Frequently Asked Questions

The best way to reach us is to send a message to hello@inatai.org. Your message will be forwarded to the person best equipped to respond to your request. We respond to every message we receive.

If you do not have email access, please call us toll free at (866) 389-5532.

If you are a member of the news media, please send a message to communications@inatai.org.

Inatai is pronounced exactly as it’s spelled, in-UH-tye. 

Inatai is a Chinuk Wawa word that means “across” or “other side.” As a name for our foundation, it expresses our belief that powerful communities working together will move our state toward greater equity and justice. The Chinook Nation, heirs to the Chinookan people at the mouth of the Columbia River where Chinuk Wawa originates, allowed us to use Inatai as our name. In thanks, we will continue to provide an annual contribution to the Chinook Nation for as long as we are the Inatai Foundation.

The foundation was formed from the proceeds of Group Health Cooperative’s acquisition by Kaiser Permanente. From the beginning, we had three goals: to be statewide, to be community-oriented, and to be equity-focused. Inspired by our roots, health equity was the term we used early on, and we tried to create a broader definition of health to include more than just health care.

As we connected with and listened to community leaders across Washington, we learned that health equity was simply not big enough to hold people’s hopes and dreams for improving their lives and communities.

We also affirmed that achieving equity of any kind meant achieving racial justice—that they are inseparable goals to pursue. To take responsibility more clearly for our part in driving racial justice and to be accountable to grantees, we revised our mission and value statements in 2022. With that revision, we began to evolve beyond health. Our name signaled to many organizations that they were only eligible for funding if they work in medical health. The name “Group Health Foundation” made it more difficult for us to reach the organizations we wanted to reach. So, we changed our name to Inatai Foundation.

We support organizations and fiscally sponsored projects whose work advances racial justice and equity in Washington and communities along the state’s borders. We offer sponsorships for events and convenings on an ongoing basis. To keep up-to-date on funding opportunities, sign up for our newsletter.

We plan on committing more than $67 million in 2023.

As a 501(c)(4), Inatai Foundation may fund 501(c)(3) nonprofits, 501(c)(4) nonprofits, other tax-exempt organizations, tribes, and even for-profit entities, as long as the organizations and activities we are funding advance “social welfare” and are consistent with our primary purposes. Like 501(c)(3) organizations, we may also engage in direct program activity that advances our purposes, including capacity building, educational activities, and coordination of funded programs.

Nonprofits that receive contributions from a 501(c)(4) have greater flexibility to pursue a range of advocacy, power-building, and political activities.

For the latest information on available jobs, visit our jobs page, sign up for our emails, or fill out our candidate interest form. Due to our current staff capacity and the number of inquiries we receive, we are unable to respond to requests for informational interviews. We also want to be mindful about giving all applicants a similar level of information access.

Inatai Foundation is comprised of three entities committed to improving equity and racial justice in Washington:

Inatai Foundation

• Incorporated in 2015 (and funded in 2017)
• IRS Tax ID/EIN: 30-0889914
• Tax exempt status: 501(c)(4)
• Organizational documents: Articles of incorporation, bylaws, most recent audited financial statements, and most recent IRS Form 990
• Financial assets: Approximately $2.2 billion (as of June 2023)

Inatai Investment Management Co. LLC

• Incorporated in 2021
• IRS Tax ID/EIN: 30-0889914
• Organizational Document: LLC Agreement

Inatai Community Fund

• Incorporated in 1983
• IRS Tax ID/EIN: 91-1246278
• Tax exempt status: 501(c)(3)
• Organizational documents: Articles of incorporation, bylaws, most recent audited financial statements, and most recent IRS Form 990 
• Financial assets: Approximately $17.0 million (as of June 2023)