Performers at the Duwamish River Festival in August 2022. Photo by Chloe Collyer for Seattle Foundation.

Core Programs

Driving long-term investment in proven strategies

Seattle Foundation’s Core Programs fund, convene, and collaboratively partner with nonprofits, coalitions, and initiatives at all levels of systems change. Guided by our Blueprint for Impact framework, it is a long-term grantmaking effort that invests in a set of proven strategies: leadership development, capacity building, community organizing, power and movement building, and policy and advocacy. These strategies work at different levels with a focus on following the lead of those most impacted by the conditions we are seeking to change.


Strategies to Transform Systems

Communities most impacted by the conditions we seek to change already have the expertise and solutions they need. We simply need to follow their lead.

— Alesha Washington

Program Principles

To create a more equitable and just Greater Seattle region, we must impact and influence change at every level: individual, organization, community, coalition, policy, public. Our Core Programs do just that. Grantees are led by Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) and communities experiencing low-income and are focused on these principles:

Upstream investments. We address a critical gap in philanthropy by focusing investment upstream to address root causes and drive systemic change advancing racial and economic equity.

Deep community insight. We foster long-standing, deep, and trusting relationships in the community and across sectors, building on years in community listening and research to better connect philanthropy and community.

Community-led solutions. We are committed to reimagining the traditional top-down model of philanthropy. We draw on our deep relationships with communities, centering those most impacted by inequitable systems to define needs and design effective solutions.