Giving Together: Charitable giving for 25 years

It has been said that a lot of good ideas start on a napkin. There were more than a few napkins involved when we began meeting at the Buffalo Cafe over 25 years ago to discuss creating a community foundation to raise charitable funds for local nonprofit programs and projects. Joining us at that table so many years ago were the late Connie Heckathorn and Dave Stewart. We were a diverse group of community members who shared a love for our little town and wanted to improve the quality of life for everyone living here.

In those early days, we faced some skepticism from some of the very nonprofits we set out to help. They worried that the community could not afford to support yet another nonprofit. Our job was to show the nonprofits that we weren’t there to compete for a slice of the pie; we were there to make the pie bigger. We set a lofty goal for ourselves to grant $10 million dollars within 10 years. We pulled out our personal checkbooks to award the very first grants, and our Community Grant Program was born.

Today, as we reflect on the 25th anniversary of Whitefish Community Foundation, we are humbled by the more than 10,000 donors who have made it possible for us to grant over $100 million since 2000! These grants have championed health and education initiatives, addressed critical issues such as hunger and homelessness, and protected our wildlife and surrounding landscapes. The pie continues to grow, supporting nonprofits throughout the Flathead Valley. One of the foundation’s most popular grant programs, the Great Fish Community Challenge, has raised over $35 million for nonprofits in Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Bigfork, Creston, Hungry Horse, and Whitefish.