A Picture of What Pierce County Cares About

Filed Under: Philanthropy - Posted @ 2:40pm

 2024 GTCF GIVING

Hundreds of individual choices in 2024 added up to $19 million in community investments that help build a thriving Pierce County.

 

In 2024, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation distributed more than $19 million in support of nonprofits, causes, and community movements.

This funding tells a much deeper story than simply dollars. Behind every grant, every investment, and every partnership, real people took action to share their love for the place we live.

Neighbors. Parents. Donors. Community leaders.

People who believe in the value of building a thriving Pierce County.

Giving Isn’t Just a Transaction. It’s a Choice.

Every dollar in 2024’s $19 million was moved by the question:
“What kind of community do I want to help build?”

Fund Advisors (FAs) made decisions grounded in their values—about equity, opportunity, culture, faith, and justice. At the same time, GTCF’s board and staff guided philanthropic investments that reflect its commitment to removing barriers to generational wealth.

When hundreds of people make intentional choices about where charitable dollars go, something powerful happens:

A beautiful picture starts to emerge.

What That Picture Looks Like in 2024

This year, funding though GTCF prioritized:

Support for Youth—Especially Outside the Classroom

The single largest funding area—$2.87 million—was directed to Out of School Time programs: before- and after-school experiences, summer learning, arts, and recreation. These investments reflect a shared belief in Pierce County that young people thrive when given safe, supportive, and enriching spaces to grow.

️ Meeting Basic Needs with Dignity

Nearly $3.5 million supported Food Security and Basic Needs. This illustrates a deep value across Pierce County, donors taking care of our neighbors—ensuring families have meals on the table, clothing for children, and heat in the winter.

Investing in Stability and Ownership

Between Housing and support for Seniors, GTCF FAs directed more than $2.8 million toward building blocks for long-term security. This funding helps people move into sustainable housing, buy homes, stay in their homes, maintain and grow neighborhoods, and access opportunities that build wealth over generations.

 Community-Led Solutions

$1.15 million was directed by groups with Designated for Capital funds. GTCF offers this special fund type to provide fiscal support for community movements and projects over a set period of time, usually 18-24 months. These funds support efforts like land conservation, a community recreation center, and youth development programs.

Funding Movements—Not Just Organizations

The Philanthropic Investments GTCF directs support its strategic vision and goals, which include lowering barriers to Housing, Thriving Youth and Children, Access to Capital, and Civic Voice and Power. Funding recipients and partners included nonprofits as well as many changemakers that don’t yet have 501c3 status. This year:

• $1.2 million funded Building Momentum, GTCF staff time dedicated to thought partnership, network participation, and technical support for emerging and existing organizations and movements. This is part of GTCF’s strategic commitment to advance trust-based philanthropy, sustain wide-reaching, long-term relationships, and facilitate community knowledge.
• $924,000 made it easier for organizations and movements to access critical funding. A significant portion of the dollars created an intermediary fund that allowed GTCF to lower barriers to funding for the Community Reinvestment Project. In partnership with government agencies, GTCF can front-fund nonprofits with contracts that would otherwise be reimbursement only.

This is funding that catalyzes the kind of community-led solutions which lead to long-term success.

Trusting Community-Led Stewardship

$845,000 went to Partner Community Foundations. These are funds other communities have trusted GTCF to steward for philanthropic investments in areas like Jefferson County and the City of Lakewood. It’s an example of how people in this region choose to work together, across boundaries, for shared success.

Voice, Values, Vision

At its core, this $19 million wasn’t dictated by one person or one institution. It was shaped by hundreds of people who care about Pierce County and made choices about how to transform their intentions into action.

• Some chose to support faith communities and arts organizations.
• Others focused on education access, disability inclusion, or immigrant rights.
• Still others wanted to build health systems, libraries, or local journalism.

Each choice added a stroke to a larger picture: a thriving, interconnected, values-driven community.

Giving is Personal—and Powerful

What this year’s funding makes clear is that charitable giving is not just about writing checks. It’s about writing the future.

From Fund Advisors who make grant decisions to nonprofit donors investing in an essential mission, or grassroots leaders organizing change in neighborhoods—each of us can help build the community we want to live in.

$19 million isn’t a picture of categories and amounts.

$19 million paints a picture of people.

People who care about people.

This is what builds a thriving Pierce County.

*Click the labels to see funding recipients in each category.

Be Part of the Picture

The future of Pierce County is being drawn by the choices we make now.

If you’re ready to turn your vision, voice, and values into real impact:

➡️ Join as a Fund Advisor
➡️ Make a gift
➡️ Start a conversation about what you care about

Because the next $19 million starts with one decision.
Yours.