Apply 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.
Eligibility Requirements
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.
- In order to be eligible, applicants must be a public charity with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; a federally recognized tribe; or a public entity such as a school district, municipality, or unincorporated group or association. In certain cases, grants can be awarded to non-501(c)(3) organizations for charitable purposes.
- 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.
- Some grant programs have specific restrictions. Be sure to read grant guidelines carefully to see if any restrictions apply.
- Innovia Foundation competitive grants are awarded to organizations providing services within the 20-county region served by the Foundation. (Eastern Washington Counties: Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams, Whitman, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin. North Idaho Counties: Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah, Latah, Nez Perce, Lewis, Clearwater, Shoshone and Idaho.)
- Please note that Innovia Foundation has multiple grant programs. Applying to/receiving grant funding from one Innovia Foundation grant program does not preclude your organization from to applying to any other Innovia Foundation grant program.
If you have any questions about any of Innovia Foundation’s grant programs or eligibility, please contact the Lauren Nissen, Associate Director of Grants at lnissen@innovia.org.
Grant 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: Applications will be accepted from April 28, 2022 to July 13, 2022.
The Community Grant Program is comprised of more than 90 funds established by donors who have given Innovia Foundation the flexibility to make funding decisions that accommodate changing needs and capitalize on timely and compelling opportunities in our 20-county region. This program has one cycle per year and organizations are eligible to submit one application per cycle. The maximum award amount is $20,000.
The application period for the 2022 Community Grant Program opens December 6 and closes January 11. Grants will be announced by April 1, 2022. Grant awards are for a one-year period from April 15 to 2022 – April 15, 2023. The maximum award amount is $20,000, with most grants in the range of $2,500 – $15,000.
GRANT GUIDELINES
Click here for the full grant program guidelines.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
Click here to access a copy of the questions on the FY2022 Community Grant Program Application. Please note, all applications must be submitted through MyInnovia. Please contact Lauren Nissen at lnissen@innovia.org if you need assistance or special accommodations on the application process.
PROGRAM TIMELINE
- Application Opens: Monday, December 6, 2021
- Early Bird Deadline: CLOSED Wednesday, January 5, 2022 (by midnight PST). Congratulations to Chewelah Creative District for winning the 2022 Early Bird Incentive!
- Application Closes: Tuesday, January 11, 2022 (by midnight PST)
- Grant Decisions: By Friday, April 1, 2022
- Grant Period timeline: April 15, 2022 – April 15, 2023
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 15, 2022 – April 20, 2022. Awards will be announced in early July 2022. Grant awards are for a one-year period from August 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023.
This Book public action campaign creates community-wide awareness and ownership for childhood reading success. Childhood reading success is not just a parent issue, it’s not just a student issue, and it’s not just a school issue… it is a community-wide issue. The campaign calls on everyone in the community, other than parents and students, to:
- Read to a Child
- Donate a Book
- Help Build a Stronger Community
Using familiar adults in the community, the campaign messaging emphasizes that a book, “This Book”, can have significant benefit for a community. “This Book”:
- Opens Doors – kids who master reading by 3rd grade are five times more likely to be college or career ready
- Removes Barriers – reading to a child is more important to their language and reading development than their family’s income or social class
- Grows Our Economy – every dollar spent on a donated book generates $64 in benefits for the whole community
- Fights Crime – as the average educational level in a community increases, the crime rate in that same community decreases by 13 – 27 percent
This Book Grants Program provides small grants to rural libraries, municipalities, or non-profit organizations throughout the 20 counties served by Innovia Foundation. Grants through this program may range from $250 to $2,500. Proposals should include intent to use funding for photography, graphic design and printing of community-personalized media assets. Funding may also be utilized for the purchase of items to establish reading spaces for youth in local businesses, such as books, bookcases, rugs, pillows, etc.
An existing toolkit will be made available for community-personalization which includes posters, one-sheets, rack cards, bookmarks, stickers, book lists, reading milestone reference sheets by grade level, and shareable social media posts.
For additional questions, please contact Amy Voeller at avoeller@innovia.org or (208) 771-0174.
FAQs
There is generally only 1 grant program open at a time at Innovia Foundation. Organizations may only apply once to each grant program they are eligible for.
If you have additional questions, please contact core-team@innovia.org.
Activities Typically Not Eligible for Innovia Foundation Grant Funding:
- Academic or scientific research
- Debt retirement, operating deficits or after-the-fact support
- Direct or grassroots lobbying
- Annual fund appeals and contributions to endowments
- Re-granting programs
- Litigious activities
In considering applications for funding from faith-based organizations we will apply the following criteria:
- The program or service to be funded must be open to all members of the community (not just members of the faith community applying for funding).
- In the course of providing programs or services, faith-based organizations cannot 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.