The historical narrative below is a product of over 60 conversations with individuals who have lived and shaped our history. Additionally Philanthropy Northwest worked closely with a historian to review internal records, external archives and interviews to capture our story with depth, context and care.
History of Philanthropy in the Northwest
In the Northwest, philanthropy has always been rooted in relationships, not just resources.
Long before formal institutions, Indigenous communities across this region practiced generosity grounded in reciprocity, responsibility and care. Traditions like Potlatch reflected a deep understanding that communities thrive when resources are shared. That legacy continues to shape how we understand philanthropy today, as Indigenous communities across the Northwest continue to steward these values by organizing, gathering and redistributing resources in ways that center people, relationships and shared abundance.
Early Gatherings | 1976
When Philanthropy Northwest was founded in 1976, it began as a small volunteer-led group of private and corporate funders coming together to learn from one another. Early convenings focused on strengthening grantmaking practices, sharing knowledge and building relationships across a geographically large and often disconnected region.
That foundation, connections first, has shaped everything since.
Growing a Regional Network | 1980s
As the network expanded across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington (Wyoming was included in 2007), so did its role.
What started as a space for peer learning became a trusted regional network where funders could come together to navigate shared challenges, test new ideas and build alignment across states and issue areas.
Over time, members began to ask more of the network and of themselves, and Philanthropy Northwest evolved in response, supporting not only stronger individual practice but also greater coordination and collective impact across the region.
I'm grateful there is an organization that has stood the test of time, has withstood the different financial headwinds and remains a connector of not just resources, but of people and organizations that are like-minded. People who want to improve the communities where they live, work, pray and play. And I think now more than ever, really, it is so important to have such important leadership and clarity in social justice, equity and supporting our communities.
Theresa Erstad McLeod
St. Luke's Health System, In relationship since 1986
From Learning to Advocacy | 1990s
By the 1990s, members began asking larger questions about philanthropy’s role in supporting a healthy democracy.
The network expanded beyond traditional grantmaking conversations and stepped more intentionally into public policy and advocacy work. Members traveled to Washington, D.C. to represent the sector, while regional conversations increasingly focused on how philanthropy could help shape the broader conditions affecting communities — from education and health to rural access and economic opportunity.
I was especially heartened when the decision was made to address policy issues more explicitly and directly. Making the point that it was important to gather data and have current information on current conditions that people in the environment were facing and then share that information in ways that would be usable.
Alice Ito
AAPIP, Member since mid-90s
A New Drive to Innovate | 2000s
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the network was expanding its influence and experimenting with new approaches to philanthropy. In 2001, The Giving Practice formed, extending the organization’s role beyond convening into advising, leadership development and capacity building. Around the same time, the organization incubated Mission Investors Exchange and launched Building Community Philanthropy, initiatives that encouraged funders to think differently about investment, rural philanthropy and the long-term power of local leadership.
Confronting the Gaps | 2000s
In the 2000s, network leaders slowly and often reluctantly began reckoning with the uncomfortable truth that philanthropy, however well-intentioned, was not reaching all communities equitably.
As one of the few grantmakers of color then, the philanthropic field was oftentimes a challenging environment to navigate. It was very white, very elitist and not as grounded in communities.
Marie Kurose
Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County, In relationship since 2002
Through the leadership of a small group of community-based grantmakers and leaders of color, the network’s first Grantmakers of Color group was formed, initially as a space for peer support and later for advocacy and organizing. Their work challenged long-standing assumptions about who held expertise and gave visibility to inequities in funding, particularly for Tribal and communities of color across the region.
In 2007, the Grantmakers of Color served as an advisory body for Philanthropy Northwest’s strategy development process, and though their voices were met with resistance, they catalyzed critical conversations and the beginning of an ongoing shift.
Practicing our Values | 2010s
By the 2010s, diversity, inclusion and equity were no longer peripheral conversations. They were shaping the direction of the organization itself.
Philanthropy Northwest formally named these commitments as core organizational values and began the harder work of integrating them into programs, partnerships and strategy.
This shift reframed core questions for the network:
- Who is making decisions?
- Whose knowledge is valued?
- How are communities most impacted shaping the work?
These conversations were not always easy. They surfaced tensions, resistance and differing perspectives within the network. But they also marked the beginning of a longer organizational shift that would continue unfolding over the next two decades.
There are a number of occasions where brave folks like Aleesha (Towns-Bain) or CC (Gardner Gleser) or others would say, ‘Hey… we’re about to make a major decision…and if we do this, it has nothing to do with equity.’ And the act of courage was everybody being like, ‘Oh, shoot,’ and having to stop and start over. The courage to not plow through is a visible example, but also the courage to do the slow and steady work.
Nichole June Maher
Inatai Foundation, Member since 2005
Programming
The organization invested heavily in leadership development and shared learning during this period. Through The Giving Practice, early Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion-focused CEO and trustee cohorts created space for philanthropic leaders to engage deeply with equity, power and organizational change.
When the CEO cohorts first launched, centering equity wasn’t yet common practice in philanthropy. Philanthropy Northwest modeled courage, innovation and belonging from the start, and that’s deeply influenced how I lead — both personally and institutionally. The experience of being in that close cohort gave me confidence and community. It showed me that you can do things you never thought possible when you have people standing with you. That sense of belonging gave me the courage to lead through uncertainty.
Kris Hermanns
KHermanns Consulting, Member since 2012
Initiatives like the Momentum Fellowship created pathways for leaders of color to enter and influence the philanthropic sector.
I felt like I had never considered philanthropy as something I could do, or would be able to contribute to, and seeing the Momentum Fellowship opportunity really opened that door for me.
Lauren Waudé
Collins Foundation, Member since 2008
The network also continued expanding its work around Indigenous philanthropy and community-driven approaches. Building Community Philanthropy (BCP) helped strengthen local leadership and rural philanthropic ecosystems across the region, while partnerships and learning initiatives encouraged members to rethink how power and decision-making were shared with communities.
Just as important were the quieter internal moments when network leaders paused, reconsidered and chose to align decisions with its values, even when doing so required more time, discomfort or change.
Leadership
In the 2010s, Native leaders, other leaders of color and allies on the board helped move the organization from conversation to action, pushing the network to more fully understand Indigenous sovereignty, the long history of underinvestment in Tribal communities and the importance of relationship-based approaches grounded in trust and accountability. Their leadership challenged the organization to center Indigenous communities more meaningfully across its work and helped shape a broader, more community-informed approach to equity in the region.
By the end of the decade, the majority of board officer roles were held by women of color — a shift in leadership representation and influence that would culminate in 2022, when all board officer roles were held by women of color.
Evolving in Real Time | 2020s
In recent years, the network has continued to adapt.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the network mobilized quickly to support funders and communities across the region. Weekly funder calls, rapid-response learning spaces and partnerships like the WA Food Fund helped members coordinate relief efforts and share resources in real time.
At the same time, the murder of George Floyd intensified national conversations about racial injustice and state-sanctioned violence. Philanthropy Northwest publicly affirmed its commitment to building an anti-racist future, supported members in aligning their work with community priorities, increasing investments in BIPOC-led and community-based efforts and exploring philanthropy’s role in reparative action.
Most recently, the role of philanthropy in supporting communities through rising polarization, attacks on racial equity efforts and growing threats to civic participation has come into sharper focus. Across the region, members have come together around issues ranging from Census equity and advocacy for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People to strengthening community voice and representation through efforts like Democracy Northwest.
In 2023, Philanthropy Northwest undertook a major strategic reset, sharpening its mission around redistributing resources and power to communities that have been historically underinvested. The updated strategy reflected decades of learning and signaled a clearer understanding of the role philanthropy can play, not only as a funder, but also as a partner in long-term systems change.
In our (most recent) strategic planning process we had really rich and deep conversations, where we had different opinions but we were all going the same way. As an example, I'm more of a change-within-the-system kind of person, but you really need the people who are also challenging the system. Our conversations were about finding the way forward and listening to each other.
Alex McKay
Alaska Community Foundation, Member since 2006
Today, the work continues with a growing recognition that philanthropy must remain adaptive, accountable and grounded in relationships with communities closest to the challenges and the solutions.
A Network Built on Practice
Today, Philanthropy Northwest brings together a diverse network of funders working across six states and Tribal nations.
What connects this network is not a single approach or perspective but a shared commitment to learning, evolving and practicing philanthropy in ways that better serve communities.
This work is not linear. It requires curiosity, humility and a willingness to engage with complexity.
It asks funders to listen differently, act differently and stay accountable to the communities they aim to serve.
Looking Ahead
Fifty years in, Philanthropy Northwest continues to evolve.
The work ahead will require new ideas, deeper collaboration and continued courage to align actions with values.
I can't think of a more important time for philanthropy to have the courage to stand up for our vision of an equitable, just and inclusive America where every single one of us belongs. I hope we do not fail to heed that call.
Jesse Beason
Northwest Health Foundation, Member since 2014
Because the strength of this network has never been in having all the answers. It’s in the willingness to keep asking better questions and to move forward together.
