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Non-profit

Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF)

Website:

www.nwaf.org
Location:

SAINT PAUL, MN
Tax ID:

41-0719221
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)-PF

Budget (2020):

Assets: $512,755,007
Type:

Social Justice Grantmaking Foundation
Formation:

1934
President and CEO:

Kevin Walker
Budget (2022):

Revenue: $11,576,857
Expenses: $24,501,705
Assets: $ 484,132,143 1

References

  1. Northwest Area Foundation. Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF – Part I). 2022.

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Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF) is a left-of-center private foundation which was formed in 1934 by railroad magnate Louis W. Hill. In 2023, NWAF updated its grantmaking to focus on “racial, social, and economic justice,” aligning more strongly to left-of-center causes. 1

It provides grants to organizations that support Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, and rural communities in its defined region of eight northwest states and 76 Native nations that share that same geography. 2

Background

The Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF) was founded in 1934 by railroad magnate Louis W. Hill as the Lexington Foundation. After Hill’s death, the foundation trustees renamed it, “the Louis W. and Maud Hill Family Foundation” in 1950. In 1975, it was renamed “the Northwest Area Foundation.” It continues to be funded by the gifts made by Hill during his lifetime and from the investment returns on his remaining estate. 3

The region that NWAF supports includes Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and the 76 Native nations that share the same geography. 4 This region was served by Hill’s family company, Great Northern Railway, that connected Minneapolis and Seattle. The foundation commits 40 percent of its grants to Native American organizations in this region 5 and includes Native people in the foundation and on the board. Two of five program officers and four of fourteen board members are Native American. 6

NWAF originally awarded grants in the region covering arts, medical research, agriculture, and poverty reduction. In 1997, it changed its focus to investing in causes that would help to reduce poverty and create systemic change. 7 In 2023, NWAF changed its focus to support “changemakers in our region of eight states and 76 Native nations and fund work that leads to racial, social, and economic justice,” aligning more strongly with left-of-center causes. 8

Finances

In 2022, Northwest Area Foundation earned over $11.5 million in investment income, spent over $11 million on operating and administrative expenses, and made over $13.4 million in grants. Its 2022 grants were awarded to grantmakers and nonprofits supporting left-of-center causes including BoardSource, Common Counsel Foundation, Council on Foundations, First Peoples Fund, Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Mission Investors Exchange, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, National Congress of American Indians Fund, OneAmerica Foundation, Philanthropy Northwest, Pride Foundation, and Social Justice Fund Northwest. 9

Grantmaking and Investments

In 2023, Northwest Area Foundation awarded 118 grants totaling $14,539,822, 10 focusing on “social, racial, and economic justice” for Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, and rural communities in NWAF’s defined region of eight states and 76 Native nations. 11 It has given 40 percent of its grants to Native organizations since 2011 and has committed to continue to do this through 2031. 12

NWAF grants to Native organizations include $150,000 to Lakota Fund, $75,000 to Montana Two Spirit Society to “protect the rights, safety, and well-being of two-spirit and Native LGBTQ+ people in Montana,” and $1,050,000 to Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) to “reclaim place, land, culture, and belonging for Portland’s Native community.” 13

Grants to support communities of color, immigrants and refugees, and rural communities include $250,000 to Black Liberation Collective to support Black trans youth, $750,000 to New Venture Fund for fiscal sponsorship of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Civic Engagement Fund to support “cultural reclamation,” $250,000 to OneAmerica Foundation to support “power building for immigrant and refugee communities,” $400,000 to Pride Foundation to support “BIPOC LGBTQ+ and rural LGBTQ+ organizations in the Northwest,” and $250,000 to United Vision for Idaho, 14 which supports a left-progressive agenda that includes healthcare for all, decriminalization, free college for all, and reparations for Black, Brown, and Native people. 15

NWAF invests in Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) such as South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition and Mountain Plains Regional Native CDFI Coalition. 16

Activism

In 2020, Northwest Area Foundation and over twenty other Minnesota-based philanthropies created the Philanthropic Collective to Combat Anti-Blackness and Realize Racial Justice in response to the killing of George Floyd, claiming that the criminal justice system has “failed Black people.” Other members of the collective are several  left-of-center foundations including Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, The Minneapolis Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Target Foundation, and the Otto Bremer Trust. 17

NWAF signed a statement authored by the Council on Foundations and Independent Sector in support of the ability of philanthropic organizations to donate in ways that “align with their values.” The statement protests a lawsuit against a Black women-led foundation that donates to Black women-led organizations, indicating that this approach is racially discriminatory. Other signers include Alliance for Justice, California Black Freedom Fund, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Ford Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, McKnight Foundation, National Philanthropic Trust, Omidyar Network, Solidaire Network, and Tides Foundation. 18

Leadership

Kevin Walker became president and CEO of Northwest Area Foundation in 2008. Walker earned his bachelor’s degree at Harvard University and a Master of Fine Arts at University of Michigan. Prior to joining NWAF he spent 13 years at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation as assistant to the president, program officer, program director, and associate vice president of programs. He is a board member of BoardSource, a member of the annual conference planning committee for Council on Foundations, and was previously a board chair for Philanthropy Northwest. 19

Paul Bachleitner is NWAF’s communications director. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from Harvard University and was a fellow at the Council on Foundations. He is a board member of civil rights organizations Minnesota Council on Foundations and Marnita’s Table. Previously, Bachleitner was national director of Joint Affinity Groups (JAG), a national coalition of identity-focused philanthropic affinity groups. 20

References

  1.  Kevin Walker. “CEO Kevin Walker: We’ve Changed Our Mission. Here’s Why.” Northwest Area Foundation – President’s Corner. December 20, 2023. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.nwaf.org/2023/12/20/ceo-kevin-walker-weve-changed-our-mission-heres-why/
  2. “Northwest Area Foundation.” GuideStar Profile. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/41-0719221.
  3. “History of NWAF.” Northwest Area Foundation – About. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.nwaf.org/about/history-of-nwaf/
  4. “Northwest Area Foundation.” GuideStar Profile. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/41-0719221
  5. Steve Dubb. “What Is Social Justice Philanthropy? A Donor Network Asks Hard Questions.” Nonprofit Quarterly. October 3, 2023. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://nonprofitquarterly.org/what-is-social-justice-philanthropy-a-donor-network-asks-hard-questions/
  6. Kevin Walker. “How to Seek, Find, and Engage Native American Staff and Board Members.” Nonprofit Quarterly. December 16, 2019. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://nonprofitquarterly.org/how-to-seek-find-and-engage-native-american-staff-and-board-members/
  7. “History of NWAF.” Northwest Area Foundation – About. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.nwaf.org/about/history-of-nwaf/
  8. Kevin Walker. “CEO Kevin Walker: We’ve Changed Our Mission. Here’s Why.” Northwest Area Foundation – President’s Corner. December 20, 2023. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.nwaf.org/2023/12/20/ceo-kevin-walker-weve-changed-our-mission-heres-why/
  9. Northwest Area Foundation. Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF – Supplementary Information). 2022.
  10. “2023.” Northwest Area Foundation – Annual Grants. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.nwaf.org/2023-annual-grants/
  11. “Our Grantmaking.” Northwest Area Foundation. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.nwaf.org/our-grantmaking/
  12. Mark Fogarty. “’Joined at the Root’: Northwest Area Foundation targets 40 percent of giving to Native organizations.” Tribal Business News. August 9, 2021. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://tribalbusinessnews.com/sections/economic-development/13585-joined-at-the-root-northwest-area-foundation-targets-40-of-giving-to-native-organizations
  13. “2023.” Northwest Area Foundation – Annual Grants. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://www.nwaf.org/2023-annual-grants/
  14. “2023.” Northwest Area Foundation – Annual Grants. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://www.nwaf.org/2023-annual-grants/
  15. “What We Fight For.” UVI United Vision for Idaho. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://uvidaho.org/
  16. “Native CDFIs.” Northwest Area Foundation – Approach. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://www.nwaf.org/approach/native-cdfis/
  17. “Minnesota philanthropies launch funder collective for racial justice.” Candid – Philanthropy News Digest. July 20, 2020. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/minnesota-philanthropies-launch-funder-collective-for-racial-justice
  18. “Stand With Us for Philanthropy.” Council on Foundations. https://cof.org/page/stand-us-philanthropy?fbclid=IwAR2TDfM7OZZka0ckfCNGgY_2UQvUBbopAydB_D1t3aWLzP1M0HFSxaT3-Tg. Link from Facebook – Northwest Area Foundation. December 20, 2023 post. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/NorthwestArea/
  19. LinkedIn – Kevin Walker. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-walker-92140634/
  20. LinkedIn – Paul Bachleitner. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-bachleitner-904a7b2/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: October 1, 1947

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $512,755,007 $9,379,615 $0 $0 $0 $0
    2019 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $476,449,216 $9,093,323 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2015 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $417,374,103 $5,742,560 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $449,074,345 $4,798,207 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $456,739,996 $4,911,690 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $416,977,402 $1,962,107 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $409,702,933 $13,181,933 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF)


    SAINT PAUL, MN