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.
If you have any questions about any of Innovia Foundation’s grant programs, please contact Alicia Heiser at aheiser@innovia.org.
The Zone Project is a multi-sector initiative focused on safe and nurtured kids, thriving families, and connected schools and neighborhoods in northeast Spokane. In partnership with The Zone Project, Innovia Foundation is excited to announce a three-year investment by the Ballmer Group to support quality expanded learning opportunities for children and youth in northeast Spokane.
The Zone Project’s Expanded Learning Program (ELP) focuses on helping children and youth access quality educational, health and social-emotional supports that enable them to succeed through key transition years. To support the whole child and whole family, the ELP will work closely with Spokane Public Schools, families, youth-serving organizations and health, education and social service partners. The intention of this program is to support and align high-quality, out-of-school programming that is measurable and sustainable.
For more information about The Zone Project, including a map of the geographic region it serves, please click here.
Funding Limit:
Grants are awarded for a three-year period and grant requests must range between $20,000 and $65,000 for the first year. Awards will decrease by 25% of the initial grant award each consecutive year (if an organization receives $20,000 the first year, it will receive $15,000 the second year and $10,000 the third year). Organizations are expected to sustain the programming beyond the three-year grant period.
Application Timeline:
Note: This grant cycle is for academic year programming, there will be an additional grant cycle opening in early 2020 for summer-only programming.
For more information and to access the grant application, visit our online application portal.
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:
Due Date: July 9, 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.
Community Strategies FY2020 Round 1: We are suspending the FY2020 Round 1 Community Strategies grant program. Click here to learn more about this strategic decision. We anticipate opening our next responsive grant round in January 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:
Applications should address one of our impact areas:
To learn more about our impact areas, click here. Grant amounts are typically between $5,000 and $30,000.
Community Strategies FY2019 Round 2:
The Opportunity Grants Program provides small grants to eligible organizations throughout the 20 counties served by Innovia Foundation. Grants through this program may range from $250 to $2,000.
Please note that this program has very specific guidelines listed below. Proposals not meeting all the following guidelines will not be reviewed. If you have questions about whether your proposal is a fit with the guidelines for this program, please contact Innovia Foundation Grants Program Associate Alicia Heiser at aheiser@innovia.org or (509) 624-2606.
Projects eligible for funding from the Opportunity Grants Program are those that either:
• Take advantage of a compelling opportunity; or
• Address an unexpected condition which impairs the organization’s ability to function or causes individuals/groups served by the organization to be at unusual risk.
Project Timing: proposed projects must be time-sensitive to the extent that the grant cycles of Innovia’s other grant programs do not accommodate the immediate need of the organization. A project that may be a compelling opportunity, but is not time sensitive, will not be eligible for funding.
Due to the limited funding available for this program, proposals stemming from a lack of foresight or poor management of resources on the part of an organization are not considered for funding.
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 16, 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:
Grant amounts are typically between $2,000 and $30,000 and are provided for a one-year period.
Application Dates: February 18, 2019 – April 16, 2019. Awards will be announced in early July, 2019. Grant awards are to be spent between August 1, 2019 and July 31, 2020.
Our programs generally do not provide support for:
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.