Keith and Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,328,545 (2023)
• Total Assets: $29.7 million (2024)
• Median Grant: $5,000
• Grant Range: $500 - $315,000
• Number of Grants: 75 (2023), 67 (2022), 70 (2021)
• Geographic Focus: Washington State (approximately 50% of giving), with some national and international grants
• Application Process: No public application process - invitation only

Contact Details

Address: 201 Terry Avenue North, Suite A, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: 206-282-1001

Website: None

Email: Not publicly available

Note: The foundation does not maintain a website and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Overview

Established in 1995 by the late telecom billionaire Keith McCaw and his wife Mary Kay McCaw, the Keith and Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation continues to be stewarded by Mary Kay following Keith's death in 2002. Keith McCaw made his fortune as a stockholder in McCaw Cellular Communications, built by his brother Craig and sold to AT&T in 1994 for $11.5 billion. The foundation maintains assets of approximately $29.7 million and distributes around $1.3-1.5 million annually through 65-75 grants. The foundation takes a broad approach to philanthropy, supporting health, mental health, housing, arts and culture, education, environment, and animal causes, with a strong emphasis on Washington State organizations. The foundation is known for maintaining a low profile, with Keith McCaw having made many of his charitable commitments anonymously during his lifetime. The McCaw family's broader philanthropic legacy in Seattle includes a $20 million family gift (including Keith's $5 million matched by his three brothers) to the Seattle Center Foundation for a performance hall named for their mother, Marion Oliver McCaw.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

Health

• Seattle Children's Hospital
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
• Baily-Boushay House (HIV/AIDS care)

Mental Health and Housing

• Strong focus on vulnerable youth and women
• Grantees include: Childhaven, YouthCare of Seattle, Plymouth Housing Group, Lifewire (women's shelter in Bellevue), Smiles Forever of Renton

Education

• K-12 and higher education, primarily in Seattle
• Recent grants: University of Washington Foundation ($255,000 in 2023 for Emergency Relief Fund/Education), Lakeside School ($110,000 in 2023 for Annual Fund/New Building Fund)
• Additional grantees: Epiphany School, Cornish College of the Arts

Animal Welfare

• Animal rescue, adoption, and service organizations
• Grantees include: Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Noah Animal Adoption Center in Stanwood, Canine Companions for Independence (California), Purrfect Pals Cat Shelter and Sanctuary, Vested Interest in Canines (provides vests for first responder dogs)

Arts and Culture

• Primarily Seattle's landmark organizations
• Grantees include: Seattle Symphony, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Children's Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet

Environment and Conservation

• Wildlife conservation and environmental initiatives
• Recent grants: Northwest Maritime Center ($125,000 in 2023), Conservation International, Seattle Aquarium Society ($70,000 in 2023), American Red Cross ($85,000 in 2023 for Disaster Relief)
• Additional grantees: Arboretum Foundation of Seattle, Snow Leopard Trust, Woodland Park Zoo, SR3 Sealife Response and Rehabilitation, Doctors Without Borders

Grant Size Distribution

• Median Grant: $5,000
• Average Grant: $20,600
• Grant Range: $500 - $315,000
• Most recent large grants: University of Washington Foundation ($255,000), Northwest Maritime Center ($125,000), Lakeside School ($110,000), American Red Cross ($85,000), Seattle Aquarium Society ($70,000)

Governance and Leadership

Mary Kay McCaw continues to steer the foundation following the death of her husband Keith in 2002. The foundation maintains an extremely low profile with limited publicly available information about its board composition or trustees. According to IRS filings, the foundation reports no compensation for officers.

The foundation operates as part of the broader McCaw family's philanthropic legacy in Seattle, which includes contributions from Keith's brothers: Bruce, Craig, and John McCaw, all of whom became billionaires through the family's cellular communications business.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly stated that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

According to Inside Philanthropy: "The funder does not run an application program, so a connection to a family member or past grantee will be key."

Getting on Their Radar

While the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, understanding their giving patterns can be valuable for organizations in their priority areas:

Organizations Most Likely to Receive Support:

• Established Washington State nonprofits with strong reputations
• Organizations serving vulnerable youth and women (mental health/housing focus)
• Seattle's landmark arts and cultural institutions
• Educational institutions with connections to the McCaw family (note: the McCaw children attended Lakeside School)
• Animal welfare organizations, particularly those focused on service animals and wildlife conservation

Relationship Building Considerations:

• The foundation appears to maintain long-term relationships with grantees, supporting many organizations repeatedly
• Organizations that have received funding from the foundation include both large institutions (University of Washington, Seattle Symphony) and smaller specialized nonprofits (Purrfect Pals, Noah Animal Adoption Center)
• The foundation's support for organizations ranges widely across causes, suggesting personal connections and interests drive grantmaking decisions
• Keith McCaw was known for making many charitable commitments anonymously during his lifetime, suggesting the foundation values quiet, effective work over public recognition

Geographic Considerations:

• Approximately 50% of grants go to Washington State organizations
• Seattle-based organizations are particularly well-represented
• The foundation does make some national and international grants (Doctors Without Borders, Conservation International, Canine Companions for Independence in California)

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis without a public application process, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, reviewing their grantmaking patterns reveals these characteristics of funded organizations:

Scale and Reputation:

• The foundation supports both large, established institutions (University of Washington, Seattle Symphony, Seattle Art Museum) and smaller specialized organizations (Purrfect Pals, Noah Animal Adoption Center)
• Grants tend to support medium- to large-sized organizations, though the range is broad

Program Focus Alignment:

• Strong emphasis on vulnerable populations, particularly youth and women in mental health and housing contexts
• Commitment to animal welfare across multiple dimensions (service animals, wildlife conservation, shelters)
• Support for environmental conservation with both local (Arboretum Foundation) and global (Conservation International) reach
• Arts support focused on Seattle's major cultural institutions

Giving Patterns:

• The foundation appears to maintain ongoing relationships with many grantees rather than one-time grants
• Support ranges from small grants ($500-$5,000) for operating support to substantial grants ($100,000+) for major initiatives
• Education grants often support both annual operations and capital campaigns (Lakeside School: Annual Fund/New Building Fund)

Geographic and Personal Connections:

• Washington State focus is clear but not exclusive
• The McCaw family's Seattle roots strongly influence grantmaking (support for Seattle Center, local schools, Seattle arts organizations)
• Educational institutions with McCaw family connections receive support (Lakeside School, which the McCaw children attended)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This foundation exclusively supports preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited proposals. Direct application is not possible.

• Relationship-Based Grantmaking: Connections to the McCaw family or to organizations that have previously received grants appear to be essential for consideration.

• Broad but Focused Priorities: While the foundation supports diverse causes (health, education, arts, environment, animals, housing), there are clear priorities around vulnerable youth and women, animal welfare, and Seattle-based institutions.

• Wide Grant Range with Strategic Focus: With grants ranging from $500 to $315,000 and a median of $5,000, the foundation supports both major initiatives and smaller programs, though average grants are approximately $20,600.

• Washington State Emphasis: Approximately half of all grants stay in Washington State, with Seattle organizations particularly well-represented, though the foundation does make selective national and international grants.

• Long-Term Relationships: The foundation appears to maintain ongoing support for many organizations rather than making one-time grants, suggesting that once an organization is in the foundation's portfolio, continued support may be possible.

• Low Profile Operation: The foundation maintains minimal public presence with no website and limited transparency, continuing Keith McCaw's preference for anonymous charitable giving.

References

1. Inside Philanthropy - Keith and Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation Profile. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/washington-grants/keith-and-mary-kay-mccaw-family-foundation (Accessed February 2026)

2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Keith And Mary Kay Mccaw Family Foundation. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/911920617 (Accessed February 2026)

3. GuideStar - Keith and Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation Profile. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/91-1920617 (Accessed February 2026)

4. Candid Foundation Directory - Keith & Mary Kay Mccaw Family Foundation. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=MCCA131 (Accessed February 2026)

5. The Seattle Times - "Death of McCaw a 'crazy tragedy'; details incomplete" (December 17, 2002). https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20021217&slug=keith17

6. Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "McCaw remembered for how he enjoyed life." https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/mccaw-remembered-for-how-he-enjoyed-life-1102671.php (Accessed February 2026)

7. Westside Seattle - "Northwest Maritime Center receives gifts of more than $2 Million from the McCaw Family and the Bezos Family Foundation" (October 18, 2021). https://www.westsideseattle.com/ballard-news-tribune/2021/10/18/northwest-maritime-center-receives-gifts-more-2-million-mccaw

8. Cause IQ - Keith and Mary Kay Mccaw Family Found. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/keith-and-mary-kay-mccaw-family-found,911920617/ (Accessed February 2026)

9. IRS Form 990 Filings (2009-2024) - Available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, GuideStar, and other nonprofit databases