About the Chandler Walker Gayton Foundation

Who we are

Chandler Walker Gayton believed in community, and he worked at it for a living. He served as a legislative aide at the King County Council, ran community outreach for Councilmember Girmay Zahilay with a focus on Skyway, affordable housing, and land use, and advised Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell on public safety. He held a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington's Evans School, and he served on boards from Homestead Community Land Trust to Treehouse for Kids.

Chandler died in 2024, at thirty-three. The foundation was formed by his family and closest friends to keep that work going rather than let it stop. We are small, new, and community-built. A working board of officers and advisors runs it, backed by legal counsel and accountants, and we publish who we are and what we fund so anyone can check.

The standard we hold is the one he held. A home you can count on, a strong beginning for every child, and fairness and opportunity for every neighbor. Every dollar we move is measured against it.

What we do

We are a grantmaking foundation. We raise money and direct it to charitable organizations already doing the work, in four areas Chandler gave his own time to.

Community

We back the people, gatherings, and traditions that hold a neighborhood together.

Housing

We support housing, homelessness relief, and affordability so more families can find a place to stay.

Early Childhood Education

We fund programs that give young children a strong beginning in the years that shape them most.

Social Justice

We back organizations working for fairness, equity, and opportunity in the communities Chandler served.

Our mission and what we fund →

gaytonfoundation.org is the official website and official domain of the Chandler Walker Gayton Foundation. It is owned and operated by the foundation, and it is our only website.

The domain is a shortened form of our registered legal name. Email addresses ending in @gaytonfoundation.org belong to the foundation and are used by our officers and staff for official correspondence.

Organization details

Registered legal name: Chandler Walker Gayton Foundation
Also known as: CWGF, the Gayton Foundation
Entity type: Washington nonprofit corporationIncorporated in the State of Washington, United States
Tax status: 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charityRecognized by the Internal Revenue Service under IRC section 501(c)(3). Contributions are tax-deductible under IRC section 170.
EIN: 42-3129149
Official website: gaytonfoundation.org
Registered address: 2107 NW 201st St
Shoreline, WA 98177
United StatesAddress of incorporation, on file with the State of Washington
Mailing address: PO Box 99371
Seattle, WA 98139-0371
United StatesSend all mail and correspondence here
Contact: Contact page · carmen@gaytonfoundation.org
Public record: Candid / GuideStar profileIndependently lists this organization by legal name and EIN

Governance

The foundation is governed by a board of officers and advisors who meet regularly and approve every grant. Legal counsel and accountants support the board. Every officer, executive committee member, honorary chair and advisor is below; their roles are listed on the homepage.