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.

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

DOWNLOAD HOLIDAY 2023 GIVEORCAS APPLICATION HERE
Older woman with hair pulled back holding a sign in front of a cardboard cut out of a younger woman with short dark hair

2023 Spring Grants

Our Spring GiveOrcas Campaign was incredible this year. 

While we did not get fully funded, the community raised almost $312,000 which was awarded across 24 community organizations. We had a total of 1,509 donations from 774 donors, of which 316 were new donors. These donations will greatly benefit each of these organizations and, in turn, all of us. 

 

  • Animal Protection Services — $25,000: Provide compassionate veterinary care for pets in need

  • Early Childhood Education Initiative – $25,000: Ensure universal access to quality preschool education

  • Fresh Bucks — $12,175: Make fruits & veggies affordable through their food access program 

  • Friends of the Olga Store — $16,225: Help complete the refurbishing project of the Olga Store Building

  • Funhouse — $11,350: Create safe, adaptable spaces for our island’s littlest learners

  • Healing Arts Center — $9,115: Establish a medicinal garden & community space befitting their 35 year legacy

  • Island Reproductive Health Initiative — $9,720: Stipend & training for sexuality education teachers 

  • Islands’ Oil Spill Association — $5,000: Equip & train community spill responders  

  • Kiwanis — $13,180: Replace Buck Park playground equipment

  • Kwiáht — $5,000: Help raise Kwiáht’s water toxics-monitoring game 

  • OPAL — $25,000: Complete repairs of the Mt. Baker rental apartments

  • Orcas Center — $15,823: Help fund their free outdoor Summer Concert Series 

  • Orcas Community Resource Center — $25,000: Help islanders with essential housing support 

  • Orcas Island Children’s House — $8,646: Replace & upgrade 15 windows at their school

  • Orcas Island Farmers Market — $5,635: Help cover the costs of rents for the 2023 season  

  • Orcas Island Food Bank — $20,000: Provide fresh, nutritious, local foods to their customers  

  • Orcas Island Health Care District — $3,200: Help hard of hearing patients & improve patient communication process

  • Orcas Island Historical Museums — $5,665: Create a welcoming space for lectures & conversations

  • Orcas Island Lit Fest — $4,880: Help support Orcas Island’s book festival 

  • SAFE San Juans — $25,000: Maintain support for survivors of domestic & sexual violence

  • Sail Orcas — $16,945: Ensure that the Orcas Sailing Program is available to all island youth 

  • Salmonberry School — $12,000: Help provide a new swing set & playground improvements 

  • Turning the Wheel — $3,829: Inspire students through dance, theatre, poetry, art & body rhythm  

  • Wolf Hollow — $8,253: Develop outreach tools to save wildlife today & into the future

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