Give Methow, an online fundraising campaign hosted by the Community Foundation of NCW throughout the month of October, has raised $771,695 for 43 Methow Valley nonprofits.

Give Methow is open to any 501c3 nonprofit or fiscally sponsored organization located within the Methow Valley. A minimum donation of just $10 enables more community members to be philanthropists. Because the Community Foundation covers all the credit card fees not paid by donors, 100% of the donations go directly to the nonprofits.

Donations to the “Give to All” pool provided a substantial bonus gift for each organization. An anonymous donor provided a $40,000 matching gift for Give to All, the Community Foundation added $10,000, and a $50,000 challenge gift was offered when the campaign reached $550,000. These along with additional gifts grew the  Give to All pool to a total of $143,018 which was shared equally among all participating organizations, providing an extra $3,326 per organization.

“The matching gift has been provided each year since Give Methow began to ensure every organization was supported,” said Betsy Cushman, the foundation’s Board of Trustees Chair and Methow Valley Fund Advisor. “The challenge match came from Ben Gilmore who left a bequest to the Methow Valley Fund and wished to support the campaign in a significant way and encourage local philanthropy.”

As they prepared for the campaign, the Give Methow committee, comprised of Methow Valley Fund advisors and some local volunteers, coordinated outreach efforts. This year, organizations hosted Funday Monday Open Houses throughout the Valley to give community members an opportunity to learn more about local charitable causes. “The collaboration between the nonprofits during Give Methow is the rising tide that lifts all boats,” said Cushman. “The way organizations showcase each other’s work in our community is the best demonstration that we are all working together to build a healthy and vibrant community for everyone.” The Funday Mondays also provide an opportunity for donors to win $1,000 to use on Give Methow and this year $5,000 in those prizes were awarded.

Special thanks to the local business Old Schoolhouse Brewery who participated in encouraging philanthropy by giving their customers at all three of their locations an opportunity to “round up” their purchases to support the campaign. The community support around Give Methow continues to grow and be an inspiration for the collaborative spirit of the Methow Valley.

FINAL RESULTS