Giles W & Elise G Mead Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and works by invitation only, so a small charity should not send a cold proposal and should look first for an introduction through someone who already knows it.
- Its recorded grants are mostly donor-advised-fund contributions and gifts to organisations in culture, education, conservation, child and family work and housing, and the filing does not state a single funding field, so there is no one area to aim at.
- Across its recent filings, half of its 19 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fell between $15,000 and $2,500,000, so a modest, well-costed request is the realistic size to plan around; its largest grant was $5,000,000 to National Philanthropic Trust, so that band is not a ceiling.
- The filing shows $0 paid in the latest year, though a typical year is about $1,050,000, so do not assume money is set aside for a new request now.
Overview
Giles W & Elise G Mead Foundation is a US private foundation based in Seattle, WA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Most of the recorded grant funding was paid as donor-advised-fund contributions for general support. Other grants supported river and land conservation; child and family wellness; science curricula and interactive museum learning; music education and access to instruments; educational programming; arts and cultural exhibits; youth theatre and outdoor learning; advocacy for children; and affordable housing for families travelling for specialised cancer care. Recipients included philanthropic intermediaries, museums, education and arts organisations, conservation groups, child- and family-serving organisations, and housing and youth organisations. The grant record covers several charitable fields and types of organisation; it does not state a single funding field or applicant group.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants spread across the United States.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 19 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
2 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 45% of grant dollars to organisations.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 91% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- National Philanthropic Trust · Daf contribution for general support$5,000,0002023 tax year
- Fidelity Charitable · Daf contribution for general support$2,500,0002023 tax year
- Stifel Charitable · Daf contribution for general support$2,500,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Katherine Cone Keck — Director
- Calder M Mackay — CFO / Treasurer
- Richard N Mackay — Vice President
- Parry Mead Murray — Vice President
- Giles W Mead — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,050,074 | $1,028,288 | $19,884,681 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $10,145,074 | $10,000,000 | $12,586,958 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $112,727 | $0 | $13,381,245 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to Giles W & Elise G Mead Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Seattle, WA
- gileswmeadfoundation.org
Applying to Giles W & Elise G Mead Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Seattle, WA
- gileswmeadfoundation.org