GiveOrcas

The Orcas Island Community Foundation distributes grants from the Community Endowment Fund twice a year through our GiveOrcas Campaigns — once in the spring and once during the holiday season.

 

The grants are supplemented with funds from our Partners in Philanthropy. Below are the grants, from the spring and over the holidays, that went to our local organizations that serve to make the community stronger and better. This was only possible because of the donations that we received from you, the community.

With this model, we are able to fund more projects and help more Islanders. Your gift of $10, $100, or $1,000 or more as a Partner in Philanthropy helps the entire community become more effective. All organizations in the GiveOrcas catalog are vetted and approved by members of the community. OICF covers all credit card fees for the organizations — so 100% of your gift goes directly to the organization you support.

 

GiveOrcas applications are available in Spanish. Please reach out to us if you would like to request the Spanish version.

Las aplicaciones de GiveOrcas están disponibles en español. Comuníquese con nosotros si desea una versión en español. lynn@oicf.us

 

 

Go here to view a comprehensive list of all OICF grant recipients. 

 

 

 

HOLIDAY GIVEORCAS 2024
Mark your calendars to join in collective community giving!
Holiday GiveOrcas is nearly here. The campaign, which features thirty meaningful nonprofit giving opportunities, runs Tuesday, December 3rd through Thursday, December 12th at www.giveorcas.org.

2024 Spring Grants 

Our Spring GiveOrcas Campaign was record breaking this year. This year, 957 donors contributed $259,000 and OICF added $120,000 allowing us to fully fund all 26 proposals. Thank you to everyone who participated! Over the last 11 years, $2.9 million has been raised and distributed through the Spring Give Orcas campaigns. Truly amazing support for the programs that serve the island so well.

  • Actor’s Theatre of Orcas Island — $450: Help upgrade theatre production software. 
  • American Legion Post #93 – $25,000: Fund necessary building repairs and increase ADA accessibility.
  • Art for Orcas Kids (AOK) / OIEF — $25,000: Provide visual arts lessons for the Orcas Island Middle School in 2024/25. 
  • Fresh Bucks / OCRC— $11, 692 : Help enhance a food program designed to make local fruits & veggies affordable. 
  • Funhouse Commons — $23,000: Fund ADA accessible doors for facility to improve inclusion. 
  • Healing Arts Center — $6,000: Replace outdated electrical panels that pose a fire risk to the historic community building.
  • Keepers of the Patos Light — $3,200: Purchase a portable solar generating system for safety equipment and tools.
  • KWIAHT — $6, 342: Provide an Orcas youth steward on Indian Island for the summer to guide visitors and protect the ecosystem. 
  • Odd Fellows Hall — $15,000: Retain the character and safety of the aging building by replacing and upgrading the decking.
  • OPAL Community Land Trust — $20,000: Support the construction of ten new, permanently affordable homes on Kidder Way.
  • Orcas Animal Protection— $25,000: Help subsidize veterinary services to income qualifying pet guardians.
  • Orcas Center— $25,000: Help fund Orcas Center’s free outdoor Summer Concert Series. 
  • Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture — $15,000: Support education of islanders in sustainable and community-centric agriculture practices. 
  • Orcas Community Resource Center— $25,000: Support essential health & medical services for islanders.  
  • Orcas Island Children’s House — $15,000: Support quality care for our youngest islanders, their families & their teachers. 
  • Orcas Island Farmer’s Market — $7,000: Keep the heart of Eastsound alive. Help offset SJ County fees and keep vendor rates affordable. 
  • Orcas Island Food Bank — $5,000: Support a summer fiesta & community survey to assess the Hispanic community’s needs at the new Pea Patch campus.
  • islanders in sustainable and community-centric agriculture practices. 
  • Orcas Island Historical Museums— $10,700: Fund outdoor exhibit and signage to bring history alive beyond the museum walls.  
  • Orcas Island Library — $5,000: Convert a storage area into a necessary new meeting room. 
  • Orcas Island Lit Fest — $6,500: Help keep the Orcas Island Lit Walk a free public event.
  • Orcas Senior Center — $25,000: Fund programs and activities that serve seniors and adults with disabilities.
  • Safe San Juans — $25,000: Support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence on Orcas Island. 
  • Sail Orcas — $16,000: Repair boats to ensure safe and functional race team program expansion. 
  • San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) — $3,230: Provide Tech Training initiative support on Orcas. 
  • West Sound Community Club — $10,000: Invest in essential facility repairs needed to maintain the function and charm of the building. 
  • YMCA Camp Orkila — $25,000: Support YMCA Camp Orkila day camp, youth and adult spanish/ english swim lessons. 

2023 Holiday Grants

Our Holiday GiveOrcas Campaign was remarkable this year.

We nearly fully funded all grants.  The community raised almost $153,000 which was awarded across 18 community organizations. We had a total of over 700 donations from over 700 donors. These donations will greatly benefit each of these organizations and, in turn, all of us.

 

  • Orcas Community Resource Center — $15,000: Support financial literacy for islanders through Orcas Money Smart. 
  • OPAL Community Land Trust – $13,805: Help eradicate noxious weeds from OPAL owned lands.
  • Orcas Senior Center — $15,000: Help support programs that serve seniors and adults with disabilities.  
  • Orcas Island School District 137— $10,000: Provide comfortable chairs to encourage kids to sit and read with new books. 
  • 4H of San Juan County — $3,000: Help members learn about state government & how to become a positive citizen.
  • Long Live The Kings — $7,350: Support essential equipment purchases for Glenwood Springs.
  • KWIAHT — $5,000: Help conserve apples for the future from hidden treasures in Orcas orchards. 
  • Salmonberry School — $10,000: Help fund a student support and advocate specialist.  
  • San Juan Islands Conservation District — $2,630: Support affordable rentals for students in Island Conservation Corps’ ecological restoration program.
  • Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center — $3,500: Provide care for harbor seal pups who get separated from their mother.
  • San Juan Islands Conservation District/ AG Summit — $7,500: Fund programs to help aid in strengthening our local food system. 
  • Friends of The San Juans / Gathering of The Eagles — $6,500: Support the stay of of the indigenous canoe journey members that visit in May. 
  • Orcas Center $2,500:  Help underwrite a full version of The Nutcracker Ballet on Orcas. 
  • Art for Orcas Kids (AOK / OIEF) — $15,000: Provide funding for student art and visual art advancement that serves students in the public school district.
  • Friends Of The San Juans — $6,500: Fund the Salish Sea Education Program which connects local students to marine ecosystem programs. 
  • Orcas Choral Society — $7,800: Support the production of multiple concerts this spring alongside the Orcas Youth Chorus.
  • Funhouse Commons — $15,000: Expand  the diverse & inclusive programs to young people.
  • Orcas Island Library — $3,000: Ensure kids have Spanish language books and programs. 
Older woman with hair pulled back holding a sign in front of a cardboard cut out of a younger woman with short dark hair

2022 Holiday Grants

Our Holiday GiveOrcas Campaign was also fully funded this year, thanks to you.

A total of $234,040.72 was awarded across 24 community organizations. We had a total of 1,443 donations from 603 donors, of which 188 were new donors. These donations will serve the following organizational needs and the community well. Thank you, Orcas.  

  •  Art for Orcas Kids (A*OK)/OIEF: $12,675 for artists to bring art & inspiration to students
  • Children’s House: $15,000 for a new lawn and garden shed
  • Funhouse Commons: $1,500 for the gift of play, learning & friends after school
  • Healing Arts Center: $9,175 for a facelift of their historic building, including siding and paint
  • Island Rides: $15,000 to provide needed rides for islanders, seven days a week
  • Kaleidoscope/Recovery Rides: $14,731 to make sure islanders with addiction challenges get to treatment
  • KWIAHT: $4,275 for community stewardship and protection of Indian Island
  • Long Live the Kings (LLTK): $10,000 to help LLTK’s Glenwood Springs restore salmon on Orcas
  • Mercy Flights/Orcas Aviation Association: $15,000 to fly residents & family members to hospitals & specialist care
  • Music Advocacy Group (MAG): $15,000 for a full set of timpani for the Music Department at OISD
  • OPAL: $15,000 to complete designs to permit and build 10 new affordable townhomes
  • Orcas Center/Orcas Dance Collective: $5,000 for dance shoes, attire, and costumes for families in need
  • Orcas Choral Society: $6,000 for the Orcas Youth Chorus to serve island youth, K-5th & 6th-12th grade
  • Orcas Community Resource Center (OCRC): $15,000 to support OCRC Bilingual Services
  • Orcas Island Food Bank: $12,000 to help Food Bank customers feed themselves & their pets
  • Orcas Island Health Care District: $5,200 to support the provision of primary care on Orcas
  • Orcas Island Historical Museums: $6,000 for exhibit and exterior lighting upgrades
  • Orcas Island Lit Fest: $3,400 to help Orcas Island’s book festival host beloved writers
  • Orcas Island School District 137: $10,000 to bring authors to the Orcas School District
  • Orcas Island Youth Conservation Corps: $14,396 for facilitating outdoor stewardship programs for Orcas Island youth
  • Orcas Recycle Services/The Exchange: $3,500 for the Exchange Community Gift Card program expansion
  • Orcas Senior Center: $15,000 for companionship & understanding to help seniors stay in their homes
  • Salmonberry School and Learning Center: $10,000 for their fence and tree project
  • YMCA Camp Orkila: $3,400 for their Spanish and English Language Classes

 

Past GiveOrcas Grants

Older woman with hair pulled back holding a sign in front of a cardboard cut out of a younger woman with short dark hair
Older woman with hair pulled back holding a sign in front of a cardboard cut out of a younger woman with short dark hair
Older woman with hair pulled back holding a sign in front of a cardboard cut out of a younger woman with short dark hair
Older woman with hair pulled back holding a sign in front of a cardboard cut out of a younger woman with short dark hair
Older woman with hair pulled back holding a sign in front of a cardboard cut out of a younger woman with short dark hair
Older woman with hair pulled back holding a sign in front of a cardboard cut out of a younger woman with short dark hair

2022 Youth Philanthropy Grants

This year a generous donor gave the Orcas High School Senior Class $10,000 to donate to organizations that have made an impact and to foster philanthropy in our youth.

Thank you to the class of 2022 for your thoughtfulness and generosity, and to Wylie Kau, Orcas High Class of 2016 Alumni, who started this project many years ago. Cheers to the class of 2022! We can’t wait to see what your futures hold!

Here are their choices for 2022:

  • Orcas Island Parks & Recreation District: $5,000
  • Orcas Island Children’s House: $3,000
  • Orcas Island Booster Club: $2,000