Applying for a grant

Together we can transform our communities.

Innovia Foundation works closely with nonprofit organizations and others throughout the region to identify and respond to a wide range of community issues and opportunities. This might be as complex as collaborating with community leaders on a long-range plan for neighborhood preservation, or as basic as funding a program to provide shoes for children from low-income families. In all cases, Innovia Foundation looks to fund solutions that will create measurable, positive change in our region. 

Awards from Innovia Foundation’s competitive grant programs are determined in partnership with local volunteers from throughout the foundation’s service area. This locally based advisory process ensures that grant opportunities address the changing needs of our communities. 

Eligibility Requirements

  • Public charity with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or federally recognized tribe. 
  • Under certain circumstances, applications from public entities such as school districts, municipalities or unincorporated groups or associations may be considered.
  • In all cases, the applicant organization/program must have a clear charitable purpose. 
  • Applicants cannot have any delinquent reports for previous grants awarded through all Innovia Foundation’s grant programs.
  • Innovia Foundation competitive are awarded to organizations providing services within the 20-county region served by the Foundation. Some grant programs are restricted to specific communities. Be sure to read grant guidelines carefully to see if regional restrictions apply. 

If you have any questions about any of Innovia Foundation’s grant programs, please contact Molly Sanchez at msanchez@innovia.org.

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Programs

The Columbia County Children’s Fund provides support to organizations within Columbia County. Applications must address one of the following program areas:  

Educational enrichment and special needs programs, with preference given to elementary school-aged children. 

Guidance, counseling and therapy to children and their families. 

Medical and dental services and/or supplies (glasses, hearing aids, braces) for disadvantaged children. 

Grants awards are typically less than $4,000.

Application Dates: April 29 – June 18, 2019 at 5 p.m.
Awards will be announced in mid-September, 2019.
Grant awards are to be spent between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020.

The Community Strategies Grant Program is comprised of more than 90 funds established by donors that have given Innovia Foundation the flexibility to make funding decisions that accommodate changing needs and capitalize on timely and compelling opportunities in our region. The Community Strategies Grant Program has two cycles per year. An organization may apply for funds once every twelve months per grant program. If you applied for a grant in one round of Community Strategies, regardless of award, you may not apply again in the following round.

Program types accepted:  

  • Program/Project Support 
  • Capital/Equipment 
  • Capacity Building 

Applications should address one of our impact areas:  

  • Education and Youth Development  
  • Arts and Culture 
  • Economic Opportunity 
  • Health and Wellbeing 
  • Quality of Life 

To learn more about our impact areas, click here.

Grant amounts are typically between $5,000 and $30,000.

Community Strategies 2019 Round 1:

  • Application Dates: July 9, 2018 – August 21, 2018
  • Awards will be announced the week of December 17, 2018
  • Grant awards are to be spent between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019

Community Strategies 2019 Round 2:

  • Application Dates: December 10, 2018 – January 15, 2019
  • Awards will be announced in May 2019
  • Grant awards are to be spent between June 1, 2019, and May 31, 2020

The Opportunity Grants Program provides small grants to eligible organizations throughout the communities served by the Innovia Foundation.

Grants through this program may range from $250 to $2,000. 
Application Dates: Ongoing 

The Rural Strong grant program is investing in organizations or programs serving communities in the following counties of Eastern Washington: Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman. 

Funds can be requested for operating, program/project, capital/equipment, or capacity building needs. 

Award maximum is $5,000.  

Application dates: April 15, 2019 – May 9, 2019.
Awards will be announced mid-June, 2019.
Grant awards are to be spent between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.

The Equinox Foundation is partnering with Innovia Foundation to provide a grant program for the benefit of the communities in Bonner and Boundary counties of North Idaho. This family foundation was founded on the values of wisdom, integrity and environmental stewardship.

This program will consider applications from nonprofit organizations addressing a variety of program areas, including: 

  • Education and youth development  
  • Arts and culture 
  • Economic opportunity 
  • Health and wellbeing 
  • Quality of life 

Grant amounts are typically between $2,000 and $30,000 and are provided for a one-year period.

Application Dates: February 18, 2019 – April 9, 2019.
Awards will be announced in early July, 2019.
Grant awards are to be spent between August 1, 2019 and July 31, 2020.

Frequently asked questions

Our programs generally do not provide support for:  

  • Individuals 
  • Academic or scientific research 
  • Debt retirement, operating deficits or after-the-fact support 
  • Direct or grassroots lobbying 
  • Expenses, including travel expenses to attend conferences, workshops, events or symposia, unless part of a broader capacity building request that improves the organization’s ability to deliver services.
  • Endowments
  • Publications, radio, video or film production 
  • Public, private or parochial education institutions (including their foundations) except in special circumstances when support is essential to programs/projects that meet community needs and are not considered standard educational services 
  • Replacement of lost/expired government funding 
  • Programs addressing specific diseases or health conditions or other special-interest organizations, except when such support significantly benefits the disadvantaged.
  • One-time fundraising events or fundraising campaigns 
  • Chambers of commerce 
  • Fraternal organizations 
  • Organizations or projects that unlawfully discriminate with regard to employees, volunteers, delivery of programs or services, or clients served based on age, sex, religion/creed, race, color, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, marital status, military or veterans status, pregnancy or genetic information 
  • Hospitals (including their foundations) except in special circumstances when support is essential to programs/projects that meet community needs
  • Universities (including their foundations) except in special circumstances when support is essential to programs/projects that meet community needs 
  • Governmental agencies except in special circumstances when support is essential to programs/projects that meet community needs 
  • Programs with religious content. In considering applications for funding from faith-based organizations we will apply the following criteria: 
  1. The program or service to be funded must be open to all members of the community (not just members of the particular faith community applying for funding) 
  2. In the course of providing programs or services, faith-based organizations cannot proselytize, nor require clients to participate in or adopt any specific religious practice or belief. 

Organizations cannot apply for grants from Innovia Foundation’s donor-advised funds.  

Requests from locally based organizations are given preference over organizations whose center of operations and/or governance is located outside of our 20-county region. Should you choose to submit an application, you must specifically address how the requested funding will benefit Innovia Foundation service areas and how you will ensure that Innovia Foundation funds will not be used outside our service area. 

An organization may apply for funds once every 12 months per grant program. Organizations may apply to more than one grant program per year. For example, an organization may apply to the Community Strategies Grant Program and the Columbia County Children’s Fund. If you have previously applied for a grant from Innovia and have questions about your eligibility to apply again, please contact us.