FAQs

Below are a list of frequently asked questions about the GiveOrcas Application Process and Campaign.

If you can not find the answer to your question here, please email us.

How do I apply for the GiveOrcas Campaign?

Go here to download the Application Packet which includes the Qualifications Checklist and the Grant Request Application.

Review the documents. If you qualify to apply, complete all of the steps required, and submit your application by the deadline.

How do I know if my organization is eligible to apply for a GiveOrcas grant?

Go here to download the application documents. In that set of documents, there is a Qualifications Checklist. Review the checklist. If you meet all of the requirements, complete the Grant Request Application, and submit it by the deadline.

How much can my organization apply for the GiveOrcas Campaign?

OICF allows organizations to apply for grant requests up to $15,000 in the Holiday Campaign and up to $25,000 in the Spring Campaign.

Will OICF consider applications for part of a organization’s general operating funds?

Yes. OICF wishes to help nonprofits become healthy, effective, efficient, and be good stewards of community resources.

Who can not apply for a grant request?

No grants are made to individuals (including scholarships), private foundations, for-profit enterprises, or conduit organizations which pass funds through to other organizations for distribution to ultimate beneficiaries of their own choosing.

Will OICF consider multiple requests from the same organization in the same cycle?

OICF will not consider multiple requests from the same organization in the same cycle with the exception of the Orcas Island School District (OISD), which governs three distinct entities: the Elementary, Middle and High School—each of which may submit a proposal.

An organization may submit their own application and an application for a program, acting as a fiscal sponsor, per cycle.

What do we do if our organization is having difficulty spending all of the funds received through GiveOrcas?

Grant funds are restricted to supporting the appropriate purposes for which the grant was approved. If a nonprofit is having difficulty spending the funds for the purposes expressed in their grant proposal or in the allotted time frame, the nonprofit needs to notify OICF in writing within six months from the date the grant check was written. OICF will work with the organization to ensure the funds get used appropriately and within a reasonable timeframe. If an alternative plan can not be agreed upon, the funds need to be returned to the OICF Partners in Philanthropy Fund.

How do I find out about the grants process and timeline for submission of a proposal?

Go to Grant Applicants to read about the process and download all necessary documents to complete the application process.

I’ve never written a grant before. Help!

OICF’s grant application process is very easy to complete. The Grant Request Application is simple to follow and asks for basic information about your organization and the funding needed for your project. OICF can assist if you have questions or need help. If you would like someone to review a draft of your application before you submit it, please email us or call 360-376-6423.

What happens after I submit my grant application?

A member of the Grants Committee will contact you to schedule a meeting to discuss your application. After that, the Committee will meet to review, discuss, and consider all applications. At the conclusion of that, grantees will be notified by OICF of their approval status.

What if our organization is in need of funds greater than the maximum amount for GiveOrcas?

Email us or call (360) 376-6423 to discuss our needs.

What is Ben Franklin Day?

Ben Franklin Day is a GiveOrcas game day where people can make as many $100+ to an organization or multiple organizations in the Campaign on this day. The organization with the most $100+ donations at the end of the day will win a $1,000 bonus from OICF.

What is Unique Donor Day?

Unique Donor Day is a GiveOrcas game day. Each single donor making a single gift of $10+ to an organization participating in the Campaign on this day is considered a unique donor. If you give multiple times to one organization on Unique Donor Day, your multiple donations will only count as coming from one unique donor.

You are welcome to make donations to as many organizations in the Campaign as you wish on Unique Donor Day, and you will be counted as a unique donor for each organization you support. We do not count “in honor of” or “in memory of” someone else as unique donations made by you.

Bonuses will be awarded from OICF to the organizations with the most unique donors on this day. The prizes are as follows: $1,000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, and $250 for 3rd place.