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Aven Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.2M
Grant Range
$5K - $1.4M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,231,445 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $73,264,012
  • Number of Grants: 56 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,400,000
  • Median Grant: $28,000
  • Average Grant: $75,562
  • Geographic Focus: Washington State (primarily Seattle/Puget Sound area)

Contact Details

  • Address: P.O. Box 465, Medina, WA 98039
  • Phone: (425) 586-8011
  • Website: None
  • EIN: 91-2009458

Overview

The Aven Foundation was established in 1999 by wireless technology executives John W. Stanton and Theresa E. Gillespie. Based in Medina, Washington, the foundation has grown to hold assets of over $73 million and distributes approximately $4.2 million annually to support organizations working in education, youth development, and human services. The foundation's giving is laser-focused on the Pacific Northwest, with the vast majority of grants supporting organizations in Washington State, particularly in the Seattle and Puget Sound region. The foundation operates as a private foundation with pre-selected charitable organizations receiving the majority of grants, though they do accept unsolicited letters of inquiry via mail. Tax filings indicate that children and youth are the primary concern of this funder, with education being the most significant funding priority.

Funding Priorities

Primary Focus Areas

Education and Youth Development The Aven Foundation's main grantmaking interest is education at all levels, from K-12 through higher education. Recent education grantees include:

  • Christo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School
  • Bellevue Schools Foundation
  • Rainier Prep
  • Whitman College (Walla Walla) - received $1.4M in 2023
  • Year Up Puget Sound - $250K in 2023
  • College Success Foundation
  • Rainier Scholars
  • Summer Search
  • First Place School

Youth Programs and Services Beyond formal education, the foundation supports youth-focused organizations including:

  • Girls Who Code
  • YMCA of Greater Seattle
  • Kids and Paper
  • Boys and Girls Club of South Puget Sound
  • Friends of the Children (Seattle)
  • Childhaven
  • Amara

Human Services To a lesser extent, the foundation supports initiatives for housing, homelessness, basic needs, and mental health, with an emphasis on young people. Recipients include:

  • Roots Young Adult Shelter (Seattle)
  • Attain Housing (Redmond)
  • Imagine Housing (Bellevue)
  • Lifewire (Bellevue)
  • Ryther Child Center
  • Center for Children & Youth Justice

Other Areas

  • Overlake Hospital Foundation (Bellevue) - $250K in 2023
  • University of Washington Foundation

Geographic Limitations

Grantmaking mainly stays in Washington State, with a significant portion of funding staying in the Seattle area. Some grants have gone to organizations in Pennsylvania and New York, but these appear to be exceptions rather than the rule.

Governance and Leadership

Directors:

  • John W. Stanton - Co-founder and majority owner of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). Stanton has led several wireless communication companies throughout his career and has deep roots in the Pacific Northwest business community.
  • Theresa E. Gillespie - Co-founder. Gillespie received a BBA with a concentration in accounting from the University of Washington. She worked in accounting before becoming a wireless executive, serving as Executive Vice President and CFO of Western Wireless Corp.

Both directors serve without compensation and channel their philanthropy through the Aven Foundation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Aven Foundation pre-selects charitable organizations to receive grants but also accepts petitions from other charitable organizations. The foundation indicates that it accepts letters of inquiry via mail to their Medina address.

Important Note: Some sources indicate that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, while other research suggests they may be open to introductory materials. This suggests that while they have pre-existing relationships with many grantees, they are not completely closed to new applicants who submit well-aligned letters of inquiry.

The foundation lacks transparency and does not maintain a website, which makes it difficult to locate detailed information on specific application requirements, priority areas, and grantmaking strategies.

Mailing Address for Letters of Inquiry: Aven Foundation P.O. Box 465 Medina, WA 98039

Phone Contact: (425) 586-8011

What to Include in Your Letter of Inquiry

While specific requirements are not publicly available, given the foundation's focus areas, a letter of inquiry should likely include:

  • Clear alignment with education, youth development, or youth-focused human services
  • Geographic focus within Washington State (especially Seattle/Puget Sound region)
  • Specific program description and funding request
  • Demonstrated impact on children and youth
  • Organizational background and financial information

Decision Timeline

No specific timeline information is publicly available. Decision timelines are not disclosed by the foundation.

Success Rates

Success rate statistics are not publicly available. With 56 grants awarded in 2023 and an approach that emphasizes pre-selected organizations, the foundation appears to work primarily with organizations they already know or have strong relationships with.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information available from the Aven Foundation itself, the following success factors are based on observable patterns from their grantmaking:

Strong Geographic Alignment The foundation's giving is laser-focused on the Pacific Northwest, particularly Washington State and the Seattle/Puget Sound area. Organizations outside this region appear to receive grants only in exceptional circumstances.

Youth Impact Focus Tax filings consistently show that children and youth are the main concern of this funder. Successful applications should clearly demonstrate direct impact on young people.

Education Emphasis Education at all levels—from early childhood through higher education—represents the foundation's primary funding interest. Projects that support educational access, quality, or success are well-positioned.

Range of Grant Sizes The foundation has made grants ranging from $5,000 to $1.4 million, with a median of $28,000. Most grants stay below $300,000. This suggests they support both smaller community organizations and larger, more established institutions.

Established Relationships Matter The foundation pre-selects most grantees, suggesting that building relationships and organizational reputation within the Washington nonprofit sector may be important for success.

Recent Funding Patterns Show Consistency Organizations receiving support tend to be well-established in their communities with clear track records. Examples include school foundations, college access programs, youth development organizations, and service providers for homeless youth.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geographic focus is critical: The foundation gives almost exclusively to Washington State organizations, with heavy emphasis on the Seattle/Puget Sound region. Organizations outside this area should not apply unless they have exceptional circumstances.

  • Youth impact must be central: Children and youth are the primary concern. Applications should clearly articulate direct benefits to young people.

  • Education proposals are strongest: Education and youth development represent the core funding interest. Programs supporting educational access, quality, college readiness, or youth mentoring align best.

  • Relationship building may be key: With pre-selected grantees receiving most funding, networking within the Washington philanthropic community and building organizational reputation may be important precursors to funding success.

  • Limited transparency requires direct contact: Without a website or published guidelines, organizations should call (425) 586-8011 to discuss alignment and application procedures before submitting a letter of inquiry.

  • Grant sizes vary widely: Be realistic about funding requests. The median grant is $28,000, but the foundation has capacity for larger grants to well-aligned organizations with significant impact potential.

  • Multi-year support may be possible: Some organizations appear in grant lists across multiple years, suggesting the foundation may provide ongoing support to effective partners.

References

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