The Bamford Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation gives priority to Greater Tacoma and Pierce County, and its four stated priorities are basic needs, early learning, expanded learning opportunities, and postsecondary education and job training, so your work should sit in that area and under one of those headings.
- Its typical grants run from $2,500 to $20,000, with about 8 in 10 of its grants in that band and a median of $7,500, so a modest request near the median suits it best; its largest grant has been about $165,000, so the band is not a ceiling.
- Start with a letter of inquiry through its online grants portal, and only if it is approved will you be invited to a fuller application, with deadlines aligned to its February, May, August and October/November board meetings.
- Repeat giving is significant, with 64% of its grant dollars to organisations going to groups it had also funded in an earlier filing, so new applicants should expect a field that leans towards familiar grantees, though approaching it is still reasonable.
- Do not apply if you are an individual seeking a grant or scholarship, a religious organisation whose main activity serves only its own members, or an organisation that discriminates on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation, or that supports violence, and do not seek funding for basic research, sponsorship or conferences.
Overview
The Bamford Foundation is a US private foundation based in Tacoma, WA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Bamford Foundation supports 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisations, primarily within greater Tacoma and Pierce County. It supports operational, capacity-building and programme funds, partnerships and capital projects that are evidence-based and innovative, promote equity, diversity, access and inclusion, and invite individuals and families to use their voices and resources to strengthen their communities. It also values collaboration with partners across the greater community. Its four priorities are basic needs, including food, health care, housing, shelter and financial stability; early learning and parent support, including quality early learning, childcare and support for parents and primary caregivers; expanded learning opportunities, especially for children and young people from preschool to grade 12, including arts, civic engagement, STEM and learning support; and access to postsecondary education and job training, including apprenticeships and career pathways.
Themes
- Basic needs
- Early learning
- Expanded learning opportunities
- Postsecondary and job training
Geographic Focus
Priority: Greater Tacoma; Pierce County.
What They Don't Fund
- Organizations that discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation
- Individuals (e.g. direct grants or scholarships for individuals)
- Religious or sectarian organizations whose principle activity is for the benefit of their own members
- Basic Research
- Sponsorship
- Conferences
- Organizations that support violence
How to apply
Submit a letter of inquiry through the online grants portal. If the LOI is approved, the organisation is invited to complete a more detailed application on the portal.
Deadlines: LOI and application cycles align with quarterly board meetings in February, May, August and October/November.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 64% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 299 grants to organisations were $7,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The foundation supports projects that are evidence-based and innovative and promote equity, diversity, access and inclusion.
- It supports efforts involving collaboration with partners across the greater community for the most impact.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
1 other state: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 64% of grant dollars went to organisations The Bamford Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 3% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 140 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $8,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties · Pearl street y campaign support$166,6662025 tax year
- Foundation for Tacoma Students · General support$82,5002025 tax year
- Asia Pacific Cultural Center · Education and mentoring programs.$65,0002025 tax year
- First 5 Fundamentals · General support$50,2642025 tax year
- Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center · General support$50,0002025 tax year
- Greater Tacoma Community Foundation · General support$50,0002025 tax year
- Communities in Schools of Tacoma · Program support$48,0002025 tax year
- BrightSpark Early Learning Services · Advocacy grant$40,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Heather Bamford — Director
- Drew Bamford — Director
- Holly Bamford — Secretary / Director
- Joanne Bamford — Vice President / Director
- Calvin Bamford JR — President / Treasurer
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $43,971 | $35,000 | $15,068,180 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,690,887 | $1,534,718 | $24,604,080 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $1,889,977 | $1,712,705 | $24,339,540 | Filing for 2025 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 Bamford Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (253) 905-7614
- holly@bamfordfoundation.org
- HOLLY@BAMFORDFOUNDATION.ORG
- Tacoma, WA
- bamfordfoundation.org
Applying to The Bamford Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (253) 905-7614
- holly@bamfordfoundation.org
- HOLLY@BAMFORDFOUNDATION.ORG
- Tacoma, WA
- bamfordfoundation.org