Menu
Innovia Foundation has opened a Wildfire Emergency Response Fund to support nonprofit organizations, businesses and community organizations working to meet the needs of those impacted by current wildfires in the region.
Through generous support, more than $1.1 million has been raised. Grants are currently available for local nonprofit organizations assisting individuals and families. A Long-Term Recovery Group for Spokane County has been established and is meeting weekly to coordinate resources. In the coming weeks, Disaster Case Managers will be hired to work with fire survivors and help them navigate next steps toward recovery. Future distributions from the Wildfire Fund will be made at the recommendation of the Long-Term Recovery Group and through Disaster Case Management.
The Gray Fire in Medical Lake and the Oregon Road Fire near Elk in Spokane County have claimed thousands of acres and displaced hundreds of families and individuals.
“This emergency fund provides an opportunity for neighbors to help neighbors and provide resources that will be needed now and in the future as our communities recover from the impacts of these devastating fires,” said Innovia Foundation CEO Shelly O’Quinn.
As in previous wildfire response efforts, Innovia will work closely with community partners to get funding to where it is most needed as quickly as possible.
As a region, we have a history of coming together to take care of each other. We invite generous individuals to join us in supporting recovery efforts by donating to the relief fund.”
$
0
+
raised for the individuals and families most impacted
GIVE NOW
100% of your tax-deductible donation will support nonprofit organizations, businesses and community organizations working to meet the needs of those impacted by wildfires in our region.
Donations to the Wildfire Emergency Response Fund – Eastern Washington can be made online (click the button below) or by mailing a check payable to Innovia Foundation with Wildfire Emergency Response Fund in the memo:
Innovia Foundation
attn: Wildfire Emergency Response Fund
818 W. Riverside Ave, Ste. 650
Spokane, WA 99201
How the fund works
From all of us at Innovia, our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the Gray and Oregon Road wildfires. In the days following, we experienced an outpouring of generosity from individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations, locally and outside this region.
It is a testament to what we do best … coming Together for Good.
With more than $1.1 million raised, the Wildfire Emergency Response Fund is currently providing grants to local nonprofit organizations working on the front lines to provide immediate relief to individuals and families. All donated funds will support wildfire relief. Innovia does not take any percentage of the funding for operational costs.
In this region we are fortunate to have incredible first responders and organizations like Red Cross and Spokane Emergency Management with expertise in immediate response. They have done an amazing job of getting people to safety and shelter.
However, just when press coverage and public attention begins to wane, the critical recovery work begins. This is when private donations will be needed most for long-term recovery efforts. A Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG) comprised of community-based organizations, disaster recovery organizations, funders, and community representatives has been organized to plan and coordinate recovery efforts in Spokane County.
In addition, an Unmet Needs Roundtable will bring together disaster case management and donor agencies to address the disaster-related unmet needs of individuals and households. This process will get funding to individuals and families for needs that persist after exhausting all available resources. Based on Innovia’s experience in other wildfire impacted communities, this can include repairing and replacing lost or damaged structures and replacing things such as beds and basic furnishings.
FAQs
In the short-term, grants are being distributed as needed to nonprofit organizations that are able to provide immediate assistance and relief. Grants to date are supporting The Salvation Army (for student back-to-school gift cards), Feed Medical Lake and Medical Lake Community Outreach. In the intermediate and long-term, funding will be distributed through the Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) for Spokane County.
Some of the community-based organizations providing immediate assistance include:
- Salvation Army
- New Hope Resource Center in Elk
- Re*Imagine Medical Lake
- Medical Lake Community Outreach
- Spokane Realtors
A Long-Term Recovery Group is a cooperative body that is made up of representatives from faith-based, non-porofit, government, business and other organizations working within a community to assist individuals and families recover from disaster.
No one program can meet all the disaster -related recovery needs of the hardest impacted individuals and families. This serves as the “clearinghouse” for all those who desire to help with recovery.
Collaborations among organizations increase capacity and efficiency for recovery as additional helping resources are brought to the table.
- Ensures resources are distributed fairly
- Avoids duplication of benefits and services.
- Communities with Long-Term Recovery Groups respond to and recover from disaster faster and more effectively.
- Local, community based LTRGs are the key to increasing capacity and providing a centralized location for resources to funnel in.
- Disaster Case Management & Unmet Needs
- Volunteer Coordination
- Reconstruction/Rebuild Coordination
- Management of Donors and Fundraising
- Advocacy for Ongoing Needs
- Emotional and Spiritual Care
- Communications and Public Relations
- Debris Removal and Site Preparation
A case manager will present a survivor’s disaster-caused unmet need to the Long-Term Recovery Group. Members of the group have a variety of resources (human, in-kind, financial) and collaboratively provide all or parts of the resources needed to assist the survivor. This includes access to the dollars in the Wildfire Response Fund at Innovia.
A coordinated approach to resource distribution will be necessary to make sure the funds can be stretched as far as possible, doing the most good for the most people.
Where can I get help?
Working together with the Long-Term Recovery Organization, the Unmet Needs Roundtable and other community partners, financial assistance will pave the way for recovery in the months and years ahead.
In the meantime, we encourage people to do the following:
- Register with the Red Cross by calling 1-800-RED CROSS
- Access our community resources to connect to the many agencies providing information and assistance.
- Apply for a grant if you are a nonprofit organization seeking assistance for wildfire response and recovery
As stewards of the generous donations to the Wildfire Emergency Response Fund, Innovia is committed to transparency and keeping the region apprised of new developments related to fundraising and fund distribution. Please come back to this page often to see the most current information.
Apply for a Grant
If you are a non-profit organization needing assistance to respond to immediate needs in a fire-affected community, please contact us at grants@innovia.org and let us know:
- Organization name
- Organization mission
- How would your organization utilize a grant to minimize the impact the Gray/Oregon Road fires on your client population?
- How much funding are you requesting to meet needs over the next 30 – 60 days?
- Is there any additional information you’d like us to know about the impact the Gray/Oregon Road fires on your organization and your community?
Eastern Washington Fire Recovery Resources
- Re*Imagine Medical Lake
- New Hope Resource Center
- Elk Strong Newsletter
- The Salvation Army of Spokane
- Spokane County Emergency Management
- Spokane County Assessor Property Tax Relief
- The REALTORS® Relief Foundation
- Fire Recovery Resources
- The Fig Tree Directory: Fire Response Supplement Guide 3rd edition
- Spokane County Resources for Wildfire Victims
- Our Place Community Outreach (1509 W. College Ave., Spokane, WA) will begin accepting donations for fire evacuees. You can contact them at (509) 326-7267 or office@ourplacespokane.org.
RECENT NEWS
Our community partners at KHQ, The Spokesman Review and Spokane County Emergency Management are providing regular updates about the fires currently impacting our region.
- KHQ 360 Coverage: Breaking down where your donation will go
- Innovia Foundation emergency fund raises $700,000 in less than a week for wildfire victims
- Innovia Foundation continues to help communities in need in our region after wildfires
- Gray Fire grows to 9,500 acres, area for Level 2 evacuation expanded
- Medical Lake wildfire has burned 185 structures and 9,500 acres. It is 0% contained
- Gray Fire grows to 9,500 acres, area for Level 2 evacuation expanded
- 30 structures lost in Oregon Road Fire burning near Elk, 150 more threatened
- ‘We lost everything we owned’: Gray fire destroys local firefighters’ homes
Contact Us
For more information, contact Molly Sanchez, Chief Community Investment Officer, at 509-808-5504 or msanchez@innovia.org.
Who We Are
Innovia Foundation inspires generosity that transforms lives and communities so that every person has the opportunity to thrive. As the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho, we partner with people who want to make our world better. We work together to address and solve our region’s problems, help those in need, identify and respond to our greatest opportunities and leave a lasting impact. Each year, Innovia Foundation invests $10 million into our communities through grants and scholarships to nonprofit organizations and local students.
Founding Partners
Media Partners
Major Donors
Regional Donors
