About

The Community Foundation of North Central Washington was created in September of 1986 from the sale of Chelan County Medical Services Corporation (a non-profit health care service contractor) assets. Originally named the Greater Wenatchee Community Foundation, approximately $2.1 million was transferred into the newly created community foundation in November of 1986. The name of the foundation was changed to the Community Foundation of North Central Washington in 2001 to better reflect the regional nature of the foundation’s program 

Charged to support charitable causes throughout Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties, the foundation provides tailored services to help individuals and families pursue their charitable interests conveniently, effectively and with maximum tax benefits. The Foundation is a collection of philanthropic funds, each created by a different donor at a different time for a different purpose. Donors may create funds during their lifetimes or by bequest for general charitable purposes or for a particular purpose that they specify. The foundation also helps companies administer their contributions and manages endowments for charitable agencies. 

Through its discretionary grants, the Foundation is the venture capitalist of philanthropy. The Foundation is the only funding source that can reach out to all of the community organizations in North Central Washington – in the arts, education, health and human services – and choose those projects which best meet today’s needs. The Foundation is a catalyst, helping the nonprofit community evolve to take on new challenges and opportunities as they arise, and the Foundation’s permanent endowments are a resource for future generations to meet the challenges of their times.

To date, nearly $24 million has been invested in a variety of causes in our communities and supported continuing educational opportunities for thousands of students. The assets under management have reached over $46 million in over 300 individualized funds.