Give Where You Live!

The Orcas Island Community Foundation is launching a new website!

Grant Awards Celebration, Thursday, May 29, at 2 pm in the Madrona Room

— from Hilary Canty —

The Community Foundation’s Annual Grants Program has gone live on line. Click on www.giveorcas.org and see a full listing of the proposals local organizations submitted for the Annual Community Grants cycle.  You will find a full range of opportunities supporting the arts, social services, education, and the environment.  The entire community is invited to participate as Partners in Philanthropy, contributing to the proposals that match their passions.

The Grants Committee, comprised of 11 community members and 3 OICF Board members, vetted and prioritized the proposals based on the following criteria:

• Does the request address basic needs?
• Is the need currently going unfulfilled?
• Does the request impact a large sector of our community?
• Is the request well-thought out, and is there a strong likelihood the organization will be successful?
• Is the request a collaborative effort (where appropriate)?

This year requests total over $180,000. OICF allocates a portion of the earnings from its community endowment to the Annual Community Grants, however the total requested far exceeds the funds available.  This is where you can shine as a Partner in Philanthropy!  To participate as a Partner, simply make a donation of any size.  Donations can be made directly online using paypal or a credit card. To donate by check, mail your contribution (made out to OICF) to PO Box 1496, Eastsound, WA 98245, or drop by the OICF office at 141 Prune Alley, Suite 201. Your participation as a Partner in Philanthropy carries our island tradition of neighbors helping neighbors forward.

The grants will be distributed at the Grant Awards Celebration, Thursday, May 29, at 2 pm in the Madrona Room at Orcas Center.  We hope you can join us to honor the people and programs that keep Orcas a wonderful place to call home.