Community Foundation of NCW

What Community Foundation of NCW does

Community Foundation of North Central Washington (CFNCW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community foundation headquartered in Wenatchee, Washington, with a regional office in Omak, serving Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties in North Central Washington. The foundation's core function is place-based philanthropic intermediation: it pools charitable capital from individual donors, families, businesses, and estates, then redistributes it as grants and scholarships to local nonprofits, schools, and students. Its product portfolio centers on six geographic Legacy Funds (Cashmere, Chelan Valley, Methow Valley, Okanogan Valley, Upper Valley, Wenatchee Valley), over 120 unique scholarship funds, Donor Advised Funds, the Washington Opportunity Fund revolving conservation loan vehicle, and complementary giving channels including Giving Cards, a Workplace Giving Program, Heirloom Society planned gifts, and QCD/IRA gifts.

The foundation operates a community-led grantmaking model in which Local Advisory Boards of community volunteers review applications, conduct site visits, and make regional grant recommendations, with grant cycles staggered across the six regions throughout the year. Its underlying technology is modest: FC Suite for fundholder account management and Grant Interface for online applications. Revenue mechanics come from administrative and investment fees on Donor Advised Funds (1% admin plus 0.5% investment on fund balances, billed annually), unrestricted donations, bequests, and legacy gifts, alongside campaign proceeds from Give NCW (Thanksgiving through December) and Give Methow (October). In 2025, Give NCW raised a record $1,085,414 and Give Methow raised $940,667; the foundation awarded $514,200 in Legacy Fund Grants and $1,236,140 in scholarships in the prior cycle. The team is small (~5 employees including Executive Director Beth Stipe, Director of Community Grants Jennifer Short, and Director of Marketing and Communications Thom Schroeder).

Name

Community Foundation of NCW

Legal name

Community Foundation of North Central Washington

Website

https://cfncw.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Community Foundation of North Central Washington is a 501(c)(3) community foundation that pools charitable capital and redistributes it as grants and scholarships to nonprofits, schools, and students across Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties in Washington State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Philanthropy and Grantmaking Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

Keywords

• Community grantmaking services
• Donor advised funds
• Scholarship fund administration
• Charitable legacy planning
• Regional philanthropy foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Wenatchee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Advised Fund Fees: The foundation charges a 1% administrative fee and 0.5% investment fee on Donor Advised Fund balances. These fees cover fund management, processing grants, and investment administration.
2. Donations and Contributions: The foundation receives donations, bequests, and legacy gifts from individuals and families. These contributions are used to establish endowed funds that generate ongoing grantmaking capacity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Community Foundation of NCW is a regional 501(c)(3) community foundation that administers charitable funds, Donor Advised Funds, and scholarship endowments on behalf of individual donors, families, and businesses in North Central Washington. It distributes grants to local 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public schools across six geographic regions (Cashmere, Chelan Valley, Methow Valley, Okanogan Valley, Upper Valley, Wenatchee Valley) through Local Advisory Boards. It also operates annual giving campaigns (Give NCW, Give Methow), a Giving Card program, Workplace Giving, the Heirloom Society for planned gifts, and the Washington Opportunity Fund for conservation loans.

Product overview

Community Foundation of NCW is a regional nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of philanthropic products and services centered around grantmaking, scholarship administration, and charitable fund management. The core offerings include Legacy Funds (six geographic-specific funds), a Donor Advised Funds program, and over 120 scholarship funds. Additional programs include giving campaigns (Give NCW, Give Methow), Giving Cards, Workplace Giving, the Heirloom Society for legacy giving, and the Washington Opportunity Fund for conservation loans. The Foundation also manages multiple competitive grant programs including the NCW Foundation for Youth Grant, Woods Family Music & Arts Grant, and community-specific funds for Cashmere, Chelan Valley, Methow Valley, Okanogan Valley, Upper Valley, Wenatchee Valley, Mansfield, and Waterville.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Give NCW: Annual online giving campaign supporting local nonprofits in Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties during Thanksgiving through December
• Give Methow
• Cashmere Fund
• Chelan Valley Fund
• Methow Valley Fund
• Okanogan Valley Fund
• Upper Valley Fund
• Wenatchee Valley Fund
• NCW Foundation for Youth Grant
• Woods Family Music & Arts Grant
• Washington Opportunity Fund

Products and services

• Legacy Funds Place-based, community-centered grant distribution funds restricted to supporting charitable causes within specific geographic areas of North Central Washington, spanning Cashmere, Chelan Valley, Methow Valley, Okanogan Valley, Upper Valley, and Wenatchee Valley. Donors and the community at large benefit from a permanent endowment model that grants go to local nonprofits within each region.
• Legacy Funds Grant Program Competitive grant program providing unrestricted funding to nonprofits serving the three-county region. Local Advisory Boards review applications, conduct site visits, and recommend grant awards. Cycles are staggered by region throughout the year. For 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving North Central Washington.
• Donor Advised Funds Charitable checking-account-style fund where donors make initial tax-deductible contributions of at least $5,000, then recommend grants to any verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization anytime through an online fundholder account. Designed for individual donors, families, and businesses seeking a flexible giving vehicle with administrative support.
• Scholarship Funds Over 120 unique scholarship funds established by individuals, families, businesses, and organizations supporting higher education for students from the region attending community college, university, or trade school. CFNCW administers the application, selection, and disbursement process.
• Give NCW Campaign Annual online giving campaign supporting local nonprofits in Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties during the holiday season. The 2025 campaign raised a record-breaking $1,085,414 with nearly 100 participating nonprofits. Targeted at individual donors across the three-county region.
• Give Methow Campaign Annual month-long online fundraising campaign in October supporting Methow Valley nonprofits, with a minimum donation of $10 and credit card fees covered by the foundation. The 2025 campaign raised $940,667 with 47 participating nonprofits. Targeted at individual donors across and beyond the Methow Valley.
• Giving Cards Prepaid gift cards that can be redeemed to support any of the regional nonprofit or scholarship funds managed by the Foundation, or applied to Give NCW and Give Methow campaigns. Designed for use by donors, employers, and gift recipients.
• Workplace Giving Program Payroll deduction program allowing employees to donate to local charitable causes, with optional employer matching and funds loaded onto Giving Cards. Targeted at employers and their workforces in the region.
• Heirloom Society Honor society for individuals and families who have committed to leaving a planned legacy gift to the Foundation via wills, trusts, life insurance, or other planned giving vehicles. Provides recognition and stewardship of long-term charitable commitments.
• Washington Opportunity Fund Rapid-response revolving loan fund providing up to $500,000 at 1% interest for land trusts and conservation nonprofits to acquire fee-title or conservation easement interests to protect Washington State's wildlife and habitats. Administered by CFNCW with funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and other sources.
• NCW Foundation for Youth Grant Competitive grant program established in 2017 providing up to $1,000 per organization for programs directly benefiting youth in Chelan and Douglas counties. Targeted at schools, youth programs, and youth-serving nonprofits.
• Woods Family Music & Arts Grant Field of Interest Fund grant established in 2011 supporting arts and music programs across Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties, with awards up to $5,000 for operating expenses or project-specific support focused on youth and underrepresented audiences.
• Mansfield Community Fund Grant Grant program for the Mansfield community established through the estate of Neil Asmussen, supporting projects in arts, civic projects, conservation, education, and health/human services.
• Waterville Community Fund Grant Grant program supporting Waterville community projects in arts, civic projects, conservation, education, and health/human services. Awarded $9,408 in 2025 to local Waterville grantees.
• Wenatchee High School Foundation Grant Grant program providing $250 to $1,000 for leadership, arts, and academic excellence projects at Wenatchee High School. Targeted at the school's teachers, students, and parent organizations.
• Make A Difference Day Grant Microgrant program providing up to $200 for nonprofit organizations and groups in Wenatchee Valley for volunteer-led projects on Make a Difference Day.
• Gift from Your IRA (Qualified Charitable Distribution) Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) program allowing donors 70½ or older to transfer funds directly from their IRA to qualified charitable organizations, including funds at CFNCW. Designed for retirees and estate planners seeking tax-advantaged giving.

Quantifiable outcome

• $514,200 awarded through Legacy Fund Grants in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Give Methow Campaign PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 November 2025The Give Methow campaign included matching contributions from The Methow Valley Fund, Community Foundation of NCW, and a significant anonymous donor. These partners help amplify giving and provide stretch incentives for nonprofits.
• Housing Authority of Okanogan County (HAOC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025CFNCW partnered with HAOC on the Wildrose Multifamily Affordable Housing project in Winthrop, WA. CFNCW's ARC loan program supported the project, marking the first ARC loan repayment for rural community development. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in November 2025.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Seattle Foundation: Largest community foundation in Washington state offering DAFs, impact investing, and extensive grantmaking. Same industry and product category as CFNCW but operates at substantially larger scale across the Puget Sound region.
• Foundation for the Carolinas: Large multi-state community foundation offering donor services, competitive grants, and impact investing. Provides useful scale-up benchmark for what a community foundation can become with deeper geographic reach.
• Oregon Community Foundation: Oregon's largest community foundation managing significant assets, scholarships, and regional grantmaking programs. Same category as CFNCW but at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Inland Empire Community Foundation: Spokane-based Washington community foundation providing regional grantmaking, scholarships, and donor services. Comparable operating model and asset scale to CFNCW.
• Idaho Community Foundation: Idaho's statewide community foundation providing place-based funds, scholarships, and competitive grant cycles. Highly comparable multi-region community foundation model.
• Yakima Valley Community Foundation: Washington community foundation focused on Yakima Valley with scholarships, donor funds, and competitive grants. Comparable rural-region community foundation model.
• Whatcom Community Foundation: Community foundation serving Whatcom County in Washington with place-based funds, scholarships, and grant programs. Highly comparable structure and Pacific Northwest regional footprint to CFNCW.
• Montana Community Foundation: Statewide Montana community foundation administering geographic funds, scholarships, and nonprofit grants. Comparable rural-state community foundation model.
• Greater Tacoma Community Foundation: Washington-state community foundation offering donor advised funds, scholarships, and regional grantmaking. Closely comparable in mission and product mix to CFNCW, though serving a larger urban-area donor base.

Others

• Council on Foundations: National membership association supporting community, corporate, and private foundations. Adjacent industry organization providing peer benchmarking, advocacy, and resources relevant to CFNCW.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/CFNCW
• Facebookfacebook.com/cfncw
• Instagraminstagram.com/communityfoundationncw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cfncw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of NCW