columbia basin foundation

What columbia basin foundation does

Columbia Basin Foundation (CBF) is a 501(c)(3) community foundation established in 1996 and headquartered at 101 Basin St. NW, Ephrata, Washington. The foundation operates as an intermediary between philanthropic donors and charitable causes across the Columbia Basin region, principally Grant County and surrounding communities including Moses Lake, Quincy, Othello, Connell, and Soap Lake. It administers seven fund types — Agency Fund, Designated Funds, Donor Advised Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Fiscal Sponsorship Funds, Scholarship Funds, and Building/Special Project Funds — alongside over 70 named scholarship programs for graduating high school seniors and a Workforce/Continuing Education Scholarship track. CBF runs semi-annual grant cycles (Spring Grants and a second cycle) that channel funding to local nonprofit organizations, and it operates targeted workforce-development programming in partnership with Grant County PUD.

The foundation's revenue model is donation-driven: it receives tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, families, and corporate partners, with no explicit fees charged for fund administration. Donor acquisition is community-led and relationship-driven, leveraging local school relationships, corporate partnerships (Samaritan, Washington Trust Bank, Tommer Construction), and recurring annual partnership tiers. Distribution occurs through a physical Ephrata office and a PayPal/Venmo-enabled online giving portal. As a non-profit entity with 1-10 employees, no parent organization, and no disclosed revenue, the foundation operates under board governance as an independent public charity. Its technology stack is minimal — a Squarespace website and standard payment integrations — with no proprietary software, no API, no AI capabilities, and no mobile application. The organization celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026 and continues to expand its scholarship portfolio and partner ecosystem.

Name

columbia basin foundation

Legal name

Columbia Basin Foundation

Website

https://columbiabasinfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Columbia Basin Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation in Ephrata, Washington that connects donors with charitable causes across the Columbia Basin region, administering scholarship programs for high school seniors and granting funds to local nonprofits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Philanthropy Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation management
• Charitable fund administration
• Donor advised funds
• Scholarship grant programs
• Fiscal sponsorship services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ephrata

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: The foundation receives tax-deductible charitable contributions from donors who establish various types of funds including donor advised funds, designated funds, field of interest funds, and scholarship funds.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Columbia Basin Foundation administers charitable funds for donors and nonprofit organizations, including agency endowment, building and special project, designated, donor advised, field of interest, fiscal sponsorship, and scholarship funds. It also provides scholarships to students and grant funding to local nonprofit organizations serving the Columbia Basin region.

Product overview

Columbia Basin Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation offering a portfolio of philanthropic products centered around fund management and grantmaking. The core offerings include various fund types (Agency Endowment, Building/Special Project, Designated, Donor Advised, Field of Interest, Fiscal Sponsorship, and Scholarship Funds) that enable donors to create customized giving vehicles. The foundation administers over 70 named scholarship programs for graduating seniors, offers workforce/continuing education scholarships, and runs semi-annual grant cycles supporting local nonprofits. The service enables donors to establish lasting legacies through designated giving for scholarships, charitable contributions, and community projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agency Endowment Funds Endowment funds established by nonprofit organizations to support their long-term charitable missions.
• Building / Special Project Funds Funds designated for capital projects and special community initiatives.
• Designated Funds Donor-created funds that support specific charitable organizations or causes selected by the donor.
• Donor Advised Funds Flexible funds in which donors provide grant recommendations while the foundation handles administration.
• Field of Interest Funds Funds focused on specific areas such as the arts, education, environment, or health as designated by donors.
• Fiscal Sponsorship Funds Funds that provide administrative support for emerging charitable projects and organizations.
• Scholarship Funds Donor-established funds that provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education.
• CBF Scholarships for Graduating Seniors More than 70 named scholarship programs for graduating high school seniors in Grant County and surrounding areas, supporting students pursuing higher education in various fields.
• Workforce - Continuing Education Scholarships Scholarships for adult learners and workforce development programs.
• Spring Grants Program Grant program providing funding to nonprofit organizations in the Columbia Basin region.
• Legacy Fund Creation Assistance for donors in establishing scholarship funds and designated funds that create lasting community impact.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 2026 CBF PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Annual partnership program inviting local businesses and organizations to support foundation operations. The 2026 partnership marks the 30th anniversary celebration. Partnership options include various contribution levels with 'Friend of the Foundation' option at $30 for those unable to commit to larger partnerships.
• SamaritanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community partner organization featured on the foundation's homepage. The partnership supports community enrichment initiatives in the Columbia Basin region.
• Washington Trust BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional financial institution partner featured on the foundation's homepage, supporting community philanthropy initiatives.
• Tommer ConstructionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal construction company partner supporting foundation initiatives and community projects.
• Grant County PUDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant County Public Utility District partnered with the foundation for apprenticeship and workforce development programs. Students from Grant County high schools can access information about apprenticeship opportunities through the partnership.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Seattle Foundation: The Seattle Foundation is a much larger Washington-state community foundation headquartered in Seattle. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating in the same state with overlapping fund types and grantmaking, but at significantly greater scale and with a broader urban donor base.

Direct peers

• Kitsap Community Foundation: Kitsap Community Foundation serves Kitsap County, WA. Comparable to Columbia Basin Foundation as a regional community foundation offering donor funds, scholarships, and grant programs in a similar Washington geographic footprint.
• Skagit Community Foundation: Skagit Community Foundation serves Skagit County, WA. Comparable peer to Columbia Basin Foundation in mission, structure, and scale as a small-to-mid sized regional community foundation.
• Blue Mountain Community Foundation: Blue Mountain Community Foundation serves Walla Walla and the surrounding region in eastern Washington. Directly comparable in scale, fund offerings, and rural community foundation model.
• Inland Northwest Community Foundation: Inland Northwest Community Foundation is a regional community foundation serving the Spokane area. Directly comparable to Columbia Basin Foundation as a 501(c)(3) community foundation administering donor advised funds, scholarships, and community grants in a similar-sized Washington geography.
• Yakima Valley Community Foundation: Yakima Valley Community Foundation is a community foundation in central Washington administering funds, scholarships, and grants. Directly comparable to Columbia Basin Foundation in mission, fund offerings, and rural-Washington geography.
• Whatcom Community Foundation: Whatcom Community Foundation serves Bellingham and Whatcom County, WA. Comparable to Columbia Basin Foundation as a regional community foundation administering donor funds, scholarships, and community grants with similar operational scope.
• Thurston Community Foundation: Thurston Community Foundation is a regional community foundation serving Thurston County, WA. Directly comparable as a Washington-based community foundation managing donor funds, scholarships, and grant programs.
• Community Foundation of Southwest Washington: Community Foundation of Southwest Washington serves the Vancouver/Clark County region. Directly comparable as a Washington-based community foundation with donor advised funds, scholarship programs, and grantmaking cycles.
• Community Foundation of North Central Washington: Community Foundation of North Central Washington serves the Wenatchee Valley and Chelan-Douglas region. A direct peer as a 501(c)(3) community foundation with similar fund management, scholarship administration, and regional grantmaking model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbia-basin-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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