Our Commitment to the Nonprofit Ecosystem in the Columbia Basin

One of the biggest purposes of community foundations is to play a large role in building, strengthening and supporting the local nonprofit ecosystem. By supporting this important ecosystem in Grant, Adams, and Lincoln Counties we can help our community organizations to deliver their mission effectively now and long into the future. This is a responsibility that Columbia Basin Foundation takes seriously, ensuring safe and productive communities in which we can all enjoy living, working, and playing.

Community foundations are uniquely qualified to understand the distinct needs of their own communities, since they are actively part of them. In the world of philanthropy this role is known as capacity builders. In this role, CBF is committed to elevating the exposure of the nonprofits in our community, helping them to build stronger networks and relationships, and ultimately to thrive for many years to come. And while building the capacity of these community-based organizations doesn't come with a specific formula, our work exemplifies the need for a broad approach to this necessary change. Our nonprofit partners provide a wide variety of services and purposes, and each come with their own unique needs. The development of our role in supporting these great organizations continues to grow and change to meet those needs, and we continue to look for new and innovative ways in which we can serve them all.

Here are FIVE ways Columbia Basin Foundation is working to help cultivate a positive nonprofit ecosystem in our area.

  1. Nonprofit Spotlight Series within “Celebrate CBF”.

  2. Hosting Annual Nonprofit Conferences

  3. Providing the means for a nonprofit to create a permanent endowment fund to support the organization.

  4. Providing leadership for nonprofits to gain knowledge on various areas of improvement; i.e., board development, board governance, bylaws, grant application, etc.

  5. Providing leadership in convening stakeholders in our area on issues of importance; i.e., health, safety, environmental issues, etc.

The best part of supporting the nonprofit ecosystem is that everybody wins! It creates positive change and impact that stretches throughout the entire community, now and in the future.