Local community foundations team up for fundraising blitz

Whitefish Community Foundation has teamed up with Flathead Community Foundation to participate in the Global Day of Giving and Unity, scheduled for Tuesday, May 5.

The community foundations will promote giving to more than 70 local nonprofits, and Whitefish Community Foundation will offer a matching grant of $1,000 to each nonprofit raising more than $2,000 during the giving day campaign.

With the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 crisis, many nonprofits are canceling events, struggling to keep their programs running, and seeing donations fall off.

“We want our nonprofits to stay in business, continue to offer their programs, enrich our communities, and provide the services that make our communities in NW Montana so special,” said Linda Engh-Grady, Whitefish Community Foundation president. “We know not everyone can donate right now, but if you can, donate the money you would have spent attending the auction event, or perhaps a portion of your stimulus check if you do not need it.”

Flathead Community Foundation Director Tom LePage added, “We echo those desires and are pleased to collaboratively invite all donors to participate in the most diverse and broadest reaching local giving day campaign for our community in these critical times.”

It is free for nonprofits to participate in the Day of Giving and Unity. Donations will be accepted online starting Tuesday, May 5, at 8 a.m. through Wednesday, May 6, at noon through the Whitefish Community Foundation’s online donation platform. Donations can also be made by check on May 5-6 and dropped off at any drive-up window of First Interstate Bank or Glacier Bank in Flathead County or Eureka. Donations can also be made at the drive-up donation booths in front of Whitefish Community Foundation and Flathead Community Foundation offices.

If donors make their gift online, they can use the shopping cart feature to select the nonprofits they would like to donate to and how much they wish to donate to each, then check out with just one credit card transaction. Donors should be aware that 100% of all gifts will go to the designated nonprofits, minus any credit card fee unless the donor selects to cover that as well in the donation.

Donations made by check should include instructions on which nonprofit the gift is designated to, and how much. A donation form will be available in the newspaper May 1, or at any First Interstate Bank or Glacier Bank drive-up window.

To find the list of participating nonprofits and for more information, visit whitefishcommunityfoundation.org. or call 406-863-1781. Whitefish Community Foundation is located at 214 W. Second St., Whitefish. Flathead Community Foundation may be reached at 756-9047 and is located at 44 Second Ave. W., Kalispell.