Whatcom Community Foundation

Analysis

Whatcom Community Foundation is a registered charity in United States, based in Bellingham, WA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in October 1996, 30 years ago. Its declared purposes cover philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking foundations, which this site groups under grant-making and general purposes. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending June 2024, Whatcom Community Foundation reported income of $10.7m and spending of $8.6m, spending 81% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2020 to June 2024, income grew from $4.3m to $10.7m (+149%), an average of +26% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2022, when income rose by 323%. Over the whole period it spent 65% of the income it received.

Among 19,413 United States charities whose main cause is grant-making and general purposes and that reported income, Whatcom Community Foundation sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile, and in the 96th percentile within WA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Vine Street Archive Foundation ($10.6m), United Way California Capital Region ($10.7m) and Grand Teton National Park Foundation ($10.6m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending June 2024, revenue came from contributions and grants 76% and program service revenue 7.8% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $238k (2.8% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $939k. At year end it held assets of $76.1m against liabilities of $5.6m, net assets of $70.5m. It reported 11 employees.