Our Story – 188 Foundation

We exist to turn one act of compassion into many.
At 188 Foundation, we help people live safer, healthier, more dignified lives by backing small, high-leverage projects with clear outcomes. We keep the work human, the metrics honest, and the reporting simple—so donors and partners can see exactly what changed.

Why “188”?

Change compounds. One person helps eight. Those eight help eight more. Impact scales when communities move together. “188” is our reminder to design programs that catalyze others—so every gift does more than its face value.

Our origin

We started with a blunt question: If we funded fewer things—but funded them better—would outcomes improve?
Early pilots confirmed three lessons:

Listen before acting. The best ideas sit with people closest to the problem.
Small + specific beats big + vague. Narrow scopes, tight budgets, fast cycles.
Show the work. Publish goals, costs, milestones, and results—wins and misses.

From there, the Foundation formed around a lightweight structure that can move quickly without sacrificing accountability.

Mission & approach

Mission: Move resources quickly to community-led solutions and document the results in plain language.

How we work

Identify. Co-scope needs with local leaders and subject-matter partners.
Design. Write a one-page plan: who benefits, what changes, cost, timeline, risks.
Deploy. Release funds in tranches tied to milestones.
Measure. Track cost-per-outcome, completion rate, and beneficiary feedback.
Report. Publish photo evidence, before/after snapshots, and a 250-word outcome note.

What we do (program tracks)

Direct Support. Rapid micro-grants and essentials for individuals/families in crisis.
Health & Well-Being. Navigation to services; basic supplies that remove barriers to care.
Skills & Opportunity. Short, practical training with job-relevant outcomes and mentorship.
Community Projects. Small infrastructure or program pilots with measurable benefits (e.g., tool libraries, learning hubs).

We prioritize projects with clear beneficiary counts, realistic timelines (4–12 weeks), and a credible local owner.

What “impact” means to us

We publish three layers of evidence:

Output: activities delivered (e.g., 120 kits distributed, 80 tutoring hours).
Outcome: what changed for people (e.g., 65% job placement at 60 days).
Learning: what we’d do differently next time (costs, partners, timing).

Baseline → Target → Actual tables appear on each project page. When targets are missed, we explain why—and how we’ll adjust.

Stewardship you can trust

Discretion + designation. We honor donor designations when practicable, while retaining full discretion and control to ensure charitable compliance and to route funds to the greatest need if a program is fully funded or unavailable.
Lean overhead. We keep fixed costs low and share systems across projects.
Vendor due diligence. Basic KYC, fair quotes, conflict-of-interest checks, and receipts matched to milestones.
Internal controls. Two-step approvals for payments; quarterly variance reviews; annual independent review where appropriate.

Illustrative allocation (varies by project size/complexity):

85–92% program services
5–10% operations & compliance
3–5% fundraising & communications

Safeguarding & ethics

Dignity first. No exploitative storytelling. Consent required for photos/testimonials.
Do no harm. Risk screens for privacy, security, and unintended consequences.
Equity & inclusion. We center voices of those most affected in design and evaluation.
Data minimization. Collect only what we need; store securely; delete on schedule.

Transparency you can see

Every funded project gets:

A one-page plan (goal, cost, timeline, owner).
Milestone tracker (with dates and receipts).
Outcome note (what changed, per-beneficiary cost, what we learned).
Photo evidence where appropriate, with consent.

Annual summaries roll up totals across programs with a short letter from our board.

A few example project types we support

Bridge necessities: short-term essentials that stabilize a family while a longer solution activates.
Job-ready sprints: 4–8-week skill accelerators paired with employer interviews.
Learning corners: micro-libraries or study spaces inside existing community centers.
Care navigation: small stipends and transport to help people keep critical appointments.

We avoid long, unfocused initiatives. If it can’t fit in a one-page plan, we haven’t scoped it tightly enough.

Partnership principles

We look for partners who:

Are embedded locally and trusted by the community.
Can execute quickly with simple reporting.
Embrace learning loops—sharing what didn’t work as openly as what did.

In return, we bring catalytic funding, documentation support, and introductions to co-funders.

For donors

Choose your path: give to the area of greatest need or co-fund a specific project.
Know your impact: we send concise updates—milestones met, outcomes achieved, and what’s next.
Recurring gifts: monthly support helps us plan a steady pipeline of small wins.

For volunteers & advisors

We welcome skilled volunteers (program design, training, evaluation, legal, comms). Advisors help us pressure-test project scopes and connect credible local leaders.

Frequently asked (fast answers)

Are donations tax-deductible? We issue receipts suitable for U.S. tax records; consult your tax advisor regarding deductibility.
How fast do projects move? Many complete in 4–12 weeks, depending on scope and vendors.
Can I fund a specific project? Yes—subject to feasibility and our designation policy.
Will you publish failures? Yes. Learning is part of our mandate.
How do you prevent fraud? Two-step payment approvals, vendor checks, receipt matching, and random spot audits.

Governance

We operate under applicable federal and Washington State laws with board oversight, conflict-of-interest policy, and periodic reviews. Key policies—Disclaimer, Terms & Conditions, Cookies Policy, Privacy Policy, and Donations & Refund Policy—live on our website for easy reference.

Contact & registration

188 Foundation
6947 Coal Creek Pkwy SE, Newcastle, WA 98056, USA
EIN: 87-2767781
(512) 695-3628 · [email protected]