Small grants

For Historic Preservation and Native Wildlife Rehabilitation and Appreciation grants, inquiries less than $5,000 are processed throughout the year, and there is no application deadline.

Eligibility Areas

The Foundation makes grants primarily for the purposes detailed here. An important element of all grants is a benefit to the public at large, rather than to specialized populations or groups.

Historic Preservation

Historic preservation has been our principal funding area since our beginning. In 2006 we identified our primary interest in this area as architectural preservation — the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and reconstruction of historic buildings, structures and related sites. Most of the projects we fund involve buildings that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing resource in an historic district.

We will continue to consider grants for other historic preservation activities as a secondary interest.

Native Wildlife Rehabilitation and Appreciation

Native wildlife rehabilitation is the focus of this interest, and is almost exclusively limited to nonprofits managed by state- and federally-licensed wildlife rehabilitators. These programs offer urgent care of injured and orphaned wildlife native to Oregon and Washington.

A small portion of our native wildlife budget is reserved for wildlife appreciation projects or programs that offer the general public opportunities to observe and appreciate the natural world. These activities will

• promote individuals’ stewardship of native wildlife and its natural habitat
• enable people to understand and minimize their impact on the Earth, and
• promote responsible enjoyment of wildlife in recreational settings.

Background

The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation, founded in 1987, is a family foundation that supports nonprofit organizations in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The Foundation is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of nature, including wildlife and their required habitats. It also supports the institutions that present nature and our rich cultural heritage to the public.

Areas of interest

• Community-based projects working to restore habitat and wildlife by activating volunteers and local residents.
• Collaborative and coalition-building projects involving a number of organizations working together to share strengths and maximize effectiveness.
• Cultural and natural history institutions using a community-based approach to explore the history and traditions of the greater Puget Sound area.
• Projects from Native American communities on issues related to cultural preservation and protection of natural resources.

Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account Volunteer Cooperative Grant Program

Over the years, The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's (WDFW) ALEA Grant Program has supported hundreds of individuals and organizations who have undertaken a variety of projects that engage volunteers and benefit fish and wildlife resources.

ALEA grants are in high demand; therefore, we follow a competitive process to select recipients.

What projects are eligible for funding?

Many project types are eligible, including:

• Habitat - activities that restore and/or preserve fish and wildlife habitat.
• Research - activities that increase our knowledge of fish and wildlife species.
• Education - efforts to share information or provide hands-on experiences to enhance public knowledge of fish, wildlife and their habitats.
• Facility development - efforts to provide or enhance access to fish and wildlife related recreational opportunities.
• Artificial production - efforts to rear and release fish or wildlife to restore populations or for public recreation. Applicants must obtain pre-approval from WDFW to be eligible for funding.

Program Objectives

The Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (ESRP) is housed within the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and is jointly administered by the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) which functions as ESRP’s fiscal agent. The mission of the ESRP is to restore the natural processes that create and sustain the Puget Sound nearshore ecosystem.

ESRP nearshore restoration and protection projects are one of four ESRP investment types managed through the ESRP. The four investment types include:

• Nearshore Restoration and Protection
• Regional Pre-Design (Learning)
• Small Grants, and
• Shore Friendly

Nearshore restoration and protection projects are projects of regional importance that provide substantial and cost-effective nearshore ecosystem restoration or protection of ecosystem functions, goods, and services. Our work is centered on the scientific principles and ecosystem restoration strategies developed by the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP) during the feasibility phase of the Sound-wide PSNERP General Investigation.

There is no maximum or minimum funding limit for proposed projects. Previous awards have ranged from $25,000 to $2,600,000, with average requests from $200,000 - $400,000.

Protecting and Restoring Nearshore Ecosystem Processes

The nearshore ecosystem of Puget Sound is a dynamic environment strongly shaped by physical and ecological processes. PSNERP research and findings suggests that projects designed to protect and restore the ecosystem processes that shape and maintain nearshore structure will result in self- sustaining improvements in ecosystem functions, goods, and services, thereby justifying our capital investments in nearshore ecosystem projects. The broad restoration objectives of ESRP include:

• Restore the size and quality of large river delta estuaries and the nearshore processes that deltas support.
• Restore the number and quality of coastal embayments.
• Restore the size and quality of beaches and bluffs.
• Increase understanding of natural process restoration in order to improve effectiveness of program actions.

NOTE: Draft Applications due for the first deadline.

Mission

RCO is an exemplary partner that provides statewide leadership and funding to protect and improve the best of Washington’s natural and outdoor recreation resources, now and for future generations.

Vision

Washington State has abundant outdoor recreation spaces, healthy habitats, and working farms and forests that support people, fish, and wildlife.

Washington Coast Restoration and Resiliency Initiative

Coastal communities have worked for decades with limited, inconsistent funding to improve the health of the land and water. These same communities have some of the highest unemployment rates in the state. Given the urgency of needs, the Legislature created the Washington Coast Resiliency and Restoration Initiative in 2015 to provide funding and technical assistance for communities along Washington’s coast.

The grant program is aimed at proactively addressing the region’s highest priority restoration and resiliency needs and putting people to work restoring coastal lands and waters.

Projects must address the region's highest priority ecological protection and restoration needs while stimulating economic growth and creating jobs in coastal communities. In addition, projects must provide substantial protection and restoration of ecosystem functions, goods, and services through cost-effective methods.

Our Core Principles:

• Relevance: We continually seek information regarding significant opportunities in our region and in our focus areas to ensure that we are responding to current needs and opportunities.
• Community Engagement: We seek to foster community engagement in protecting wildlife and habitat and in engaging youth skills to build directly on community needs and strengths.
• Focus on Place: Grounded in the Northwest, we fund in urban, rural and tribal communities in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington where people work to improve the places that they live.
• Expand Opportunity: We give special consideration in our grant making to benefit and expand opportunities for underserved populations in our region.

Wildlife and Habitat Programs: Promoting Biodiversity in a Changing Climate

Conservation efforts that utilize the impacts of climate change when selecting areas for protection.

Engaging a community of citizens, scientists, and conservationists in educating the public about biodiversity and climate change.

Restoring important lands for biodiversity, focal species, and landscape connectivity. Including but not limited to:

• Assessments to identify species and communities at risk, including strategies to work toward ecosystem resilience.
• Identification of barriers to migration and mitigation measures to enhance landscape connectivity.
• Adaptive restoration strategies based on predicted species range expansion and contraction.
• Promoting the biodiversity of the marine and freshwater environments.

Guidelines for Wildlife and Habitat Programs

As development pressures increase, the stewardship of vital ecosystems is critical for protecting wildlife populations and habitat. The effort must be based on solid conservation biology, recognizing the resilience, complexity and interdependence of all life. Conservation of critical habitat and species requires comprehensive strategies and collaboration among partners working in the region, recognizing the limitation of funds available. Stewardship is the shared responsibility of empowered citizens, engaged scientists, collaborating foundations, informed business and property owners, and an accountable government. Healthy and diverse wildlife populations and habitat must be preserved through sound government policies and a range of creative conservation approaches. The principle of sustainability requires that environment, economics and equity are considered together to protect the quality of life at every level.

Pacific Power Foundation

The Pacific Power Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pacific Power. Our mission, through our charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of our communities.

In 2021, the Pacific Power Foundation awarded more than $1 million to local nonprofit organizations.

Apply for a Grant

The foundation manages its grants in four cycles. This helps the foundation carefully review similar requests to ensure maximum benefit.

Community Enhancement

Affordable housing, community resilience, community and recreation centers, economic development, libraries, monuments, memorials and science centers.

Environmental Respect

Animal and wildlife biodiversity; carbon and methane emissions; conservation of natural resources; environmental management systems; parks, trails and gardens; resource stewardship; waste management reduction, and water usage management.

Conventional grants

Our Board meets once each year in September to decide grants for that year that have not been decided through the small grant program. Inquiries are due August 1 of each year, but may be submitted anytime during the year. These grants are scheduled for distribution in November.

Eligibility Areas

The Foundation makes grants primarily for the purposes detailed here. An important element of all grants is a benefit to the public at large, rather than to specialized populations or groups.

Historic Preservation

Historic preservation has been our principal funding area since our beginning. In 2006 we identified our primary interest in this area as architectural preservation — the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and reconstruction of historic buildings, structures and related sites. Most of the projects we fund involve buildings that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing resource in an historic district.

We will continue to consider grants for other historic preservation activities as a secondary interest.

Native Wildlife Rehabilitation and Appreciation

Native wildlife rehabilitation is the focus of this interest, and is almost exclusively limited to nonprofits managed by state- and federally-licensed wildlife rehabilitators. These programs offer urgent care of injured and orphaned wildlife native to Oregon and Washington.

A small portion of our native wildlife budget is reserved for wildlife appreciation projects or programs that offer the general public opportunities to observe and appreciate the natural world. These activities will

• promote individuals’ stewardship of native wildlife and its natural habitat
• enable people to understand and minimize their impact on the Earth, and
• promote responsible enjoyment of wildlife in recreational settings.

Our Story

In 1998, the Icicle Fund was established by Harriet Bullitt to support the work of six named partner organizations focused on protecting the environment, advancing the arts, and promoting the natural and cultural history of the Wenatchee River watershed. This work quickly expanded to include the North Central Washington region counties of Chelan, Okanogan, Douglas and Grant. At an early board meeting, Harriet told "The Parable of the Long Spoons", which conveys the caring and cooperative spirit with which she hoped the Fund would operate.

Now, as we look back at our work over the past 20 years, we are committed to a sense of place as central to the Icicle Fund’s mission. It is this belief that strong connections to the land and the communities in which we live are nurtured through artistic expression and imagination, an understanding of our past, and experience in and love for our natural landscapes and wildlife. 

Our collective focus on this mission has centered our work on three areas in which the Icicle Fund awards grants: Arts, Cultural and Natural History, and Environment. Integration of two or more of these areas can be very impactful.

The Icicle Fund is a 501(c)(3) supporting organization. As we look back at the past 20 years, and forward to the next 20, representatives of the six named partner organizations continue to hold the majority of seats on the Board of Directors and work collaboratively with each other and other organizations to carry out the Fund's mission. It is this collective impact that will allow our work to continue to care for and be shared by the partners and communities we serve for the next 20 years. We strive to make a positive difference in the quality and health of all life in North Central Washington. Our work is inspired by a vision of North Central Washington as a region where nature, the arts and the area’s natural and human history inspire an appreciation, understanding and stewardship of this special place.

The Icicle Fund: Project Specific Funding

The Icicle Fund awards grants to non-profit organizations who develop North Central Washington as a region where nature, the arts, and the area’s natural and human history encourage appreciation, understanding and stewardship of this special place.

This year, we have again adapted our grant programs to further deepen partnerships with organizations that serve North Central Washington communities. Last year highlighted the power of flexible funding in allowing nonprofits to deliver mission in innovative and impactful ways. Depending on organizational mission and service areas, unrestricted or project support is available this year.

Our goal is to empower organizations to do their most important work in the community, implementing not only the high-profile but also the hard-to-fund projects while building and maintaining high performing organizations. 

We acknowledge the need for intentional strategies to engage community organizations and members who have been historically under-served through our programs. As a result, the application process and our applicant support service have been changed. 

Funding Priorities

We value both young (“upstart”) and mature organizations that foster a collaborative atmosphere, deliver mission in innovative and impactful ways, and connects with our diverse North Central Washington community.

Collaborative

We fundamentally believe that by working together we can increase the impact of organizations across this region. When mutually beneficial, we encourage exploration of collaborative relationships with one or more of the six Icicle Fund lead partner organizations.

Impactful

We support nonprofits in doing their most important work in the community, implementing not only the high-profile but also the hard-to-fund projects while building and maintaining high performing organizations.

Connected

We believe that strong, thriving communities are created and maintained through engagement of all its members and value nonprofits that remove barriers for community members who have been historically under-served or under-represented.

Our Mission

The three areas in which we awards grants are Environment, the Arts, and Cultural and Natural History. Integration of two or more of these areas can be very powerful and is encouraged when relevant.

The Arts

The Icicle Fund envisions a culture where a diversity of the Arts is accessible and valued as a critical component of vibrant communities in North Central Washington.   

We Believe That

• The Arts nurture the human spirit, transform lives, and connect people to place
• The Arts build strong economies and cohesive communities across social, economic, and racial boundaries
• The Arts are fundamental to a well-rounded education and help all students to succeed in school and life
• Collaboration between community leaders, artists, schools, and businesses ensure sustainable, quality arts programs
• Everyone in NCW deserves access to, and engagement with, the Arts at levels similar to urban areas

Environment

Icicle Fund envisions a future where intact landscapes, representative of the biodiversity of the region, provide opportunities for all people to connect with the land and water through stewardship capacity and policies that inspire long-term commitment to place. 

Strategic Goals

• Enhance the capacity of the North Central Washington community to know and care for and to access the land and water
• Build partnerships to advocate for strong policies to support land and water conservation through a variety of approaches
• Collaborate to conserve priority areas that sustain natural systems and species, connect across habitat types, and protect the flow of ecological and socioeconomic services
• Increase resilience to the local effects of climate change, in particular for climate-vulnerable populations or communities, and
• Work collaboratively to utilize multiple funding sources and increasingly leverage the Icicle Fund investment in conservation 

Priority Landscapes Include

• Natural lands that sustain systems and species, connect habitat types, and ensure the flow of ecological and socioeconomic services
• Working farms, ranches, and forests that balance human use with habitat protection and contribute to landscape connectivity
• Recreational lands such as parks and trails that provide opportunities for people to experience the outdoors close to home
• Lands that increase our resilience to the impact of climate change

History

The Icicle Fund envisions a future where North Central Washington residents and visitors understand and appreciate our region’s cultural and natural historical past.