Fostering philanthropy to enhance and preserve the quality of life on Orcas Island
Learn MoreDonate NowThe Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) was founded in 1995 to help build and strengthen our community by encouraging and supporting local philanthropy and by connecting people and organizations who want to make a difference by improving the quality of life on Orcas Island.
The Council on Foundations’ 2022 national survey ranked the Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) #1 for Gifts per Capita and #7 for a 20% distribution rate, reflecting the community’s truly remarkable generosity. While Orcas Island is often seen as a wealthy enclave, nearly 25% of residents require financial support due to the ever growing affordability gap. Local nonprofits like OPAL, the Food Bank, the Community Resource Center, and the Senior Center provide essential services, relying on community donations to meet increasing needs. OICF is honored to support both donors and nonprofits in ensuring all neighbors receive the help they need. View the full results to learn more.
Spring GiveOrcas 2025
Get ready to show how much you care for our community during this year’s spring campaign, May 6 – 15.
Looking for ways to support Orcas Island?
There are many ways to give back. It’s our goal to make it easy for you to invest in the nonprofits you care most about, get involved in projects that tackle community challenges, help meet critical needs and improve the quality of life for all on Orcas Island.
Read the report on OICF’s and the community’s response to the Covid pandemic.
OICF helped to purchase the Pea Patch Property which will serve as a nonprofit campus.
Take a look at our Annual Report. It’s full of pictures and great stories. Working together. Helping each other.
Donors
Learn how to donate to a fund, how to set one up, the funds that we have and much more.
Nonprofits
Learn about capacity building, annual grants awarded, GiveOrcas and other resources we offer.
Community Resources
Learn about some of the resources that are available to the members of our community.
Welcome Home.
We are delighted to have you as a neighbor and look forward to getting to know you.
Thank you for the opportunity to introduce you to the Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF). This Packet gives you a brief look into the community, the work of OICF and the local nonprofits. We encourage you to stop by our office to say hi.
Most Recent Blog Posts
Ready to Roll!
I am delighted to announce that OICF is fully staffed once again with the arrival of Tera Andaya. Tera launched her career at OICF this week and is already on a roll. As the Outreach and Support person, she is working on relaunching the Hive program. If you want to...
One Person Can Make a Difference: Bruce
Bruce Benton United Way of San Juan County, Board Member Can you share a little bit about yourself? I was born in Miami, Florida in 1942, where my father was stationed to train for World War II. He served as a Navy lieutenant in Antwerp, Belgium – known then as...
Ready, Set, RUN!
This coming November, there will be 16 commissioner positions on the ballot for Orcas. These include two seats each on the School Board, Park and Rec, the Port of Orcas, and the Orcas Health Care District. Both the SJC Fire District 2 (Orcas Fire Department) and the...