GCIP in the Northwest

The Northwest Region is NCRP's fifth site in a series of reports from the Grantmaking for Community Impact Project (GCIP).

"Strengthening Democracy, Increasing Opportunities: Impacts of Advocacy, Organizing and Civic Engagement in the Northwest Region" looks at how 20 nonprofits and their allies helped improved their communities and amplified the voices of vulnerable residents in the democratic process through advocacy and community organizing efforts. These nonprofits leveraged foundation grants that generated a $150 return for every dollar invested in their policy engagement efforts.

The 20 nonprofits from the region are:

IDAHO Idaho Community Action Network (ICAN) Idaho Rural Council (IRC) Snake River Alliance (SRA)	MONTANA Montana Human Rights Network (MHRN) Montana Women Vote! (MWV) Northern Plains Resource Council (NPRC)
OREGON Basic Rights Oregon CAUSA: Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO) Children's Institute (CI) Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT) Partnership For Safety and Justice (PSJ) Rural Organizing Project (ROP)	WASHINGTON Community to Community Development (C2C) OneAmerica With Justice for All Spokane Alliance Statewide Poverty Action Network (SPAN) United Indians of All Tribes Foundation (UIATF) Washington Community Action Network (WCAN!) Washington Low Income Housing Alliance

We looked also at the tremendous impact from 4 nonprofits in Alaska and Wyoming, and learned valuable insights from their work and experiences. These groups are:

ALASKA Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) Anchorage Faith and Action - Congregations Together (AFACT)

WYOMING Equality State Policy Center Powder River Basin Resource Council

Results was formally presented during the Philanthropy Northwest Conference on September 29 in Semiahmoo, Wash. Findings also were shared during the Montana Nonprofit Association conference on September 28 in Helena, Mont. and the Idaho Nonprofit Conference in Boise, Idaho on September 29.

The advisory committee for this study includes: Kelly Bruggeman, First Interstate Bancorp Foundation; Mike Halligan, Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation; Marjory Hamann, McKenzie River Gathering; Robert Hoover, Idaho Community Foundation; Carol Lewis, Philanthropy Northwest; Linda Reed, Montana Community Foundation; Suk Rhee, Northwest Health Foundation; Paul Shoemaker, Social Venture Partners; Zeke Spier, Social Justice Fund Northwest; Kevin Walker, Northwest Area Foundation; Kelly Weigel, Western States Center; and Joyce White, Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Executive Summary  |  Full Report ( PDF | Order hard copy ) 

Media Kit  | Press Release  | Summary of Findings   |  Additional Resources

Some related news articles:

Invest $1 in Idaho Nonprofits and the Return is $150
Debbie Courson-Smith, Idaho Public News Service

Small Grants Have Big Economic Impact
Puget Sound Business Journal

Montana Evening Addition
Edward O'Brien, Montana Public Radio

Foundations' Investment in Advocacy Pays Off
Charles Johnson, Billings Gazette

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