Gates Endowment

Adding Value to Every Donated Dollar.

On average, 97 cents of every dollar you donate to United Way of King County goes directly to help people in our community and changes lives, thanks to the efficiency of our systems and an endowment fund started by the Gates family.

Begun by the Gates Foundation (Bill Gates Sr. played an instrumental role in creating and seeding this endowment) and generously funded by thousands of donors, the earnings of this endowment help us offset our administrative and operating costs, thereby making more of the funds we raise available to address our community’s critical needs.

*Figures below represent our 5 year average fiscal results ending June 30th, 2022. We use a 5 year average to better align multi-year gifts and grants with annual expenses.

Fundraising and Management Expenses: $2,637,898
Total Fundraising and Management Expenses: $10,616,846
Income used to offset Fundraising and Management Expenses:
  • Gates Administrative Endowment distribution: (7,050,066)
  • Processing Fees: (150,812)
  • In Kind Expense Donations: (139,820)
  • Sponsorship of Events: (638,250)
  • Adjusted Fundraising and Management Expenses: $2,637,898
Public Support Raised: $81,842,704
Total Public Support Raised: $89,591,344
Deduct non-annual fundraising income:
  • Gates Administrative Endowment distribution: (7,050,069)
  • Processing Fees: (150,812)
  • Gains & Losses & Interest Earned: (547,759)
  • Adjusted Public Support Raised: $81,842,704
5-Year Average Operating Ratio: 3.22%
Operating Ratio After Offset: