Harnish Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your organisation has current 501(c)(3) status and its work relates to youth services, education, veterans, illness and disability, or housing, serving one of the Washington or Montana counties named in its geographic focus, it is worth approaching, and the foundation prefers restricted funds to general operating support.
- A request of around $50,000 suits it, since half of its 127 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less, and its typical grants run from $20,000 to $215,000, though its largest grant was $650,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat funding is significant, with 53% of its grant dollars in the latest filing going to organisations it had funded before, so an existing relationship or prior grant is a strong starting point, and it accepts applications on a rolling basis and considers each request case by case.
- Do not apply if you are a hospital, clinic, college, emergency or drop-in shelter, religious institution, political organisation, arts or animal-focused group, a very large charity of national or global scope, a third-party or bridge organisation, or if you distribute goods or seek loans.
Overview
Harnish Foundation is a US private foundation based in Tukwila, WA.
What they fund
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 champions non-profit organisations that empower people to take responsibility and initiative for their own well-being. Its priorities include youth services for young people separated from their families in difficult or unsafe circumstances, and academic and life-skills support for opportunity youth. It funds targeted education, schools serving children with disabilities or special needs, and job training that builds workforce readiness and economic self-reliance. For veterans, it supports stability, self-sufficiency and purpose, including homes and adaptive recreation. Its illness and disability priorities include recovery and well-being after domestic violence, assault, trauma or substance-use disorders, supportive housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and meaningful experiences for people facing life-limiting illness. It also supports transitional housing for women and families with case management and programmes that keep people connected to housing. Eligible organisations must have current 501(c)(3) status, a relevant mission or project, and serve its geographic area; requests are assessed case by case.
Themes
- Youth services
- Education
- Veterans
- Illness and disability
- Housing
Geographic Focus
Washington Counties: San Juan, Island, Whatcom and 19 more counties in Washington; Montana Counties: Glacier, Pondera, Teton and 37 more counties in Montana.
What They Don't Fund
- Animals, including equine therapy for humans
- Environment, climate, outdoors as “therapy”
- Arts
- Emergency or drop-in shelters
- Loans
- Goods distribution: food banks, clothing banks, toy drives, etc
- Hospitals, medical research, clinics, treatment, and care
- Colleges and universities, including but not limited to capital improvement, college scholarships
- Cultural, artistic, or generic recreational activities
- Endowment funds
- Political organizations
- Religious institutions
- Third party or “bridge” organizations
- Very large charities – national or global scope
How to apply
For ongoing funding opportunities, organisations with an existing relationship or prior funding can contact the foundation at any time.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 53% 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 127 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The foundation considers grant requests case by case.
- The organisation must have current 501(c)(3) exempt status.
- The organisation’s mission or project must relate to what the foundation funds.
- The foundation prefers restricted funds to general operating support.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
4 other states: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to organisations Harnish Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 62 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Child Bridge · Family recruiter/parent coach/family recruiter/parent coach$280,0002024 tax year
- Camp Korey · Grow invoice - raise the paddle match, general operating funds$250,0002024 tax year
- Habitat For Humanity - Seattleking County · Veteran homes$250,0002024 tax year
- Eastside Academy · Housing program staff$230,0002024 tax year
- Uplift Northwest · Capital campaign, fall fundraiser$225,0002024 tax year
- Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School · Capital campaign$200,0002024 tax year
- Summit Community Center · Full-time vocational development instructor & dept lead/full-time pre-employment instructors$186,5002024 tax year
- Vine Maple Place · Children & youth program/child mental health specialist$185,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Dean Blackford — Director
- Elena Harnish — Director
- Ewelina Hickey — Director
- Troy Hickey — Director
- John W Harnish — Director
- Brian Heeb — Treasurer
- Katherine A Harnish — VP / Director
- Jennifer C Harnish — President
- John J Harnish — Chairman
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,134,914 | $2,020,000 | $61,104,904 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $4,297,625 | $4,159,849 | $79,455,799 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,279,092 | $4,964,750 | $99,155,602 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Harnish Foundation?
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Applying to Harnish Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required