The Community Foundation of NCW awarded $69,000 to local nonprofits through the Chelan Valley Legacy Fund Grant Program in 2025, continuing a community-led approach to local giving.

Launched in 2024, the Chelan Valley Legacy Fund has distributed $115,158 in grants over its first two years, supporting nonprofits serving communities throughout the Chelan Valley, including Chelan Falls, Entiat, and Manson.

At the heart of the Legacy Fund model is a simple belief: the people who live in a community are best positioned to guide how charitable dollars are invested. That belief is carried out through Local Advisory Boards (LABs)—groups of community members who work alongside CFNCW board representatives to review grant applications, attend site visits, and determine funding priorities for their region.

“Serving on the Community Foundation of NCW’s Local Advisory Board has been a truly rewarding experience,” said Karen Pembroke, a Chelan Valley LAB member. “I’ve learned so much from my fellow board members, whose deep knowledge of the Chelan Valley has expanded my awareness of local nonprofits and community needs.”

Now in its second year, the program is growing stronger as communities refine their approach to doing even more good together.

“The Chelan Valley Fund is a game changer for Chelan! I am so happy to be part of a passionate group of people that truly want the community to feel supported, seen, and heard,” said Tamra Hively, a fellow Chelan Valley LAB member.

The fund was launched with support from CFNCW’s Founders Circle, made up of community members who invested $5,000 or more to establish the fund. Ongoing support is welcome at any level through the fund’s grantable or endowed options.

To celebrate this year’s grant recipients, CFNCW and the Chelan Valley Local Advisory Board hosted a grantee celebration on December 5^th at the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce, bringing together nonprofit partners, LAB members, and Community Foundation representatives to recognize the good brought by local philanthropy.

CFNCW thanks the community members, donors, and Local Advisory Board members whose support makes this work possible, and congratulates the nonprofit organizations awarded grants in 2025 for their vital service to the Chelan Valley.

Hively continued, “The community is proud to showcase their nonprofits and to see that there is support for them. We are all learning so much about each other. This truly is a warm and giving community.”