Small gifts, large impact

When Harriet Bullitt established the Icicle Fund in 1998, she used the parable of the Long Spoons to express her vision for the philanthropic organization.

In short, the parable sets the scene of diners at an abundant table of food, with spoons that are longer than their arms. Those trying to feed themselves find difficulty, creating a table of “anger and misery amid abundance.” At another table, diners have learned to feed each other with the long spoons; the mutual support and collaboration creates what is described in the parable as “heaven.”

With this idea in mind, Bullitt established the Icicle Fund as a supporting organization of six nonprofit partners, whose collaborative efforts and leadership carry her legacy forward in arts, environment, and cultural heritage. 

While her resources were exceptional, her belief in collaboration and giving mirrors the philanthropic spirit of thousands of individuals across the region. Only, many of these individuals are directing their philanthropic efforts through the Community Foundation of NCW, a philanthropic organization that leverages the collective input of the community to make a lasting impact.

“North Central Washington is incredibly generous, and we are really fortunate that people who have lived here and have made a life here…value it enough to make a legacy gift to ensure that future generations have capital to help keep these wonderful things going and to expand upon them,” said Community Foundation of NCW Executive Director Beth Stipe.

Today, the Community Foundation of NCW manages more than $160 million in assets, has provided over $76 million in scholarships and grants, and supports over 600 charitable funds across Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties, according to its website.

“It's really important, I think, that people understand that especially in rural communities, this idea of charitable capital really does make a huge impact in the quality of life that we have here,” said Stipe.

The Community Foundation of NCW serves as a regional hub for philanthropy, helping build and manage charitable endowments on behalf of individuals, families, and organizations who want to give back to their community. It invests those funds and distributes earnings as grants and scholarships that support local nonprofits, students, and community projects.

Through a variety of avenues, donors can choose to be as specific or as general as they want in their giving. For instance, they can choose to benefit their hometown through a Legacy Fund, designate specific nonprofit beneficiaries, establish a scholarship, or choose a topic of interest – such as education, health, or environment – to support. Or, they can establish a donor-advised fund, which enables donors and their families flexibility to make grant requests to any charitable organization at any time.

“They are not the Bill Gates's of the world. They are orchardists. They are teachers. They are individuals who have worked in factories or have had small businesses. It's people in this community who care,” said Stipe.

For instance, Herb Fackenthall, a grave-digger in Mansfield, left almost a million dollars to the Columbia Basin Foundation and the Community Foundation of NCW.

“People were stunned…The funds that he left us were to benefit the Coulee City Fire and Ambulance Services. And so here we are, 20 years later, and every year we're sending tens of thousands of dollars,” said Stipe, “In a small community like Coulee City, those dollars are huge.”

The support for managing this philanthropy network is robust, with 28 members on the Board of Trustees monitoring and managing assets. About 400 volunteers across the region serve on local advisory boards for Legacy Fund distribution, with about 300 volunteers working on the scholarship program, according to Stipe. Individuals helping with Legacy Funds  – such as Cashmere, Chelan or Okanogan – bring together residents to identify local needs and recommend grants from their area’s Legacy Fund.

“It's a bit of a democratization of philanthropy, if you will,” said Stipe.

The Icicle Fund operates on a narrower set of parameters, supporting the collaborative efforts of six organizations focusing Bullitt’s three areas of passion: Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, Chelan-Douglas Land Trust, Methow Arts Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land, and the Wenatchee River Institute. These lead partner organizations also set the Icicle Fund’s direction and priorities.

“When Harriet was looking at the best ways to leave a legacy, she noticed that nonprofits rarely

collaborate…So Harriet, being the genius that she was, answered the question of, ‘How can we force collaboration?’” said Icicle Fund Executive Director Phil Lacey. “So she brought together organizations…put them in the same room…and said that this funding is contingent on you working together.”

The funding partnership spurred collaboration, such as CDLT and the Trust for Public Land working together to protect the Wenatchee Foothills, or the Methow Arts Alliance and Icicle Creek Center for the Arts developing shared arts programs.

“When you get the executive leadership together in one room, suddenly, awareness and opportunities to work together, or to provide insight or expertise, become the norm,” said Lacey.

Moreover, it empowered the lead partner organizations to support other nonprofits throughout the region with grants through the Icicle Fund. For instance, the Music and Art Center at Wenatchee Valley College, Numerica Performing Art Center, and the Leavenworth Summer Theater, Lacey says, all received early support from the Icicle Fund.

With a shared goal of strengthening the nonprofit sector, the Community Foundation of NCW and Icicle Fund partnered to create a capacity building program called the Nonprofit Practices Institute (NPI). The program provides training and education around nonprofit operations, such as fundraising, building a strong board, and managing fiduciary responsibilities.

“A lot of times people get involved in nonprofit organizations because they see a need in the community, and they are willing to step in…but maybe they don't have a lot of experience actually running an organization, so to be able to provide the opportunities at a very low or no cost for those people…and give them a little bit of support, that's something that I think is very important,” said Stipe.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media