Northwest Area Foundation, a Minnesota-based Philanthropy Northwest member with a grantmaking footprint that includes Montana, Oregon, Washington and 75 Native nations, awarded $13.4 million through 120 grants in 2015. The awards made in late 2015, announced this month, totaled nearly $5 million to 43 organizations in its region, including six organizations in Oregon and Washington.

These fourth-quarter grants focused on low-income communities, with a special focus on those that are Native, communities of color or immigrant. In the Pacific Northwest, awards included:

• Ventures of Seattle will receive $300,000 to refine the organization’s successful Latino microbusiness development program and increase capacity to incorporate program evaluation.
• Centerstone of Seattle received $200,000 as the lead organization in the Seattle/King County area for the African-American Financial Capability Initiative, which aims to improve and protect the economic security of African-Americans by strengthening African-American-led organizations that provide critical services and advance strategic policies.
• OneAmerica of Seattle will receive $200,000 as a renewal grant to strengthen its base of grassroots leaders and partner with key allies to advocate on issues impacting good jobs and financial capability among the populations it serves.
• Washington Asset Building Coalition of Seattle will receive $150,000 over two years to build out its programmatic and policy work to support good jobs in Washington.
• Spokane Tribe of Indians/Spokane Tribal Enterprises of Wellpinit, Washington, received $140,000 as a renewal grant to help revitalize the Wellpinit Trading Post. A portion of the store’s projected net profits will be used to provide wealth-building tools for its employees and customers.
• Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) of Portland, Oregon, received $10,000 as a NAYA Annual Gala matching challenge grant.

For more information, visit www.nwaf.org.