The Community Foundation of North Central Washington (CFNCW) and local Methow Valley Fund (MVF) volunteers are pleased to announce a total of $289,000 awarded to 24 nonprofits. Congratulations to these nonprofits and thank you to all the organizations who applied and are doing important work throughout the Methow Valley. The Methow Valley community is invited to the MVF Grant Celebration taking place on March 26^th at 4:00PM at TwispWorks to celebrate these organizations.

The Methow Valley Fund and the Methow Valley Endowment Fund were originally established in 2006 with an anonymous donation of $20,000 and a $20,000 match from CFNCW to support Methow Valley’s charitable organizations. The Methow Valley Fund’s purpose is to provide “sustainable funding for a healthy, vibrant Methow Valley.” Twenty years later, MVF has provided $2,213,806 in grants to the Methow Valley Community, investing in social, environmental, cultural, and educational causes. The fund also served as the flagship for the Legacy Fund model the Community Foundation now uses to support six regions across North Central Washington.

Dan Van Marter, the Executive Director at Aero Methow, speaking to volunteers of the MVF LAB team during a site visit. Photo credit: Jennifer Short.

Legacy Funds utilize “Local Advisory Boards”—or LAB for short—who make grant recommendations to the CFNCW Board of Trustees. These LABs are comprised of local citizens who, alongside a CFNCW staff member and a Trustee liaison, conduct site visits and review applications of nonprofits to determine where funding will be directed. Having these local boards is an ambitious operational effort, but is essential in ensuring decisions are grounded in local knowledge and reflect the priorities of the communities being served.

“Having been an advisor to the Methow Valley Fund for over a decade, it has been very rewarding to see the growth of all nonprofits here in the valley, in no small part due to the funding and mentoring the Community Foundation of North Central Washington provides our community,” says Jay Lucas, a Methow Valley Fund LAB Member.

Volunteer members of the MVF LAB. Pictured left to right: Brad Martin, Jon Brown, Karen Nichols, Jay Lucas. Photo credit: Jennifer Short

This year, the MVF Legacy Grant program updated its eligibility guidelines to better align grant awards with the size and capacity to serve nonprofits throughout the Methow Valley. Previously, organizations could apply for fixed grant amounts of $4,000 or $9,000. Under the updated guidelines, nonprofits may now apply for grant amounts based on their annual operating expenses, with award levels of $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, or $25,000.

The program has also removed the previous one-year waiting period between applications, allowing eligible organizations to apply each year. These changes are intended to provide greater flexibility and to ensure that organizations of varying sizes can access core operating support that reflects the scope of their work.

“Being part of the Methow Valley Fund has been incredibly meaningful to me, both as a business owner and as someone who cares deeply about our community,” says Jacob Young, MVF LAB member. “It’s inspiring to see how much thought, creativity, and dedication our local nonprofits bring to the valley. These grants help turn great ideas into meaningful impact, strengthening the people and organizations that make the Methow such a great place to live.”

2026 Methow Valley Fund Grant Recipients:

$2,000 Grant Recipients:

Methow Community Club

mətx̌ʷu/Methow Descendants

$5,000 Grant Recipients:

Methow Pride

Methow Valley Interpretive Center

Shafer Historical Museum

The Merc Playhouse

Twisp Valley Grange

$10,000 Grant Recipients:

Classroom in Bloom

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance Methow Chapter

Methow Arts Alliance

Methow At Home

Methow Housing Trust

Methow Recycles

Methow Valley Community Center

Methow Valley Nordic Ski Education Foundation

Methow Valley Trails Collaborative

Public School Funding Alliance

Winthrop Rink

$25,000 Grant Recipients:

Aero Methow Rescue Service

Jamie’s Place

Little Star School

Methow Conservancy

Room One

TwispWorks Foundation

For more information about the Methow Valley Fund or to learn how to contribute, please visit https://cfncw.org/methowvalleyfund/ or contact the Community Foundation of NCW at info@cfncw.org or 509-663-7716.