Get Support From A giving circle
Learn about granting opportunities for area nonprofits.
How giving circles work
Giving Circles provide granting opportunities to area nonprofits through pooled resources and within a specific funding topic.
- The simple grant application is used as a tool to help people better understand community needs, and how nonprofits – especially yours – operate. We are not a foundation with a standing grant committee.
- All Giving Circle Members are part of the review and voting process, it is not run by committee.
- Membership varies from 15 to 30 donors. Every circle is likely to include some seasoned donors, and many people new to giving. It is not a static group.
- Circle Members often give gifts beyond or outside of their circle.
- Tax-exempt 501(C)(3)’s serving Clark County may be eligible to apply for a grant from a relevant circle.
- Our topics will vary each year. You are welcome to suggest future topics.
All Giving Circle Members are part of the review, discussion, and voting process if they wish to be involved.
While acknowledging the importance of community building, our Circles are focused on learning. Our Circles are focused on learning. We learn from people doing work in nonprofits, speakers who set the context for the topic, and from the perspective of others in the group.
2023 panels & giving circles
Supporting local causes in Clark County
Panels on each topic are open to all who are interested. You do not need to be attending a GIving Circle to attend.
Our Natural Environment
We live in an area of incredible natural beauty. There are organizations conserving open and forested areas for the present and future; planting on the banks of waterways vulnerable to erosion; guiding neighbors to create backyards that serve as havens for birds and pollinators; teaching children (and all of us!) about both science and wonder of this place we call home. Come learn and treasure our place.
Grants were awarded to:
- Bike Clark County
- Columbia Insight
- Watershed Alliance
Older Adults
Some older adults, due to a variety of systemic factors and or individual circumstances, have urgent and chronic unmet needs.
Financial vulnerability, health concerns including dementia, depression, and physical dependency, social isolation, access to good nutrition and housing, victims of elder abuse – whether a single concern or in combination, these can overwhelm a person, family, and community. Our panel will present an overview of some of these needs and introduce you to a few groups making a difference in the lives of older adults.
Grants were awarded to:
- Battle Ground HealthCare
- The Caring Closet
- CDM Caregiving Services
- Council for the Homeless
Early Childhood Development
Research has continually shown our brains grow rapidly in the earliest stages of life. This organic process is shaped by resources available to kids, families, and communities. Come learn how local groups are supporting early brain development in laying a foundation for children’s physical health and overall well-being. Early childhood topics include the role of preschool, child-care needs, and early intervention programs for children with differing abilities or suffering from trauma, as well as the basic needs of our littlest community members. We will provide insight on a selection of work.
Grants were awarded to:
Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program
Columbia Play Project
YWCA Y’s Care Program
Our Community’s History
Whether you grew up here, or are new to the area, you are part of a fabric of human experience woven by generations. Organizations that focus on our shared past are not simply archives of days gone by, but springboards to the future. They remind us of common roots, stories of enterprise, creative expression, and courage. These nonprofits may include historical museums and places, creative expression, and more. Recognizing the legacies of our community illuminates our own.
Watch for how we connect you to nonprofits focused on community history in 2024!