Support OICF

By supporting OICF, you are helping the whole community: Community Cornerstones, Partners in Philanthropy, and OICF Endowment Fund.

Community Cornerstones

Community Cornerstones are annual, sustaining gifts of $1,000 or more which fuel the programs and operations of the Community Foundation. Cornerstones make the annual grant campaign and Holiday catalog possible, paying for all administration and even the credit card fees, so that 100% of a donation goes directly to the proposal selected by the donor. With Cornerstone support, OICF’s grant making has reached new heights. Last year, OICF distributed more than $4 million in grants to more than 700 organizations.

Cornerstone funding also supports the office, which is used by over 25 nonprofits and programs for their meetings. In addition, Cornerstones donations fund Capacity Building workshops strengthening all organizations that together make Orcas a vital and vibrant community. Community Cornerstones are an invaluable link in the chain of community support that keeps Orcas a great place to call home. Working together, we are at the ready to respond to new opportunities, convene and collaborate to address ongoing issues, and continue to create a stronger community for all.

There are currently more than 100 friends and neighbors who are Cornerstone members. If you are interested in becoming a Community Cornerstone, we’d love to talk with you. Please make a donation today, or call or drop by the OICF office.

Partners in Philanthropy (PIP)

Together we can do more. Together we can make a difference. That’s why OICF invites community members and businesses to unite as Partners in Philanthropy in support of our GiveOrcas collective giving campaigns. 

Fueled by generous donations of all sizes, GiveOrcas highlights local organizations that address the island’s most pressing needs and raises funds to bolster the programs that make Orcas a stronger and thriving community.

While donations to individual GiveOrcas grantees can only be made when campaigns are open in December and May, contributions to Partners in Philanthropy are welcome any time. 100% of charitable contributions to the Partners in Philanthropy Fund are allocated during GiveOrcas campaigns by the OICF Grants Committee to ensure the highest priority needs are fully funded. 

All contributions of $10 or more are welcome, as GiveOrcas is a true island-wide effort and an opportunity for every islander to make an impact in our local community. 

By investing in the community as Business Partners in Philanthropy, businesses can also play an important role in enhancing the quality of life on Orcas for all.

Community Endowment

The Orcas Island Community Foundation stewards the Community Endowment Fund and multiple Organizational Endowment Funds, for the benefit of the entire Orcas Island community in perpetuity. OICF provides a bridge connecting donors with compatible charities, maximizing returns on charitable investments, assessing community needs, and supporting nonprofit organizations and vital community programs through grantmaking.

Endowment is at the heart of the Orcas Island Community Foundation. An endowment attracts charitable resources by engaging donors who want their gifts to operate in perpetuity with maximum return on their charitable contributions. It ensures a source of money for grantmaking even during years when annual gifts decrease, and has lead to the development of a long-term grantmaking program. Endowment provides stability, enabling the Foundation to continue supporting key programs during times of economic stress.

Funding for our Community Grants program comes in part from income earned on OICF’s Community Endowment Fund investment.  OICF is a public foundation charged with making grants across a broad spectrum of charitable activities within the geographical boundaries of Orcas Island. No grants are made to individuals, to other endowment funds, to political groups or for religious purposes or to any group which discriminates on the basis of age, color, race, national origin, gender identity, marital status, sensory, mental or physical ability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.

The Community Endowment welcomes contributions of any size for any reason.