The Firstenburg Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Firstenburg Foundation is a good fit if your work is houselessness or affordable housing access, or building small nonprofit capacity, in Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat or Skamania counties in Washington, and it funds nonprofits and grassroots groups providing direct services.
- Plan a request in the range of $3,500 to $50,000, since about 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations fall in that band, with a median of $10,000; the largest grant in the filing was $215,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- Its small nonprofit grants are stated at $30,000 for a single programme, and the filing excludes organisations with annual income greater than $500,000 or with less than one year of documented programme delivery from those grants, so check these terms before applying.
- Submit through the online grantee portal, since requests sent by other means are not considered, and time your approach to the grant cycle, as deadlines may vary.
- In the filing, half of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had funded in an earlier filing, so repeat relationships carry weight, while individuals, religious organisations, political or lobbying work, event sponsorships and endowments are not funded.
Overview
The Firstenburg Foundation is a US private foundation based in Vancouver, 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 Firstenburg Foundation focuses on houselessness and affordable housing access in Southwest Washington, while maintaining its commitment to building small nonprofit capacity. It supports nonprofit organisations and grassroots groups providing direct services in Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat and Skamania counties; eligible applicants are public charitable or exempt entities, or use fiscal sponsors. It describes itself as a trusted partner, offering essential investment and strategic support. For housing insecurity, it prioritises proven interventions and strategies that keep people stably housed, alongside innovative ideas and organisational partnerships. Its small-nonprofit capacity-building priorities include partnerships and coalitions, community leadership, staff development and training, diversity, equity and inclusion, technology, and support for additional or expanded staffing and consultancy.
Themes
- Houselessness
- Affordable housing
- Small nonprofit capacity
Geographic Focus
Southwest Washington: Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Religious organizations
- International organizations without qualified domestic 501(c)(3) representative
- Private foundations
- Endowments
- Dinners/balls/ticketed events
- Political purposes
- Lobbying activities
- Purposes outside of the foundation's funding priorites
- Small non profit grants only: Organizations with annual income greater than $500,000; Organizations with less than one year of documented program delivery; PTA/PTO/Booster Clubs; Individuals; Endowments; Event Sponsorships; Private Foundations; Sports clubs/teams; Scholarships; Sectarian Religious Purposes
How to apply
Applicants submit grant requests through the online grantee portal; requests sent by other means are not considered.
Deadlines: Submission deadlines coincide with grant cycles, which may vary.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 50% 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 195 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- For housing insecurity, it prioritises proven interventions and strategies that keep residents stably housed, alongside innovative ideas and organisational partnerships.
- For capacity building, it prioritises partnerships and coalitions that help groups work together for more equitable neighbourhoods.
- It prioritises work that builds leadership among community members to organise and lead positive change in their communities.
- It supports staff support, personal and professional development, and leadership development opportunities.
- It supports specific work on diversity, equity and inclusion organisational education and practices.
- It supports computer and video hardware or software needs, including websites, social media, accounting and relationship management systems.
- It supports new positions, increased paid staff hours or external consultants to grow the organisation and serve more community members.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 50% of grant dollars went to organisations The Firstenburg 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 68 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Specialized Housing · To be applied to felida park senior housing$215,0002024 tax year
- Share · To be applied as flexible funds for housing programs$50,0002024 tax year
- Janus Youth Programs · To be applied to key housing prevention$50,0002024 tax year
- Outsiders Inn · To be applied as program support$50,0002024 tax year
- Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Washington · To be applied as capacity building$50,0002024 tax year
- Community House on Broadway · To be applied to emergency shelter$50,0002024 tax year
- Council for the Homeless · To be applied as capacity building$50,0002024 tax year
- Vancouver Housing Authority · To be applied as program support$48,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Nicole Flack — Director
- Molly Linz — Director
- Shelly Firstenburg — Director
- Jeffrey William Firstenburg — Director
- Jennifer Rhoads — Executive Director
- Bruce Firstenburg — Treasurer
- William Firstenburg — Secretary
- Jeffrey Wayne Firstebburg — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,514,092 | $1,821,236 | $37,235,938 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,958,780 | $1,361,456 | $39,829,411 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,948,806 | $1,344,550 | $42,840,324 | 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 The Firstenburg Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (360) 699-4212
- Vancouver, WA
- theffdn.org
Applying to The Firstenburg Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (360) 699-4212
- Vancouver, WA
- theffdn.org