Search

Frequently Asked Questions 

 

For Current Fundholders
What is the best way to make a grant recommendation?
How does the grant approval process work?
How long does it take for a grant check to reach a recipient?
Can I recommend a multi-year grant from my fund?
Can I buy a ticket to a charity event from my fund?
Can I recommend that grants be made anonymously?
Why can't I see the "Recommend This Grant" button to make a grant to a nonprofit organization on your site?
How current is my fund balance?
When are investment returns allocated to my fund?
When are administrative fees assessed?
When will I see my gifts to my fund online?
How often are fund statements produced?
For Professional Advisors
What information can I give my clients about The Seattle Foundation?
What is your most popular fund?
As a financial advisor, can I consult with the Philanthropic Services team?
Why shouldn't my client give directly to the organization(s) they wish to support?
Why should my client establish a fund rather than create a private foundation?
My client would like to terminate a private foundation. Can you help?
How can The Seattle Foundation help my client with the charitable aspects (legacy) of their estate plans?
Will you serve as a trustee of my client's charitable remainder trust or charitable lead trust?
What services do your philanthropic advisors provide?
Can my client's private foundation hire The Seattle Foundation's staff for advice?
For Prospective Fundholders
What fund options are available at The Seattle Foundation?
Can I open a fund in the last week of December or is it too late?
What is your most popular fund?
How long does it take to open a fund?
How much control and freedom will I have in recommending gifts to charities?
How much do I need to set up a fund?
How do I contribute to my fund?
Can I make a charitable rollover with my IRA?
Are third-party contributions to my Donor Advised Fund tax deductible?
For Nonprofit Organizations
Do nonprofit organizations receive 100% of the donations that go through your website? Does The Seattle Foundation take any percentage?
I forgot my username and password to go in to update my profile. What do I need to do to get that information?
Is there a cost to having a "donate now" button on our profile page of The Seattle Foundation’s website or a sign-up fee for participating?
Why does the name of a fund appear on our organization's notification letter or grant record form?
Can my organization have a profile on your website?
How can I make changes to my organization's profile?
My organization just changed its name. Can we update our profile to have our new name on your website?
How do we receive online donations through our organization's profile?
Who can see the nonprofit profiles?
Why don't I receive email messages from you about upcoming nonprofit events?
What if I have recommendations for new functions for the site?
I have questions about the "Evaluation" tab on an organization's profile.
In my organization's profile, what does the number of "Individuals Served" represent?
For Grantmaking Program Applicants
When should my organization apply for a grant?
What are the upcoming application deadlines for your Grantmaking Program?
Do you fund program requests?
Can I apply for more than one element?
Do we have to be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization to apply?
We are a newly established 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Does The Seattle Foundation award grants to organizations for start-up costs?
Do you give grants to organizations outside of King County?
We are a local chapter of a national organization and we cover all of Washington. How does this affect our grant request?
Can my school apply for a grant?
What is The Seattle Foundation's proposal review process?
What is an Element Committee?
Does the Foundation fund faith-based organizations?
How do you apply your nondiscrimination requirement?
Does the Foundation fund all-volunteer nonprofit organizations?
Can I meet with a Foundation representative in person before submitting an application?
What is a fiscal sponsor and how do I get one?
What size grants does the Foundation generally make? How much money should I request?
How do I decide which Healthy Community element fits my organization best?
The work of my organization fits into more than one of the Healthy Community framework elements. What should I do?
Does getting grants from Donor Advised Funds affect our eligibility to apply to The Seattle Foundation's Grantmaking Program?
How often can we apply to the Foundation?
Is it an advantage to know a trustee, a donor, or someone who works for the Foundation when submitting a grant?
How many grant applications do you receive each year and what percent are funded?
What happens at a meeting with a Foundation representative?
How should I prepare for a meeting?
Are there other programs that provide grants through The Seattle Foundation?
How do I reduce the file size of my form 990 and other PDF attachments?
Why doesn't the character count in the online application match the character count in Word?
General
What is a community foundation?
What is "Give Big"?
Can charitable funds established at The Seattle Foundation benefit organizations outside of King County?
What research can I use to help make my giving?
Does the Foundation publicize its grant awards?
How does The Seattle Foundation invest its funds?
How do I contact The Seattle Foundation?
How can I learn more about events at The Seattle Foundation?
Using the Online System
What are this site's system requirements?
I'm having problems using the online system. How can I get help?
Can I make a donation to my fund online?
What is the Giving Center?
Is this site secure?

WE'LL HELP GET YOU STARTED Our Philanthropic Services team will guide you through the giving process.
Call us at (206) 515-2111 or Contact Us