The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation
Seattle, WA · EIN 91-1357603. Reported 308 grants totalling $3,933,200 to 135 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $7,500 and $10,000; the smallest was $300 and the largest $110,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke Museum | Seattle, WA | $280,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Woodland Park Zoo | Seattle, WA | $200,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wing Luke Asian Museum | Seattle, WA | $195,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Seattle Aquarium | Seattle, WA | $180,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Jefferson County Historical Society | Port Townsend, WA | $160,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Port Townsend Marine Science Center | Port Townsend, WA | $140,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Alaska Wilderness League | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| American Indian College Fund | Denver, CO | $95,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Humanities Washington | Seattle, WA | $75,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Evergreen State College Foundation | Olympia, WA | $70,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Jefferson County Community Foundation | Port Hadlock, WA | $70,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Potlatch Fund | Seattle, WA | $70,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Chief Seattle Club | Seattle, WA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Mohai | Seattle, WA | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Koahnic Broadcast Corp | Anchorage, AK | $50,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Paws | Lynnwood, WA | $44,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Blackpast Org | Seattle, WA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Columbia Riverkeeper | Hood River, OR | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Conservation Nw | Seattle, WA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Cook Inletkeeper | Homer, AK | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Hanford Challenge | Seattle, WA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Long Live the Kings | Seattle, WA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| SR3 | Des Moines, WA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Southeast Alaska Conservation Council | Juneau, AK | $38,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Puget Soundkeeper Alliance | Seattle, WA | $37,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Solid Ground Washington | Seattle, WA | $37,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Artsfund | Seattle, WA | $35,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Makah Cultural and Research Center | Neah Bay, WA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Seattle Parks Foundation | Seattle, WA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Seattle Public Library | Seattle, WA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Washington's National Park Fund | Seattle, WA | $35,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wild Salmon Center | Portland, OR | $35,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Audubon Washington | Seattle, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Braided River | Seattle, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Columbia Land Trust | Vancouver, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Earthcorps | Seattle, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Eastern Washington University Foundation | Cheney, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Northwest Straits Foundation | Bellingham, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Oregon Natural Desert Association | Bend, OR | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Resources for Sustainable Communities (resources) | Bellingham, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Save Our Wild Salmon | Seattle, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Tasveer | Redmond, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Town Hall Seattle | Seattle, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Washington Environmental Council | Seattle, WA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Wild Montana | Helena, MT | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Washington Association of Land Trusts | Seattle, WA | $28,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Highline Heritage Museum | Burien, WA | $27,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| History Link | Seattle, WA | $27,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Inland Northwest Land Conservancy | Spokane, WA | $27,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Western Rivers Conservancy | Portland, OR | $27,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| North Cascades Institute | Sedrowoolley, WA | $27,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Okanogan Land Trust | Okanogan, WA | $25,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Seattle Audubon Society | Seattle, WA | $25,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| High Desert Museum | Bend, OR | $22,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Birdnote | North Carolina, NC | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| First Nations Veterinary | Portland, OR | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Friends of Discovery Park | Seattle, WA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hedgebrook | Langley, WA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Homer Society of Natural History Dba Pratt Museum | Homer, AK | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Museum at Warm Springs | Warm Springs, OR | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Naturebridge Olympic | Port Angeles, WA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Northwest Maritime Center | Port Townsend, WA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Pratt Museum | Homer, AK | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Southwest Seattle Historical Society | Seattle, WA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Uw - Minority Affairs | Seattle, WA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Uw Foundation | Seattle, WA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Uw Press | Seattle, WA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Cascade Forest Conservancy | Vancouver, WA | $17,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| City Fruit | Seattle, WA | $17,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Yakima Greenway Foundation | Yakima, WA | $17,500 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Skagit Land Trust | Mount Vernon, WA | $16,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Duwamish River Community Coalition (drcc) | Seattle, WA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Pacific Science Center | Seattle, WA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Washington Conservation Action Education Fund | Seattle, WA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Northwest Film Forum | Seattle, WA | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cascadia Art Museum | Edmonds, WA | $11,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Association of Fundraising | Bellingham, WA | $10,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Anchorage Museum | Anchorage, AK | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bainbridge Island Museum of Art | Bainbridge Island, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Birds Connect Seattle | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cascade Forest Conservancy | Portland, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Communities for a Healthy Bay | Tacoma, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Community Land Conservancy | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Community Roots Housing Foundation | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Deldridge Neighborhoods Development Association | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Documentaries Seattle | Renton, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Forterra Nw | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Friends of Mukai | Vashon, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Front and Centered | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Great Peninsula Conservancy | Bremerton, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jefferson Land Trust | Port Townsend, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Montana Wilderness Association | Helena, MT | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Museum of History and Industry | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| National Nordic Museum | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Naturebridge | Sausalito, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association | Bellingham, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| North Olympic Salmon Coalition | Port Townsend, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Northwest African American Museum | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Northwest African American Museum (naam) | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Not An Alternative Inc | Vashon, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Our Forest Fund | Silverdale, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Philanthropy Northwest | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Resources for Sustainable Communities | Bellingham, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Siletz Tribal Arts & Heritage Society | Siletz, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Squaxin Museum Library & Research Center | Shelton, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Tahoma Audubon Society | University Place, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Townhall Seattle | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| University of Alaska Museum of the North | Fairbanks, AK | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Uw Biology | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Washington Wild | Seattle, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Arboretum Foundation | Seattle, WA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| High Desert Journal | Federal Way, WA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Stewardship Partners | Seattle, WA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Tune in to Natureorg | Seattle, WA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Japanese American Museum of Oregon | Portland, OR | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Seattle Humane | Bellevue, WA | $6,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Shafer Historical Museum of the Okanogan County Historical Society | Winthrop, WA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Animeals | Missoula, MT | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Center for Ecosystem Sentinels | Seattle, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Citizens for a Healthy Bay | Tacoma, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Gp | Belfair, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Museum of Glass | Tacoma, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture | Spokane, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Reclaiming Our Greatness | Renton, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Red Eagle Soaring | Seattle, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Research and Development Services of America (rdsa) | Neah Bay, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Seward Park Audubon Center | Seattle, WA | $5,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Washington School Principals Education Foundation | Olympia, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Purrfect Pals | Arlington, WA | $4,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| United Negro College Fund | Seattle, WA | $4,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Planned Parenthood Great Nw | Seattle, WA | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Northwest Indian College | Bellingham, WA | $2,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Union Gospel Mission | Seattle, WA | $2,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| National Federation for the Blind | Seattle, WA | $1,200 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Planned Parenthood | Seattle, WA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
81 of 135 (60%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 73%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Jefferson County Historical Society
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS & PROJECTS - Port Townsend Marine Science Center
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND EDUCATIONAL - Burke Museum
VISITING EXHIBIT LIFE IN ONE CUBIC FOOT, SPECIAL EXHIBIT: BODY LANGUAGE, ANNUAL FUND, GENERAL OPERATIONS - Wing Luke Asian Museum
GERARD TSUTAKAWA SCULPTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: THE APA EXPERIENCE EXHIBIT - Seattle Aquarium
DEVELOPMENT OF HANDS-ON MARINE EXPERIENCES AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION - Woodland Park Zoo
SAVING WILDLIFE, CONSERVING HABITAT, AND KEEPING GARBAGE OUT OF LANDFILLS THROUGH COMPOSTING
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 222 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 72 | $911,800 | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 78 | $1,063,300 | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 78 | $926,800 | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 80 | $1,031,300 | $10,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 83% of this one's giving went to organizations in Washington. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Washington.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: 215 N 101ST Street, Seattle, WA, 98133. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 91-1357603 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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