December 18, 2024

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4 min

A Historic Year, A Bright Future

2024: Celebrating 40 years of local giving. Photos from the Community Foundation events in 2024, including Common Cause, Shine On!, Giving Elevated, UnCharitable and a staff haunted walking tour
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History is made of stories, but it is told through subtext. This dawned on me as we dug into the archive to celebrate our 40th anniversary this year.


As I read the stories that shaped our journey as an organization, it wasn’t always the headlines that stuck with me. Our early years are a perfect example. Mary Granger and the founding board didn’t have the luxury of a major gift or endowment to prop up the Community Foundation, so they got involved in almost every community effort they could. We added coordinating support to the Walk and Knock food drive, led a local push for Hands Across America, and co-created Operation Warm Heart with Clark Public Utilities. 


Reading between the lines, I saw how important these early initiatives were. Each allowed the Community Foundation to raise a different, but equally important, kind of currency: trust. More than that, these collective efforts wrote the early chapters of what our story would become—a foundation shaped by people from all walks of life.


Momentum grew through gifts from stalwart philanthropists like Ed and Dollie Lynch and everyday givers like Bill and Cathryn Byrd. Today, hundreds of caring community members have brought their unique sense of purpose to the Community Foundation, and together we are making a difference.


What We Accomplished Together in 2024

Total Granted in 2024: $28 Million+ ; New Gifts to the Community Foundation: $18 Million; Scholarships Awarded: $1.2 Million

This year, we continued our mission by supporting nonprofits through our strategic grantmaking and partnering with donors to grow local philanthropy. These committed efforts resulted in more than $28 million in grants to important causes and $18 million in new gifts to the Community Foundation. Our scholarship program had another record year, providing more than $1.2 million to local students who are charting paths toward prosperity.


In the middle of it all, our 40th Anniversary Celebration brought 550 of our closest friends together at ilani Casino Resort. We spent the evening traveling through time to honor the people, projects and programs that have advanced our work for four decades. We also explored where the Community Foundation is headed by sharing highlights from our recently published Strategic Plan Summary Report.


The event culminated with the launch of our SWIIFT Initiative, an impact investing strategy that harnesses the power of charitable assets to provide low-interest loans that will accelerate the development of affordable housing and promising nonprofit programs. To date, we have already committed $850,000 to local projects and programs, which is just the beginning. As our nonprofit sector continues to grow its capacity to address our region's needs and take on bigger projects with local jurisdictions, we see this number multiplying.


Footnotes for a Flourishing Future

A decorative orange line

Our team made incredible progress in other areas as well. Building on our founding mission and guided by partners like you, we’ve strengthened our financial outlook, improved operations and expanded opportunities to meet the region’s evolving needs. Here’s a look at our additional achievements that promise to expand our impact over time, much like those early trust-building efforts documented in our archive:


  • Strengthening Our Stewardship and Finances: In March, we selected Sellwood Investment Partners as our new Outsourced CIO to ensure our investment strategies are aligned with the needs of our fundholders and communities. Combined with the expertise of our new Investment Committee leadership, this partnership enhances our stewardship of the charitable assets entrusted to us.
  • Sustaining a Thriving Nonprofit Sector: Thanks to our equitable grantmaking practices, we received $1.9 million through the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Community Reinvestment Act. These funds are already being put to work through grants from our Social Justice and Resiliency Fund, empowering local nonprofits with resources to bolster operations, grow leadership and address systemic disparities in Black, Native and Latine communities across southwest Washington.
  • Fostering Connection and Learning: Throughout the year, we convened donors, nonprofits and professional advisors at engaging events. Our first Giving Elevated educated donors about impact investing, UnCharitable presented a new paradigm for charitable giving, and Common Cause strengthened our ties to our passions and each other. These gatherings served as platforms for listening, learning, connection, collaboration and action—every moment fueling our mission.
  • Enhancing Technology and Accessibility: In August, we launched the shiny new website you're experiencing here. Stories and photos put our community at the forefront, while more intuitive navigation and enhanced accessibility ensure more neighbors can connect with our resources and services. In addition, we began implementing new project management, accounting and relationship management software that will streamline operations and improve services for donors and nonprofit partners moving forward.


A Bright Outlook Because of You

A selection of images from the Community Foundation's 40 year history of philanthropy in southwest Washington

While the issues our communities face are as present as ever, I am hopeful as I look back on the success of this year and the last forty. The progress we’ve made—as a region and an organization—reminds me that our many strengths are made possible by the care and collaboration of people like you. We are creating stories that tell of a brighter future.


I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for all who have contributed to the Community Foundation’s saga, and I’m excited for the many chapters to come. Thank you for being an essential part of this historic journey.