Allen Family Philanthropies gives $10M to hundreds of small arts groups across Washington state
The fourth round of the Community Accelerator Grant went only to organizations with budgets under $1 million, raising the average award by about 25%. Another $10M is committed for 2027. Read More
Allen Family Philanthropies and Seattle nonprofit ArtsFund awarded $10 million to 745 small arts and culture organizations across Washington state, and renewed the grant program for another $10 million next year.
The latest Community Accelerator Grant awards range from $2,500 to $25,000 and reach organizations in 37 of the state’s 39 counties. The 2027 renewal brings the program’s total to $50 million over five years.
For 2026, the program focused on groups with annual budgets under $1 million, which raised the average award by about 25%, from $10,753 last year to $13,423.
The change followed a sector analysis by Allen Family Philanthropies and SMU DataArts. It found that smaller arts groups lost an average of one staff position between 2023 and 2024, while organizations with budgets over $1 million added an average of five.
“The incredible reach of this program across our state, along with the significant findings from our report, show just how much this type of flexible support is needed to bolster Washington’s rich and diverse arts and culture sector,” said Lara Littlefield, executive director of Allen Family Philanthropies.
Of this year’s grantees, 496 are in Northwest Washington, 132 in Southwest, 67 in Eastern and 50 in Central Washington. Recipients include 12 of the state’s 29 federally recognized tribes, and more than 22% are in rural counties.
A handful of the organizations blend art and technology, including Tacoma’s Fablab Nonprofit ($25,000), Seattle-based Simulated Immersive Experimental Realities ($15,000) and Bellingham Makerspace ($2,500).
The Old Hotel Art Gallery in Othello, in Adams County, has received a $25,000 grant each year since 2024. The gallery used the money to pay staff a living wage, to keep operating until its annual fundraiser, and to renovate its historic building, which now brings in rental income.
Gallery director Samantha Copas said the 2025 award “truly kept our doors open.”
Allen Family Philanthropies, formerly known as the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, was founded in 1988 by the late Microsoft co-founder and his sister, Jody Allen. Arts and culture is one of its core program areas, along with youth and the environment. Last year the foundation committed nearly $7 million to eight Seattle Center nonprofits, including KEXP and the Museum of Pop Culture, to expand youth access to the arts.
ArtsFund will hold a virtual webinar in the spring for organizations interested in applying for 2027 grants. Details will be posted here.
See the full list of 2026 grant recipients here.
