NCW Foundation Changing Program, Seeking Volunteers to Award Grants

The Community Foundation of NCW has a new Legacy Fund Grant program that sends money to nonprofit groups in specific communities. 

The new arrangement replaces a system where the foundation's 28 members of its board of trustees distributed the money on a regional basis.  

Foundation Executive Director Beth Stipe says it makes sense to localize the grant making process. 

"We feel like it's a better process, and there's more investment from the local community when we have a group of people who actually live in that community who are evaluating the grant applications and making those decisions." 

Local Advisory Boards are being set up to distribute about half a million dollars this year to local nonprofit groups that serve their communities. 

Stipe says they're looking for volunteers to join the local boards.  

"Our goal is we would like seven to 10 on each of those local advisory boards," Stipe said. "We will have professional staff that will be facilitating that process and supporting those individuals." 

The Local Advisory Boards will have responsibility for reviewing applications and awarding grants. 

According to Stipe, the boards will represent a broad and diverse cross section of each community, including a mix of long-time and newer residents, working and retired individuals, donors, volunteers, nonprofit representatives, and community members.  

The volunteer board members will be assisted by professional staff advisors. The advisors will provide leadership and input and recommend grants from funds established to benefit each community. In addition, the advisors will help grow the funds, and inspire potential donors to leave a legacy in their local community. 

The Local Advisory Boards will be set up in 10 communities. 

There are three in Okanogan County (upper, central and southern) and Waterville, Mansfield, Methow Valley, Upper Valley (Leavenworth), Chelan Valley, Wenatchee Valley and Cashmere. 

The local boards will award grants to qualified nonprofit agencies. 

The nonprofits will complete one application and be funded by the funds in their community. The grant application for Okanogan County will open in Spring 2025 while all others will open in Fall 2024. 

Find out how to become a volunteer advisory board member here.

The Community Foundation of NCW receives its funding from donors who left legacies through their will or estate and from living donors 

It manages $130 million in assets through 600+ individual funds. 

The Community Foundation serves Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties and is one of more than 25 community foundations around the state along with counterparts in Seattle, Snohomish County and Tacoma, among others.   

The Community Foundation of North Central Washington is funded through private donations and receives no government grant funding.