Media Room Archives

Seattle Foundation In the News

2022

New Seattle Foundation CEO Alesha Washington outlines blueprint for change
October 27, 2022 / Puget Sound Business Journal

Six months into her new role as CEO, Alesha Washington sat down with Puget Sound Business Journal to reflect on the challenges facing Greater Seattle communities, share sources of inspiration, and sketch out a blueprint for sustained impact in our region. Note: requires PSBJ subscription

What to do about low Black homeownership in Washington state
October 03, 2022 / KUOW

The Washington State Homeownership Disparities Work Group’s study showed that Black, Indigenous and People of Color would need to buy 140,000 to achieve parity with white families. Michael Brown, leader of the Seattle Foundation’s Black Home Initiative, said the report is evidence that the region’s wealth is not being shared.

Six Questions for Alesha Washington, New Seattle Foundation President and CEO
September 02, 2022 / Inside Philanthropy

On March 30, the Seattle Foundation, the oldest community foundation serving the Pacific Northwest, welcomed Alesha Washington as its new president and CEO after a nationwide search.

Pandemic Recovery That Goes Beyond ‘Back to Normal’
July 11, 2022 / Seattle Times

Seattle Foundation’s Fund for Inclusive Recovery provides grants to organizations led by those with firsthand knowledge of community barriers to reach long-term change.

Evergreen Impact Housing Fund Contributes to Nearly 750 Affordable Homes
June 30, 2022 / The Urbanist

Financing affordable housing is not an easy endeavor, and many projects end up with funding gaps that impede them from moving forward. Enter the Evergreen Impact Housing Fund (EIHF), a social impact investment fund managed by the Seattle Foundation that delivers last dollar funding to affordable housing projects.

The Emergence of Black Funds
June 21, 2022 / Nonprofit Quarterly

At this year’s Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE), one of the showcased concepts was the emergence of Black Funds. Seattle Foundation’s REPAIR framework leads in its efforts to invest and direct necessary resources to Black-led Organizations.

Large-scale affordable housing development breaks ground in Renton
June 20, 2022 / Kent Reporter

The Watershed project will offer 145 units of affordable housing for over 350 people

Microsoft-backed affordable housing fund helps finance Renton development
June 17, 2022 / Puget Sound Business Journal

The affordable housing development Watershed will open in late 2023 in Renton.

Affordable Housing Project Underway in Renton
June 16, 2022 / 425 Business

An affordable housing project in Renton has broken ground and is slated to open late next year, with funding coming together from a mix of public and private sources.

A lot of money with less effort: Seattle Foundation shakes up philanthropy to invest in groups led by people of color
May 31, 2022 / The Seattle Times

Seattle Foundation shakes up philanthropy to invest in groups led by people of color.

Getting ‘back to normal’ is not an inspiring message to people of color
May 25, 2022 / The Seattle Times

Getting back to normal is not an inspirational message to those who have been most affected by the pandemic. This is why the Fund for Inclusive Recovery was created.

Seattle Foundation Awards $12.6 Million To Advance Racial And Economic Equity In The Region
April 20, 2022 / The Seattle Medium

Seattle Foundation has announced the grantees of their Fund for Inclusive Recovery which focuses on supporting BIPOC-led organizations by helping them gain a solid financial foundation to continue their work in supporting their community.

Seattle Foundation grants $12.6 million to BIPOC-led organizations
April 19, 2022 / KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM

The Seattle Foundation has awarded $12.6 million through its Fund for Inclusive Recovery to 21 organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color individuals in an effort to immediately impact the greater Seattle region.

Seattle Foundation names new CEO after nationwide search
March 30, 2022 / Puget Sound Business Journal

Seattle Foundation has named a new CEO and president, concluding a nationwide search that started last summer.

Benefit concert on April 4 to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees
March 24, 2022 / King 5

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, King County Executive Dow Constantine and 36 mayors from across King County will host the “Mayors’ Concert for Ukraine and Refugees Worldwide” to raise money to help Ukrainian refugees in Europe as well as Ukrainian and other refugees in King County. Funds raised by the concert will benefit the Seattle Refugee Fund, hosted by Seattle Foundation.

City Council Hears Pitch to Clear Homeless out of Downtown Seattle
March 20, 2022 / Big Country News

The anti-homelessness organization We Are In has created a proposal called “Partnership For Zero” to clear many homeless out of downtown Seattle. It was recently considered by members of the city council’s subcommittee on homelessness. Partners for Project For Zero include Mayor of Seattle Bruce Harrell, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ballmer Group and Seattle Foundation, among others.”

AuthenticID Announces $250K Donation to Battle Human Trafficking
March 03, 2022 / Business Wire

AuthenticID, the leading provider of identity proofing and fraud prevention solutions for large enterprises, announced it is establishing a Donor Advised Fund with Seattle Foundation with an initial donation of $250,000 to support non-profit organizations across the country in their efforts to combat human trafficking.

JPMorgan funds effort to boost Black homeownership in Seattle area
March 01, 2022 / The Seattle Times

JPMorgan Chase will direct $1.95 million toward a Black homeownership initiative organized by Seattle Foundation’s Civic Commons. Exact uses of the money are still being determined, but the funds mark the beginning of a new effort to address a longstanding problem. The initiative will join several other efforts to increase Black homeownership in the region.

Construction starts soon on Microsoft-supported housing project in Kirkland
February 24, 2022 / Puget Sound Business Journal

A national real estate company said Wednesday it will start building Grata at Totem Lake, a $50 million affordable housing project in Kirkland in the coming months. The development is supported by the Evergreen Impact Housing Fund, which received a $50 million investment from Microsoft last year. Seattle Foundation manages this fund.

Seahawks Players Equality & Justice For All Action Fund Announces 2022 Grants
February 24, 2022 / seahawks.com

In 2021, in partnership with the Seattle Foundation, the Seahawks players launched a college scholarship fund to support career opportunities for students who have overcome significant adversity, with preference given to students of color and first-generation college students from Tacoma, Seattle, Renton, Bellevue and Kent School Districts. In February 2022, the Seahawks Players Equality & Justice for All Action Fund handed out another round of grants to five organizations, as well as the Players Fund Scholarship, totaling $250,000.

Seattle-area corporations, billionaires give $10M to address homelessness downtown
February 17, 2022 / Seattle Times

Corporations and philanthropists intend to spend more than $10 million in an effort to dramatically decrease homelessness downtown and in the Chinatown International District. Their investment will help set up and fund a team from the new King County Regional Homelessness Authority, designed to triage and alleviate homeless camping from Belltown to Little Saigon.


2021

Dr. Benjamin Danielson: ‘Profound trauma and joy can coexist’
December 29, 2021 / Puget Sound Business Journal

Seattle Foundation Board member Dr. Ben Danielson speaks about the development of the Allies in Healthier Systems for Health and Abundance in Youth (AHSHAY).

100 of the Most Influential People in Seattle
December 09, 2021 / Seattle Met

Seattle Met’s full list of politicians, chefs, scientists, athletes, tech titans, and other local leaders who shape the most vital components of our city, including 3 Seattle Foundation Trustees! This list names Colleen Echohawk, Trish Millines Dziko, and Ben Danielson as local leaders who continue to shape the most vital components of our city.

2022 Global Philanthropy Guide
November 17, 2021 / GlobalWA

Washington State organizations working globally to improve lives. Download a copy of Global Washington’s 2022 Global Philanthropy Guide, created in partnership with The Seattle Foundation.

Inslee heads to airport to welcome Afghan refugees arriving in Washington while many more are on their way
October 22, 2021 / The Spokesman Review

Inslee welcomed arriving Afghans at an event at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s Afghan Welcome Center on Friday. He was joined by leaders from the Muslim Association of Puget Sound, Microsoft, Alaska Airlines, Airbnb, the Seattle Foundation and Washington’s refugee resettlement agencies.

Evergreen Impact Housing Fund Announces Financing of First Affordable Housing Units
September 21, 2021

The Evergreen Impact Housing Fund (EIHF) has reached a milestone with the financing of its first project, Solera. This innovative fund will help develop Solera’s 277 affordable housing units by filling a critical financing gap. These units will be leased to households earning, on average, 50% of King County annual median income, or approximately $54,000-$58,000.

Mixed-income housing project breaks ground in Renton Highlands neighborhood
September 01, 2021 / Renton Reporter

A new development that aims to transform a block in the Renton Highlands neighborhood while meeting the housing needs of working families broke ground Tuesday, Aug. 31. Solera is financed through a unique combination of private capital and public funding and is in part made possible through the Evergreen Impact Housing Fund. The EIHF is a collaboration between the Seattle Foundation and five area credit unions 

Upbeat image of massive Best Starts for Kids levy doesn’t tell King County voters full story
July 15, 2021 / The Seattle Times

David Bley, interim chief executive of the Seattle Foundation, speaks about the Best Starts for Kids levy.

My Passion for Health Equity and Doing Differently
May 25, 2021 / Truveta.com

Former Seattle Foundation CEO Tony Mestres speaks about his work at Seattle Foundation, along with four fundamental lessons on inequity in his years working in and with community.

In Washington State, Funders Get Behind a Campaign to Improve Vaccine Equity
April 20, 2021 / Inside Philanthropy

According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation report, “there is a consistent pattern across states of Black and Hispanic people receiving smaller shares of vaccinations compared to their shares of cases and deaths and compared to their shares of the total population.” In response, All In WA, a coalition of community groups, businesses and philanthropies, launched its Vaccine Equity Initiative to improve access to COVID vaccines.

Seattle Foundations outgoing CEO Tony Mestres reflects on his tenure
April 20, 2021 / Puget Sound Business Journal

Seattle Foundation CEO Tony Mestres calls the pandemic “a wake-up call to do differently in philanthropy, innovation in health and creating a more equitable economy.” He leaves the foundation May 1 to become president of Truveta, a data-driven health startup.