The Whidbey Community Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to help other nonprofits on the island, recently announced the award recipients of its third annual grant cycle.
The foundation is awarding $118,000 this year to 30 different organizations.
Of that total, $18,000 comes from the COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund, which was established in March to help nonprofits impacted directly by the effects of COVID-19.
These funds addressed immediate needs caused by the pandemic, such as food insecurity, economic insecurity, housing insecurity, access to health care and medication, costs related to mitigating virus transmission, transportation and childcare.
The remaining $100,000 of the third annual grant cycle, separate from the COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund, is going to support general operations and capacity of other nonprofits that are not able to directly serve people as a result of the pandemic, explained Nancy Conard, the foundation’s executive director.
Many of these organizations, for example, were not able to hold annual fundraisers, Conard said. The funds from the grant cycle will help make up for these losses.
Some of the grant recipients include organizations ranging from environmental conservation and basic human services to arts and culture and historical preservation, according to a press release.
Conard pointed out that there are several mentorship organizations that were in need of new technology to be able to provide guidance counseling services.
The press release stated that last year, the foundation awarded $24,000 in grants to 19 nonprofits.
The third annual grant cycle may be closed for donations, but the COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund continues to accept donations. Conard said the fund has generated $230,000 so far.
“People are more aware of us now and consider us a good vehicle for distributing money into the community,” Conard said.
People can donate online at whidbeyfoundation.org or make checks payable to Whidbey Community Foundation and mail them to PO Box 1135, Coupeville, WA, 98239.
