The Washington Women’s Foundation is a left-of-center grantmaking nonprofit that supports third-party groups in Washington state. Founded in 1995 and based out of Seattle, Washington, the Washington Women’s Foundation uses a “collective giving” model to push causes such as climate change, “LGBTQIA2S+” issues, abortion access, and left-of-center criminal justice policy. ¹

Programs

The Washington Women’s Foundation provides grants to left-of-center women’s organizations in Washington state. Grant programs include the Rest and Repair Award and Collective Grants. ²

The Rest and Repair Award is meant to be a “joyous celebration and a genuine love letter to Black women nonprofit leaders,” with grant funds coming unrestricted. However, all nominees for the Rest and Repair Award “must be a Black or African American” woman living in Washington state. ³

As of March 2025, Collective Grants’ priorities are “mitigating the impact of climate change,” youth mental health, adult education, advocacy grants for “systemic change,” and women’s and girls’ grants. Collective Grants are made to outside nonprofits. ⁴

Financials

In 2023, the Washington Women’s Foundation reported $1,250,973 in revenues and $2,056,522 in expenses with $5,483,502 in total assets and five employees. From the fiscal years of 2022 to 2023, revenues for the Washington Women’s Foundation dropped over 10 percent. Membership dues for Washington Women’s Foundation were $769,689, accounting for nearly 62 percent of revenues. ⁵

The Washington Women’s Foundation provides “high-impact grantmaking” to outside nonprofits evaluated through a committee review process, donating over $20 million to Washington nonprofits to promote “racial and gender equity” since 1995. ⁶ In 2023, the Washington Women’s Foundation donated $454,500 to Washington nonprofits. In 2023, the Washington Women’s Foundation donated $510,000 in grants to Black women in the Washington state nonprofit sector for “rest and repair.” ⁷

The Washington Women’s Foundation is an affiliate of Philanos, a collective grantmaking foundation that donates to left-of-center women’s organizations. Sponsors for the Washington Women’s Foundation include Hall and Dornan Capital Partners, the Gates Foundation, and the Jacobs Family Fund. ⁶

People

Maria Kolby-Wolfe is the president and CEO of the Washington Women’s Foundation. Kolby-Wolfe has sat on boards for the Global Leadership Forum, Team Child, and the Allied Arts Foundation, and was co-chair of Fundraising for the Arts. ⁸

Ren Dietel is a member of the environment grant committee of the Washington Women’s Foundation. Dietel also works as a senior partner of Dietel Pickering and Partners and is board president of the Lyon Family Deer Island LLC in Saranac, New York. ⁹

Anne Green is a member of the Washington Women’s Foundation, as well as Seattle’s Social Venture Partners. In December of 2020, Arabella Advisors announced that Green was joining the organization as the managing director for the Pacific Northwest. ¹⁰

1. Lehto, Jeri. “Washington Women’s Foundation Statement of Commitment.” WA Women’s Foundation, February 18, 2025. https://wawomensfdn.org/2025/02/18/washington-womens-foundation-statement-of-commitment/#:~:text=Women:%20We%20helped%20fund%20The,expression%2C%20and%20safety%20for%20women
2. “Grantmaking.” WA Women’s Foundation, November 4, 2024. https://wawomensfdn.org/grantmaking/.
3. “Rest & Repair Awards.” WA Women’s Foundation, October 1, 2024. https://wawomensfdn.org/grantmaking/rest-repair-awards/.
4. “Collective Grants.” WA Women’s Foundation, October 16, 2024. https://wawomensfdn.org/grantmaking/collective-grants/.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Washington Women’s Foundation. 2023. Part 8. Line B.
6. “Home.” WA Women’s Foundation, December 5, 2023. https://wawomensfdn.org/.
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Washington Women’s Foundation. Part 3. Line 4A.
8. “Maria Kolby-Wolfe.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-kolby-wolfe.
9. “Ren Dietel.” Dietel Pickering & Partners. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://www.dietelpickering.com/ren.
10. “Arabella Advisors Announces Anne Green as New Managing Director for Pacific Northwest.” Newswire, December 8, 2020. https://www.newswire.com/news/arabella-advisors-announces-anne-green-as-new-managing-director-for-21272605.