Local Grants Benefit Local Businesses

By the Orcas Island Community Foundation

There may some truth in the saying, “what comes around goes around,” when it applies to the grants that the Orcas Island Community Foundation makes to nonprofits on Orcas.  When the Foundation makes it annual grants each year, it does not stipulate what vendors should be used by the nonprofits.  But, it does happen that many of the grantees spend their grant money right here on Orcas.

In 2008 when Children’s House began their natural play yard project, both Sam Bullock and Patrick Bennett supplied the landscaping services and the plant material.  Eastsound Instrument and Supplies benefitted from the purchase of instruments by the Chamber Music Festival and the Music Advocacy group used for their preschool music program.

Kaleidoscope bought books at Darvill’s for their Bringing Home the Books program, and the Mercy Flights purchased their aircraft fuel from Aeronautical Services.  Ezra Richardson donated some of his time for the off-leash dog park, but he was also paid for materials by the grant money.

In addition many of the island nonprofits contract with local teachers, farmers, naturalists, therapists, counselors, veterinarians, builders, landscapers and artists to carry out the goals of their grant projects. So far the Foundation has been able to document more than $35,000.00 that was spent on Orcas (out of $72,000 in grant awards last year — see comment) for the benefit of local grants and local businesses.

The OICF board will vote on this year’s grant applications on May 11 at their board meeting.  The list of grantees will be released following the May 22 announcement ceremony.