The Community Foundation of NCW has awarded $144,000 through its new Legacy Fund Grant program to charitable organizations in Okanogan County. The Okanogan Valley Legacy Fund supports these grants addressing a wide variety of needs, including food security, housing, education, community enrichment, and more. The Foundation received 51 applications – far more than ever before from this area, likely due to the increased awareness of opportunities through the new office space in Omak, along with the outreach and advocacy of Local Advisory Board members.

Local Advisory Boards (LAB) consist of volunteers representing a broad cross-section of their communities, including long-time and newer residents of all ages and backgrounds. As part of the grant evaluation process, LAB members provide valuable insights and recommendations to ensure grantmaking decisions align with local priorities.

The Okanogan Valley Legacy Fund was made possible through generous donations to the Legacy Fund’s Founders Circle, a contribution of $5,000 or more. These gifts create a lasting impact by building a permanent resource for Okanogan County. The Community Foundation adds additional funds to annual grantmaking allocations to all Legacy Funds to ensure communities have equitable resources, thanks to unrestricted gifts that have been supporting the Foundation’s grantmaking for decades. Of the 51 applicants, 37 were funded; additional gifts to the Okanogan Valley Legacy Fund will help build the endowment and increase the grant award allotment each year to provide more grant funding.

“Our newly established Legacy Funds and Local Advisory Boards have been well-received in each of the communities we serve” said Beth Stipe, executive director. “We believe that connecting residents to local philanthropy, learning the needs of their own communities, and providing opportunities for residents to be involved in addressing those needs is a formula for stronger communities “.

For more information about the Okanogan Valley Legacy Fund or Local Advisory Boards, visit www.cfncw.org/legacyfunds.

Okanogan Valley Fund Legacy Fund Grant Award Recipients

Arts/Culture/Community: $33,000
• A Monument to the Methow $3,000
• Apple Hill Art Camps $3,000
• Children’s Dance Theater (Omak) $2,000
• Community Cultural Center of Tonasket $6,000
• Economic Alliance $2,000
• Friends of the Oroville Library $2,000
• Okanogan Grange #1103 $5,000
• Omak Chamber of Commerce $3,000
• Omak Performing Arts Center Foundation $3,000
• Pateros Apple Pie Jamboree $4,000

Animal Welfare/Environment: $23,000
• Green Okanogan $3,000
• N.O. PAWS Left Behind $3,000
• Okanogan Animal Foster Care – Cat Shelter $4,000
• Okanogan Regional Humane $4,000
• Team Okanogan Animal Rescue $5,000
• Tonasket Park and Recreation District $4,000

Education/Youth Development: $23,000
• Classroom in Bloom $4,000
• Hearts Gathered $6,000
• Loup Loup Ski Education Foundation $3,000
• Omak Booster Club $2,000
• Omak United Futbol Club $2,000
• PHS Booster Club $3,000
• The Nature Immersion Program $3,000

Health/Human Services: $65,000
• Brewster Food Pantry $7,000
• Family Health Centers $4,000
• Foundation for Youth Resiliency & Engagement $2,000
• Okanogan Community Homeless Shelters $4,000
• Okanogan County Child Development Assoc. $4,000
• Okanogan County Long Term Recovery Group $4,000
• Okanogan County Transportation & Nutrition $9,000
• Okanogan Highlands Alliance $3,000
• Okanogan Land Trust $3,000
• Okanogan Omak Rotary Foundation $2,000
• Omak Food Bank $6,000
• Oroville Senior Center $6,000
• Tonasket Food Bank $7,000
• Wauconda / Chesaw Food Pantry $4,000

The Community Foundation wishes to recognize the Founder’s Circle donors who helped establish the fund to make these grants possible: Peter Mullen and Tambra Zimmerman, Karen Nichols and Alan Watson, and Jeremy and Karen Butler.