The Community Foundation of NCW has awarded $533,621 to 25 nonprofits across the region, with $278,621 of that coming from public donations through Give NCW – a record number since the effort began in 2015. The remaining amount comes from grants awarded by the foundation.
Give NCW is an online giving catalog comprised of 25 nonprofits who have received a Regional Impact Grant from the Community Foundation for a portion of their request, but need additional funds to meet their full goal. Minimum donation to Give NCW is just $10 and 100% of the donations go directly to the nonprofits – the foundation even takes care of the credit card fees – and all donations are tax-deductible.
“We started Give NCW to showcase the work of our region’s nonprofits and give people an opportunity to support them easily, and at any level” said Beth Stipe, the foundation’s executive director. “It’s a great way to learn about what’s going on in your community, and be part of making it happen.”
Give NCW begins each year on Thanksgiving Day through December 31st. The Regional Impact Grant opens on June 1, 2020.
Organization Name
RIG Award
Give NCW
Total
Art On the Avenues – Beauty of Bronze
$10,000.00
$6,420.06
$16,420.06
Cashmere Food Bank – General Support
$9,000.00
$9,692.20
$18,692.20
CDC Volunteer Attorney Services – General Support
$10,000.00
$5,860.06
$15,860.06
Children’s Home Society – Readiness to Learn Program
$14,000.00
$16,667.20
$30,667.20
Conservation Northwest – Wildlife Crossing on Highway 97
$11,000.00
$7,812.20
$18,812.20
Green Okanogan – General Support
$7,000.00
$3,767.20
$10,767.20
Lake Chelan Health and Wellness Foundation – General Support
$7,000.00
$1,830.05
$8,830.05
Lake Wenatchee Fire & Rescue Volunteer Firefighters Association – AEDs
$10,000.00
$6,215.06
$16,215.06
Lighthouse Clinic – Dental Clinic
$10,000.00
$12,730.06
$22,730.06
Manson Park & Recreation District – Singleton Park Support
$7,000.00
$1,465.05
$8,465.05
Methow Arts Alliance – Art Education in Okanogan County
$10,000.00
$1,830.05
$11,830.05
Mobile Meals of Wenatchee – General Support
$9,000.00
$11,897.20
$20,897.20
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project – General Support
$13,000.00
$30,982.20
$43,982.20
Packing Friendship – General Support
$6,500.00
$8,417.20
$14,917.20
Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho – Free Cerivcal Cancer Screenings
$14,000.00
$37,802.20
$51,802.20
SAGE: Domestic & Sexual Violence Crisis Center – Housing Assistance Program
$10,000.00
$18,767.20
$28,767.20
Stage Kids WA – General Support
$10,000.00
$8,165.06
$18,165.06
TEAMS Learning Center – General Support
$7,000.00
$7,767.20
$14,767.20
The Brave Warrior Project – General Support
$7,500.00
$6,279.20
$13,779.20
The Trust for Public Land – Kiwanis Methow Park Project
$13,000.00
$7,717.20
$20,717.20
Thrive Chelan Valley – Trauma Training for Mentors
$12,000.00
$3,185.05
$15,185.05
Wenatchee River Institute – General Support
$11,000.00
$10,760.06
$21,760.06
Wenatchee Valley Humane Society – Spay and Neuter Fund
$14,000.00
$10,320.06
$24,320.06
Wenatchee Valley TREAD – Mapping App
$9,000.00
$5,255.06
$14,255.06
Women’s Resource Center of NCW – Bruce Transitional Housing
The Community Foundation of NCW has awarded $268,000 through its Regional Impact Grant to 27 nonprofits across North Central Washington.
The Regional Impact Grant is an annual, competitive grant open to nonprofit organizations serving Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties to support specific projects or general operations. There is no cap to the funding request; however, the average award is around $10,000.
Each applicant is visited by a team of Community Foundation staff and Board Trustees to learn more about their organization and grant request. Over 60 applications were submitted, making this year’s grant very competitive.
Twenty-five of the awarded organizations were selected to participate in Give NCW, an online giving campaign starting Thanksgiving Day through December 31st. Each of the recipients received a portion of their grant request, and Give NCW is an opportunity for the community to donate and help them reach their full request goal.
“Give NCW is a great way for anyone to participate in community philanthropy” said Beth Stipe, the foundation’s executive director. “It’s just a $10 minimum donation, and there are several types of organizations that anyone can connect with and support. It’s an easy way for us all to come together to lift our communities.”
REGIONAL IMPACT AWARD RECIPIENTS & GIVE NCW PARTICIPANTS
ORGANIZATION
PROJECT
AWARD
Art On the Avenues
Beauty of Bronze
$10,000
Cashmere Food Bank
Feeding Our Community
$9,000
Chelan Douglas County Volunteer Attorney Services
“Justice for All” through Community Outreach
$10,000
Children’s Home Society of Washington
Giving Students a Better Chance
$14,000
Conservation Northwest
Okanogan Wildlife Crossing Campaign: Saving Lives on Highway 97
$11,000
Green Okanogan
Keep Recycling GOing Strong
$7,000
Lake Chelan Health and Wellness Foundation
Help us Make a Healthier Chelan Valley!
$7,000
Lake Wenatchee Fire & Rescue Volunteer Firefighters Association
Help Save a Life with Public Access AEDs
$10,000
Lighthouse Clinic
“An Ounce of Prevention” Toothbrush Project
$10,000
Manson Park & Recreation District
Help keep the “PLAY” in Singleton Park’s playground!
$7,000
Methow Arts Alliance
FREE Arts Education Programs for Students in 5 School Districts
The Community Foundation of NCW’s 5th annual Give Methow campaign has raised $304,733 for 36 Methow Valley nonprofits – nearly $30,000 more than last year.
Give Methow is an annual crowdfunding campaign hosted by the Community Foundation during the month of October to build awareness of nonprofit work that benefits the Methow Valley and provide an easy way for anyone to support their work.
“Our goal for Give Methow is to get more people involved in philanthropy” said Beth Stipe, the foundation’s executive director. “We want to build awareness of local nonprofits and give people an easy, rewarding way to support their work – at any level.”
Any 501c3 public charity in the Methow Valley is eligible to participate in Give Methow to raise up to $10,000 for a specific program or general operations. Each organization fosters a unique and meaningful area that improves the quality of life for Methow Valley residents – from the arts to environment, health and housing, to education, recreation, and community services.
An anonymous donor seeded a $20,000 stretch pool to incentivize and bolster fundraising efforts. With over $9,000 in additional gifts to the pool, the total was disbursed among all nonprofits based on the amount they raised, providing many with an extra $1,000.
Another incentive, Funday Monday, resulting in the largest giving days throughout the month. Each time someone gave on a Monday, their name was entered to win $500 or more to give back on Give Methow any way they choose. The largest Funday Monday accepted 425 gifts totaling over $33,000.
What’s more – this year’s Give Methow campaign also produced a spectacular milestone: over $1 Million has been raised since Give Methow began in 2015. The foundation continues to be inspired by the generosity of the people who care about building a healthy, vibrant Methow Valley for all.
Scholarship award disbursements have grown an average 35% per year. The 2019 total award amount is the largest the foundation has disbursed to date.
The Community Foundation of NCW has awarded 307 scholarships to 200 students across North Central Washington, totaling $666,040 – a record disbursement for the foundation.
The Community Foundation manages over 100 scholarships established by individuals, families, and businesses who feel passionate about making higher education more accessible for local students. Each scholarship is unique, as the criteria is set by the donor.
“These scholarships support such a diverse range of students” said Julie Mott, scholarship program specialist. “Some focus on area of study while others seek to help the students who have overcome obstacles. There are opportunities for nearly every student.”
Most scholarships aim to support students with the greatest financial need and help ease the financial burden many students face as they work toward their dreams of higher education. One scholarship awardee attending Wenatchee Valley College this year wrote “I’m the first in my family to go to college and because of my parent’s financial status, I will have to pay for it all on my own. This scholarship will help lower the debt I will come out with after college”.
This year, over 3,000 applications were received and reviewed by Scholarships Committees that are comprised of over 250 volunteers across the region. The committees recommend finalists for the awards, which are reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees.
“We could not do this work without the commitment and dedication of our volunteers” said Mott. “They have the difficult task of selecting the right candidate for each award, in the spirit of what the donor intended. We cannot thank them enough for their efforts.”
Since 2003, over $5 million in scholarships from the foundation have been awarded, and annual award disbursements continue to grow each year (see graph). Contributing to this growth are new scholarship funds being established each year as well as the investment returns.
“With all endowed funds including scholarships, the foundation pools and invests them for long term growth” said Beth Stipe, executive director. “This means the foundation is able to continue disbursing these scholarships forever – and the awards grow over time. It’s a lasting investment in the youth of our region.”
If you are age 70½ or older, IRS rules require you to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) each year from your tax-deferred retirement accounts. This additional taxable income may push you into a higher tax bracket and may also reduce your eligibility for certain tax credits and deductions. To eliminate or reduce the impact of RMD income, charitably inclined investors may want to consider making a qualified charitable distribution (QCD).
A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from an IRA custodian, payable to a qualified charity, as described in the QCD provision in the Internal Revenue Code. Amounts distributed as a QCD can be counted toward satisfying your RMD for the year, up to $100,000, and can also be excluded from your taxable income. This is not the case with a regular withdrawal from an IRA, even if you use the money to make a charitable contribution later.
If you take the RMD as income, instead of as a QCD, your RMD will count as taxable income. Having higher taxable income can directly impact your eligibility for certain deductions and credits. For example, your taxable income helps determine the amount of your Social Security benefits that are subject to taxes. Keeping your taxable income level lower may also help reduce your potential exposure to higher ordinary and capital gains income tax brackets, net investment income tax and Medicare surtax.
In my semi-annual tax and financial planning meetings with clients, I frequently hear that a priority is to decrease their annual tax burden. The reality is that their fixed sources of income from Social Security, pensions, investments and IRA distributions require them to recognize more income than they need to cover retirement living expenses. It’s great to be in this position, but tax inefficient and you lose control over where and how your assets are being used. READ MORE…
The Community Foundation of NCW has awarded $533,621 to 25 nonprofits across the region, with $278,621 of that coming from public donations through Give NCW – a record number since the effort began in 2015. The remaining amount comes from grants awarded by the foundation.
