Three Things to Know About Washington’s William and Pamela Ayer Foundation

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The Seattle area has strong ties to aviation, and it’s no surprise that a lot of local philanthropic dollars flow from the industry. Take William Ayer, retired CEO of Alaska Air Group, who created a family foundation with his wife, Pamela, to support the local area and beyond. William and Pamela Ayer live in Bellevue, across the lake from Seattle, and have been increasingly involved in community affairs through board memberships and donations.

Here are the top three things Washington grantseekers should know about the William and Pamela Ayer Foundation.

1. Aviation’s a Big Interest

Foundation donors don’t always give to causes reflecting their career interests, but Ayer’s dedication to aviation is undeniable. William Ayer has served on the board of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and donates to that organization along with the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum and the Museum of Flight. According to recent tax records, William and Pamela Ayer are the only two trustees for the foundation, and there are no paid employees or foundation staff members. They have a daughter named Elizabeth.

2. There Are Several Other Funding Areas

The Ayers have philanthropic interests beyond aviation, such as education, culture, health and community needs. For instance, the Ayer Foundation recently awarded grants to Northwest Kidney Centers and the University of Washington. William Ayer also serves on the University of Washington Board of Regents. There is a strong correlation between board memberships and grantmaking with this family foundation. Overall, the foundation tends to give just a few larger grants each year, rather than numerous small grants. Many grants are in the form of unrestricted general operating support.

3. Unsolicited Requests Are Unwelcome

The William and Pamela Ayer Foundation is a very low-key foundation, at least so far, with no website and only a very minimal online presence. Yet William Ayer is still in his 60s and only several years into retirement. While grantmaking could very well ramp up in the future, it remains somewhat modest with annual grantmaking of typically less than $1 million.

It is also important to note that the Ayer couple’s foundation is not typically open to unsolicited requests for funding and only awards grants to pre-selected groups. Check out IP’s full profile of the William and Pamela Ayer Foundation in our Northwest funding guide to learn more about this local grantmaker and how to get in touch with its founders about general questions or to make an introduction.