Thank you for joining us in celebrating 50 transformational years of community impact across Eastern Washington and North Idaho. As your community foundation, we proudly sponsored over 40 events in every county of our region to celebrate our past, present and future together.
We will host Gathering Orofino: Community, Connection & Belonging, bringing together residents for a shared meal designed to foster new relationships and a stronger sense of belonging. The gathering will feature connected community tables, local food, and music. Guided conversations will encourage longtime residents, newcomers, families, businesses, and community leaders to connect and share what […]
We will host a Longest Table community dinner at our Rotary building in late October, bringing together residents, local business owners, restaurants, and community members from Newport and Priest River. The gathering will feature a shared meal and guided conversation designed to encourage new connections and strengthen relationships across our two communities. This event is […]
We will host the Sled Hill Grand Opening Celebration, bringing together community members to celebrate the opening of this new outdoor recreation space and the community support that made it possible. The harvest-themed gathering will feature a long community table alongside live music, food, games, crafts, guided walks, and other family-friendly activities. This event is […]
Serving a 20-county region and six Native American tribes, we are the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
1974-2023
The groundwork for the Foundation was laid in 1974 as Spokane was preparing to host the World’s Fair. A group of concerned citizens inspired by the change that was mobilized by the World’s Fair, united around the need for a foundation that could focus on continued community revitalization. That year, the Junior League of Spokane founded the Greater Spokane Community Foundation, a new entity that replaced the original Spokane Foundation, which had been established in 1915 with a single trust.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the Foundation’s understanding of “community” grew, and began to reach beyond the Spokane area. Recognizing that people with common interests and concerns know best how to meet local needs, the Foundation’s service region expanded to include 10 counties in Eastern Washington, 10 counties in North Idaho and 6 tribal communities.
In 2018, the Foundation rebranded from the Inland Northwest Community Foundation (INWCF) to Innovia Foundation to reflect the innovative impact that the Foundation creates by building connections with donors, communities, volunteers and partners across the region.
