, unless under an approved educational scholarship program
• Sectarian or religious organizations for religious purposes where the principal activity is for the benefit of their own members or adherents
• Fraternal organizations or civic organizations
• Travel expenses or trips (e.g. major metropolitan areas)
• Private or public foundations, endowments
• Curriculum development or operational costs of public or private educational institutions or other tax-supported groups
• Political action or legislative advocacy groups or influencing elections
• Organizations acting on behalf of, but without the authority of, qualified tax-exempt organizations
• Games, sports teams, sporting events or facilities, golf scrambles
• Senior or Capstone events or projects, including Eagle Scout projects
• Film, broadcast, or media programming, development, production or marketing
• To fund graduation, senior, or end of year school activities
• To fund overhead or indirect costs not directly related to the implementation of a grant
• For social, economic, academic, medical, or scientific research

Most organisations should read the Grant Guidelines, complete the online Eligibility Review, then submit the online Application Form if eligible. Canadian organisations must first submit a letter of inquiry through the grants management system and may submit an application only if invited.

Deadlines: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with decisions generally made within 90 days.

• Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 83% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
• Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 1,587 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

• Requests should provide recipients with life skills to help them reach their full potential or fulfil a basic societal need.
• Applicants should show substantial financial support from the community, constituency groups or other funding sources before applying.
• Applicants should show local maintenance of effort, such as local fundraising or direct or in-kind contributions.
• Applicants should demonstrate collaboration with other organisations to prevent or eliminate duplication of services.
• The Foundation examines each organisation’s financial stability, staffing and facility capacity, and relevant partnerships.
• The Foundation assesses an organisation’s ability to sustain a programme and demonstrate measurable impact on the population served.
• Applicants should show that funding will leverage other private or public resources.