The Community Foundation of NCW proudly celebrates the transformative impact of the Woods Family Music & Arts Grant, a powerful testament to the Woods family’s longstanding dedication to fostering arts, culture, and community growth across Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties.

This year, the Woods Grant distributed 36 grants totaling $63,500, directly supporting arts and music education programs.

“We were thrilled with the quality of the grant requests for the Woods Family Music & Arts Fund this year,” said fundholder Rufus Woods. “We were only able to meet a portion of the need for music and arts funding, so it made for a very challenging job of selecting which grants to fund. We appreciated the many efforts to create access to arts and music education for kids and adults who otherwise wouldn’t have access to these programs.”

2023 Grantee: Icicle Creek Center for the Arts: Summer Campers working with modeling clay under the supervision of the instructor, Lore Smart

The Woods Family Music & Arts Grant awards up to $5,000 in funding for operating expenses or specific projects that increase equitable access to arts and culture, particularly for youth and underrepresented audiences. It also celebrates the diverse cultural heritage of the region and brings high-quality arts programs to North Central Washington. Recent grant recipients include organizations such as Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, Wenatchee Valley Symphony Association, and local school districts. These grants have funded initiatives such as youth art camps, music education programs, theater productions, and cultural celebrations, fostering creativity and strengthening community ties.

2023 Grantee: Wenatchee Jazz Workshop: Jazz Foothills

The Woods Family Music & Arts Grant originated with Wilfred and Kathy Woods, dedicated arts enthusiasts and patrons who were actively involved in organizations such as the Wenatchee Valley Symphony, Lake Chelan Bach Feste, Columbia Chorale, Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, and many others. In 1997, they launched the Woods House Conservatory of Music, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting music education. Later, the Conservatory’s board decided that it could make a greater impact on the arts by closing the nonprofit, selling the property, and using the proceeds to establish the Woods Family Music & Arts Grant through the Community Foundation.

“That decision has resulted in being able to dramatically increase the impact on music and arts programs in the region,” said Rufus Woods. Since its inception, the grant has distributed over $670,000, supporting creativity, cultural enrichment, and community connections.

The grant operates through a Field of Interest Fund, a type of charitable fund that enables donors to support causes they care about within a specific field of interest (like the arts) while relying on organizations like CFNCW to distribute grants effectively. By using this model, the Woods family has created a lasting mechanism to adapt to evolving community needs while ensuring the greatest possible impact.

Through the Woods Family Music & Arts Grant, the Woods family continues to empower nonprofits and schools to overcome financial and geographic barriers, ensuring that arts and culture are accessible to all. By supporting programs that inspire creativity, celebrate diversity, and unite communities, the grant is shaping a vibrant and culturally rich future for North Central Washington.

Award Recipients:

Beauty of Bronze
Bridgeport Music
CAFÉ
Cascade PTSA
Cascade School District
Community Cultural Center of Tonasket
Garden Terrace Senior Living
Historic Downtown Chelan Association
Icicle Creek Center for the Arts
Lake Chelan Arts Council
Lake Chelan Bach Fest
Leavenworth Summer Theater
Mariachi NW Festival
NCW Arts Alliance
North Central Education Foundation
Numerica Performing Arts Center
Omak Performing Arts Center Foundation
Oroville Grange #985
Pateros Apple Pie Jamboree
Pinnacles Prep Charter School
Pybus Market Charitable Foundation
Stage Kids WA
TEAMS Learning Center
Tierra Learning Center
Two Rivers Gallery
Until Now
Upper Valley Christian School
Upper Valley Connection
Wenatchee After School Programs
Wenatchee High School Band Booster
Wenatchee Jazz Workshop
Wenatchee River Institute
Wenatchee Valley College
Wenatchee Valley Concert
Wenatchee Valley Symphony Association
WestSide High School

For more information about the Woods Family Music & Arts Grant, visit: https://cfncw.org/woodsfamilymusicandartsgrant/