College Spark Washington
/OVERVIEW: College Spark Washington supports access to higher education and college readiness and degree completion in Washington.
IP TAKE: This accessible grantmaker is laser-focused on its single-issue mission. However, it approaches it’s interest area from various angles in Washington. This is a supportive funder that likes to engage with and support grantees, especially smaller and grassroots organizations in Washington state.
PROFILE: Established in 1978, College Spark Washington (CSW) is a grantmaking organization based in Seattle, Washington. It began as a student loan guarantor and converted to a grantmaking foundation in 2004. This foundation addresses the issue of college completion and preparing students for careers that require college degrees and certificates. CSW aims to "help our partners increase the percentage of low-income students who graduate from high school ready to go to college and succeed there.” It funds local efforts for higher education and college readiness and degree completion.
The College Spark Washington largely focuses its education efforts on low-income students. The CSW’s Outcomes Acceleration Fund awards over $1 million per year, while Ready to Rise, a new initiative, helps low-income students stay on track and graduate from college. The funder’s Guided Pathways Initiative aims to make system-level changes to help students navigate their career paths, and the College-Ready Math Initiative focuses on building math skills to avoid remediation in college. Additionally, CSW supports theWashBoard.org, which is a scholarship clearinghouse for Washington student-residents attending colleges in the state. The Small Districts Fund addresses the unique challenges of small school districts in Washington to improve college readiness.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range between about $5,000 and $200,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on the state of Washington. Past local grantees include Bellingham Technical College, City Year Seattle/King County and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Snohomish County.
This foundation accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry and applications from nonprofits for selected programs at certain times of the year. Each CSW program has its own unique set of guidelines and application process. Direct general questions to the staff at info@collegespark.org or 206-461-7248.
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