Partners in Philanthropy sought
Thirty organizations submitted applications to Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF)’s 2011 community grants program, requesting $191,000, just slightly below the amount requested in 2010. The requests represent a broad array of social needs on Orcas: housing, uninsured medical treatment assistance, counseling, domestic violence prevention. Several requests for maintenance and facility support were also received from organizations serving the educational, environmental, and cultural needs of the Orcas community.
The OICF Grants Committee, consisting of community volunteers and OICF board members, reviews each application and ensures that applicant organizations have the capacity to successfully and efficiently manage the programs for which they are requesting funding. The review includes a site visit and interview with the project coordinator, review of financial status, board support, and IRS compliance. Once applications are fully vetted, the committee reconvenes and prioritizes the requests. The prioritized list is then made available to the community through our Partners in Philanthropy program.
The Partners in Philanthropy program is open to all. Partners review the vetted grants list and identify projects that they wish to support or contribute funds to the pool for the Grants Committee to allocate. Partners can partially or fully fund a project. In 2010, Partners contributed $63,000 to the grant awards.
Anyone or any group can become a Partner in Philanthropy. Contact the OICF office, 376-6423, or visit our website, www.oicf.us, for more information. The Orcas Island Community Foundation has distributed over $2 million in grants over the past decade and is committed to fostering philanthropy to enhance and preserve the quality of life on Orcas Island.
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