Community Foundation Awards $543,000 In Grants To NCW Nonprofits

The Community Foundation of NCW is awarding more than half a million dollars in grants to non-profit groups in Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties. 

Regional Impact Grants are handed out annually for groups that serve their communities in a wide range of ways. 

Foundation Executive Director Beth Stipe says non-profits must meet a standard before getting the grant money. 

"Our trustees go along with our staff, and they visit all of the applicants who apply," said Stipe. "And then they come back and award the budget, based on scoring of those nonprofit." 

There were a record 80 groups that applied for this year's Regional Impact Grants, and 63 were awarded funding. The grant awards range from $6,000 to $14,000 based on the organization’s budget size. 

Among the groups receiving money this year were Numerica Performing Arts Center ($14,000), the East Wenatchee Police Department K9 Program ($8,000) and the Wenatchee Valley YMCA ($14,000). 

Stipe says the grants are funded by unrestricted gifts they've been getting over the past 40 years from family estates.  

"Those dollars, we're able to use to meet the most current and emerging needs in our communities, based on what our non-profits tell us what they need," Stipe said.  

In addition, $37,000 of the grant awards came from the foundation's Partners in Giving fund comprised of annual gifts from the community. 

The Community Foundation serves Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan. It manages assets including scholarships as well as grant funds.   

It’s also 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.