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 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 $30,000, with most grants in the range of $10,000 – $20,000. To learn more about this program, please view our Grant Guidelines.
Over the past six months, we underwent a strategic redesign of our responsive grants programming to develop the Community Grant Program. To learn more about this process, please click here.
Application Timeline
To view an informational webinar about this grant program, please click here.
Applications will be accepted via QuestionPro until May 26. Click here to access a link to the application.
Grants are administered in partnership with regional advisory councils consisting of funding partners and community representatives. Funds are being released on a rolling basis as fundraising continues throughout the outbreak and recovery phases of the crisis, making it possible to move resources quickly and adapt to evolving needs. Grants are being directed to nonprofit and grassroots organizations, as well as schools and other government agencies, that are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response and recovery work. Please see the Discussion Framework for more information.
In partnership with over 100 regional advisory committee member volunteers, $779,000 was distributed to 138 organizations throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho in the first round of grantmaking in April. In June, a second round of grants awarded $746,012 in funding to 165 organizations. A third round of grants will be awarded in late summer or early fall. As in Round 1 and Round 2, the process for Round 3 awards will be developed as we gain a better understanding of community needs as they are emerging at that time.
Innovia Foundation, in partnership with Washington Nonprofits and Washington State Office of Financial Management, will be providing grant funding to organizations providing services in Eastern Washington to encourage participation in the 2020 Census. A minimum of $200,000 will be distributed in the 10 Eastern Washington counties for education and outreach activities aimed at historically hard-to-count populations.
On January 3, 2020, Innovia will begin to review applications received. Applications received after that date will be considered as they are received if money is still available. The grant funding period is February 1, 2020 to April 30, 2020. Click here to access the full grant guidelines and application information. For additional information, contact Director of Grants and Community Engagement Molly Sanchez at msanchez@innovia.org or (509) 624-2606.
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 summer 2020 programming. Funding amounts are based on anticipated number of students served:
Application Timeline:
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:
Applications will be accepted from April 28, 2020 to June 19, 2020.
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 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 17, 2020 – April 21, 2020. Awards will be announced in early July, 2020. Grant awards are for a one-year period from August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021.
Innovia Foundation is partnering with Network for Good to bring its “Jumpstart” fundraising program to our community. For nonprofit organizations selected through this application process, Innovia Foundation will underwrite the costs for 12 months of Personal Fundraising Coaching (2 monthly meetings with a fundraising professional matched to work with you, based on your unique needs) as well as All-In-One Fundraising Software (donor management, email, direct mail, online giving, events and peer-to-peer platforms).
Eligibility: To be eligible to apply, organizations must be registered 501(c)(3)’s located within Innovia’s 20-county service region.
Application Timeline:
To view an information webinar about this program, please click here. To access the Jumpstart Program Outline, please click here.
Activities Typically Not Eligible for Innovia Foundation Grant Funding:
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.
Yes, organizations may apply to multiple grant programs at Innovia Foundation as long as they meet the eligibility requirements listed in each grant program to which they are applying. Each grant program has different criteria and organizations are encouraged to review the eligibility restrictions carefully before submitting an application. Applying to/receiving grant funding from one Innovia Foundation grant program does not preclude your organization from applying to any other Innovia Foundation grant program