47th Avenue Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,708,285 (2024)
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
• Decision Time: N/A (invitation-only)
• Grant Range: $1,000 - $300,000
• Geographic Focus: King County, Washington

Contact Details

• Website: www.47ave.org
• Grant Inquiries: lauren@47ave.org
• General Inquiries: hello@47ave.org
• Address: 500 108th Ave NE, Suite 1100, Bellevue, WA 98004

Overview

Founded in 2019 by Don and Phyllis Lindsey, the 47th Avenue Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation with over $56 million in assets dedicated to empowering children in King County, Washington. After building a successful aerospace manufacturing company over four decades, the Lindseys established this foundation to give back to the Seattle community. The foundation has rapidly scaled its grantmaking from $286,000 in 2022 to over $1.7 million in 2024, supporting 49 organizations. Their mission focuses on providing equitable access to healthcare, education, and essential resources that foster children's growth, well-being, and potential. Beyond financial support, the foundation provides capacity-building services and strategic guidance to help amplify their partners' community impact.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• General Support Grants: $1,000 - $300,000 (invitation-only basis)
• Median Grant Size: $20,000 - $23,000
• Total 2024 Grantmaking: $1,708,285 across 49 grants

Priority Areas

• Healthcare: Supporting organizations providing equitable access to medical care, therapies, and early interventions for children
• Education: Advancing equitable educational opportunities through programs fostering academic, social-emotional, career readiness, and self-advocacy skills
• Essential Resources: Ensuring family stability and child well-being by providing essential resources, reducing barriers to participation, and creating opportunities for all children

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations outside King County, Washington (rare exceptions)
• Unsolicited applications
• Organizations not serving children and families

Governance and Leadership

Founders: Don and Phyllis Lindsey - Montana State University graduates who built a successful aerospace manufacturing company together over four decades. Phyllis has extensive operations management experience.

Senior Leadership Team:

• Lauren Bruck (lauren@47ave.org): Pacific Northwest native with over a decade of healthcare consulting experience and University of Notre Dame graduate. Reviews grant requests and submissions.
• Ozy Zebarjadi (joined October 2022): Over a decade of executive leadership experience in nonprofit healthcare, supporting Primary Care, Pediatrics, and Surgical specialties.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The 47th Avenue Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, personally reaching out to organizations closely aligned with their mission and goals. They provide both financial support and capacity-building services to their selected partners.

Getting on Their Radar

Organizations interested in introducing their work can contact:

• Grant inquiries: lauren@47ave.org (Lauren Bruck handles grant requests and submissions)
• General inquiries: hello@47ave.org

While unsolicited applications are not accepted, organizations serving children and families in King County can proactively introduce themselves and their work to potentially be considered for future invitation.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - invitation-only process

Success Rates

Not available - invitation-only foundation

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation-only process

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented giving patterns and stated priorities:

• Geographic alignment critical: 98% of grants stay within Washington state, specifically King County
• Mission focus essential: Must clearly demonstrate impact on children's healthcare, education, or essential family resources
• Partnership approach valued: Foundation provides capacity-building support beyond funding, indicating they seek organizations open to strategic partnership
• Range of organization sizes supported: From large established organizations (Boyer Children's Clinic receiving $125,000) to smaller programs (Big Brothers Big Sisters receiving $1,000)
• Proven track record important: Current partners include well-established organizations like Kindering (founded 1962) and LifeWire (founded 1982)
• Holistic support model: Foundation looks for organizations where they can provide "critical funding, resources, and strategic guidance to amplify impact"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation-only but approachable: While applications aren't accepted, the foundation welcomes introductions from aligned organizations via lauren@47ave.org
• Rapidly growing foundation: Grantmaking increased 6x from 2022 to 2024, suggesting expanding partnership opportunities
• King County focus is non-negotiable: Must serve children and families specifically in this geographic area
• Beyond money: Foundation offers capacity-building and strategic support, not just financial grants
• Wide grant range: From $1,000 to $300,000 accommodates various project scales
• Relationship-based philanthropy: Personal outreach model indicates strong emphasis on partnership development
• Well-resourced: With $56M+ in assets, foundation has substantial capacity for long-term support

References

• 47th Avenue Foundation Official Website (www.47ave.org) - Accessed February 2024
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - 47th Avenue Foundation Profile and Form 990 filings (2021-2023)
• Charity Navigator Organization Profile - 47th Avenue Foundation
• Foundation LinkedIn Page - Leadership and organizational updates
• IRS Tax-Exempt Organization Search Database - EIN 84-6884500 verification