Great Fish giving to exceed $1.5 million

Donors gave in a big way for this year’s Great Fish Community Challenge, giving generously online, in the mail or hand-delivering their donations up until the very last minute of giving campaign at 5 p.m. Sept. 15.

More than $350,000 was collected on the final day of the challenge. The preliminary total for the 45 participating nonprofits tallied $1,580,654. This is an increase of more than $430,000 over last year’s numbers and does not include the final match.

Nearly all of the nonprofits succeeded in raising at least $20,000, which is the maximum amount eligible to be matched. The match percentage is being calculated by the Whitefish Community Foundation and will be announced at the third annual Great Fish Challenge awards celebration, a public event, at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, in the upstairs bar at Casey’s in downtown Whitefish

Several bonus grants will be announced at the awards celebration. The Great Fish Award, originally presented to a nonprofit to recognize its outstanding contributions to the community and included a $2,500 grant, is being reorganized. The new Great Fish Award will include a $5,000 grant and will recognize a nonprofit that exhibits outstanding participation in all areas of the challenge. It is selected each year by the Whitefish Community Foundation Board of Directors.

A $1,000 grant will be presented to the nonprofit winner of the Jingle Contest for the most creative jingle representing the true spirit of the Great Fish Community Challenge. Several other bonus grants will also be announced. More than $15,000 has been awarded during the challenge through incentive and bonus grants.

For more information about the Whitefish Community Foundation visit www.whitefishcommunityfoundation.org.