News & Updates from the Foundation |
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Whidbey Community Foundation's 4th Annual Grant Cycle Now Open |
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Whidbey Community Foundation is pleased to announce that our 4th Annual Grant Cycle opened on July 1 and will be open through August 31. Topic area for funds are childhood wellness, environmental conservation and sustainability projects, and racial equity grants for Whidbey nonprofits.
Any organization that operates with a charitable status or for a charitable purpose on Whidbey Island is eligible to apply for a grant. The organization does not need to have a headquarters or physical presence on Whidbey, so long as services are provided here. For more information visit our website.
The deadline to apply is August 31.
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Essential Needs Program:
Fundraising Update
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Wow! With a few days left to go in our fundraising campaign for the Essential Needs Program, we are proud to announce that we have surpassed our $100,000 goal, as of July 1!
Together, between The Goose Grocer, Goosefoot and WCF, we raised an additional $20,853 in June, bringing our total to $105,963.
A HUGE thank you to the team at The Goose, who dedicated the last 3 months of their Change for Charity Program to our cause. The generous round-up donations at The Goose alone raised $23,465 of our total! Thank you to each one of you who have contributed so far – every donation goes directly to Whidbey households in need.
Learn more about our collaborative fundraiser and help us continue to exceed our goal through July 15 by clicking the link below.
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Essential Needs Program:
Referrals to Opportunity Council
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Do you know a family or individual with needs that current grant programs do not cover? The Essential Needs Program might help them.
For assistance, contact the Opportunity Council Island County Service Center and reference the "Goosefoot/Whidbey Community Foundation Essential Needs Program":
Phone: 360-679-6577 ext 2139
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Island County Child Care Special Report |
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The Island County Child Care Partnership Task Force, with grant funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce, came together in early 2021 to address the issue of child care in Island County. The Task Force, comprised of a diverse coalition of community members including parents, child care providers, early childhood education experts, and businesses, came together to both assess the current state of child care in Island County, and make recommendations to improve access to quality, affordable, and equitable child care across the county.
Among the final recommendations are: strategies for new child care facilities, training and education for child care providers, dedicated state and local funding prioritized for child care providers, increased access for high-quality child care for all families, and strategies to engage with other advocacy efforts to align efforts.
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Apply to Leadership Whidbey Class of 2022
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Each Fall, Leadership Whidbey will select up to twenty applicants representing the private, public, and non-profit sectors across Whidbey Island for a seven-month intensive leadership development program. Our goal is to create a network of leaders whose increased awareness and commitment to serve our communities will energize and shape Whidbey Island’s future.
The deadline to apply is August 31.
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PSE Foundation opens competitive grant program to help communities HEAL from the COVID-19 pandemic |
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our local communities with disproportionate impacts on those already marginalized and most vulnerable, the Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Foundation has once again committed to helping communities HEAL. With ongoing and exacerbated challenges faced by communities, including racial inequities or health and welfare insecurities, the 2021 grant awards will focus on the most immediate needs such as housing, food, childcare and other essential services.
The PSE Foundation will award $600,000 before the end of this year to local community-based public charity organizations. Additionally, PSE Foundation commits to intentionally allocating a significant of this funding to organizations addressing the needs of communities of Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Local nonprofit organizations located and providing services within PSE’s 10 county service area (Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Pierce, Snohomish, Skagit, Thurston, and Whatcom counties) can apply for a grant to be selected through a competitive process.
The deadline to apply is August 31.
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A New Program for Small Businesses and Nonprofits Across WA State
The Small Business Flex Fund is a simple, low interest, and flexible loan for Washington’s smallest businesses and nonprofits.
The pandemic has impacted all our communities, but it has been especially hard on Washington’s smallest businesses and nonprofits. Supported by the Washington State Department of Commerce, the Small Business Flex Fund is designed to help small business owners and nonprofits access funds at a competitive interest rate so they can bounce back stronger than ever.
A truly small business-friendly loan - With the Small Business Flex Fund, you’ll experience low interest rates, longer payback timelines, and community-based lenders with decades of experience helping Washington’s small businesses and nonprofits thrive.
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Upcoming Trainings & Events |
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Anti-Racist Organizations In Action: Sustainability & Accountability
Day 1: Thursday, July 29, 1-5pm
Day 2: Friday, July 30, 1-5pm
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The journey towards racial equity and being an anti-racist community requires that each of us, individually and collectively, do our parts. Nonprofits on Whidbey Island are at varying levels of readiness for anti-racism work. Some have attended trainings, while others have yet to begin. Whidbey Community Foundation has partnered with Kenesha Lewin and Diana Sandoval to offer workshops that meet varying levels of need for organizations that are interested and committed to this work. |
This 2-day workshop is designed for participants who have attended awareness level training and whose organization has committed to and begun the work of anti-racism. Participants will explore how to move from awareness to action, while building in practices that sustain individual and organizational commitment and accountability.
Whidbey Community Foundation has made this workshops available for FREE to Whidbey Island organizations, with support from Washington Nonprofits and the Office of the Secretary of State.
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5 Ways to Prepare Your Website for Online Giving
Thursday, July 22, 10am-11:30am
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As nonprofits navigate a more virtual world, websites are increasingly critical to advance nonprofits’ missions, raise funds, and communicate impact. Whidbey Community Foundation has partnered with website developer Scott Marlow to offer a suite of virtual workshops for Whidbey nonprofits interested in exploring website redesigns, and how to optimize of their sites for user accessibility and virtual fundraisers. There is still time to register for the final workshop.
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In this 1.5 hour virtual, hands-on class, participants will learn how to: host a more effective online fundraiser; increase your online donations by boosting your site page load speed; and, use free, publicly available tools to measure your website’s performance and fix common issues that contribute to poor website performance and conversions.
Whidbey Community Foundation has made this workshops available for FREE to Whidbey Island organizations, with support from Washington Nonprofits and the Office of the Secretary of State.
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Collective Community Engagement
Monday, July 26, 2021
1:00PM - 2:30PM
Online via Washington Nonprofits
Join Washington Nonprofits’ Director of Community Engagement, Alex Panagotacos, and founder of Necessary Interruptions, racial equity consultant, Valériana Chikoti Bandua Estes, for a presentation on how Washington Nonprofits can create a powerful, inclusive community engagement program. Your input and insights will help us ensure that we are serving all nonprofits. This content was presented at our annual conference in May.
All interested persons working in nonprofits or community groups in Washington are encouraged to attend. Please help us spread the word.
FREE
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Online Learning Anytime, Anywhere! |
The Washington Nonprofit Institute is Washington Nonprofits’ learning website ready to provide anytime, anywhere nonprofit learning to organizations of all sizes. Whether you need a quick answer about bylaws or a full learning program for your board, we’ve created a collection of curated tools, videos, and archived webinars.
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Support Whidbey Community Foundation
Whidbey Community Foundation envisions a more vibrant, healthy, and unified Whidbey Island community. Our mission is to improve the quality of life on Whidbey Island by providing support for the nonprofit sector, assisting donors to build and preserve enduring assets for charitable purposes, and meeting community needs through financial awards.
Your support fuels our ability to provide trainings and grants to Whidbey nonprofits, helping us grow into one of the most effective community foundations in Washington.
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Whidbey Community Foundation Board & Staff |
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Board of Directors
Sara Kelly, President
Nancy Conard, Vice President & Executive Director
Steve Shapiro, Treasurer/Secretary
Robin Hertlein
Bill Larsen
Jerry Millhon
Helen Price Johnson
George Saul
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Staff
Jessie Gunn, Program Director
Maureen Rice, Program Assistant
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www.WhidbeyFoundation.org |
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Info@WhidbeyFoundation.org |
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