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News and Features
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July/August 2021
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As you may have learned by now, Idaho Community Foundation President and CEO Karen Bilowith is leaving Idaho at the end of September to become president of The Erie Community Foundation in Pennsylvania. As sorry as we are to see her go, we are also profoundly thankful for her tremendous leadership over the past 5+ years.
Karen brought a vision that the Idaho Community Foundation should be recognized as a philanthropic leader in our state. Supported by her staff, she immersed herself in Idaho communities and talked to local leaders, nonprofits, donors and others to understand the needs where they lived.
From those Community Conversations emerged ICF’s Areas of Impact: Educational Opportunities, Family Homelessness, Mental and Physical Health, and Access to Services. Idaho’s regions are unique and distinct, and these Areas of Impact resonate in all of them.
Understanding that addressing the Areas of Impact might look a little different in each region, Karen and her staff established Regional Councils – teams of volunteers representing communities of all sizes throughout the state. The Regional Council members are deeply involved in the communities they represent, and they share knowledge about community needs with each other and with us.
Perhaps Karen’s most lasting impact on Idaho is the leadership she demonstrated with the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund for Idaho. Within weeks of COVID being detected, Karen and her partners at United Way of Treasure Valley and Idaho Nonprofit Center made sure that community organizations working with Idahoans most affected by the pandemic received the financial support they needed – nearly $2 million in 2020.
I could go on, but you can see the long-term impact Karen has had at the Idaho Community Foundation and in Idaho. ICF is well positioned today and for the future. We are optimistic that the search for a new CEO will uncover individuals like Karen who will continue our forward momentum.
I hope you will join me in wishing Karen the very best of luck in this new chapter of her life and in thanking her for her visionary leadership.
And to all of you I say best wishes and sincere thanks for your commitment to the Idaho Community Foundation,
Candi Allphin
ICF Board Chair
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Giving circles: Our partners in collective giving |
At ICF, we believe in the power of collective giving and we’re proud to partner with the Women’s Gift Alliance in Kootenai County and the Wood River Women’s Foundation to help them support their communities.
Women’s giving circles like the WGA and WRWF engage many members who each make a financial contribution and are involved in selecting grant recipients. Donations are pooled and result in large grants to the community organizations that receive them, which equals a greater impact.
The WGA has given more than $1 million to community organizations in Kootenai County since it was founded in 2005. They recently announced their 2021 recipients, who will receive a total of $85,000.
“We love the process, and that’s part of our mission — sharing and learning about philanthropy and providing our members the opportunity to study these projects,” said WGA Grant Committee Co-Chair Sarah Swanby.
WGA grantees for 2021 are:
CDAIDE – $25,000 over two years
Music Conservatory of Coeur d’Alene – $25,000
Office Moms & Dads – $25,000 over two years
Birds of Prey Northwest – $5,000
Onsite for Seniors – $5,000
ICF supports the work of the WGA by collecting members’ annual donations, making sure grantees are qualified nonprofits, distributing grants and managing the organization’s endowment fund.
“Giving circles are a wonderful, grassroots way to participate in community philanthropy,” said ICF Vice President, Philanthropy and Impact Cara Nielsen. “Their members gain so much knowledge about local needs, and they make a huge impact by giving collectively.”
ICF supports the Wood River Women’s Foundation with its grant distributions. WRWF is one of the largest giving circles in the country and has given more than $3 million to community organizations in the region since it was founded. See the list of 2021 grantees.
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| Welcome Aboard: Mary Stewart |
Staff Transitions: Tina Murphy and Elisha Horrocks |
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Mary Stewart of Kuna has joined the Idaho Community Foundation in a newly created role – Board and Executive Coordinator. She will serve as the administrative liaison to the Board of Directors, Board Committees and Regional Councils.
She has a diverse professional background that includes managing a small coffee shop, being the marketing assistant at Jacksons Food Stores, working as an assistant to the principal at a private school in Caldwell and being the social media coordinator for a large car dealership. Most recently, she’s been a full-time “domestic engineer” with her 4-year-old daughter Kensley as the CEO.
She learned about ICF and its work from her close friend Megan Perez, who has worked at ICF for four years.
“Over the years, she has told me how incredible the culture is,” Mary said. “I wanted to be part of an organization with a longstanding history of helping to improve the community and state I have called home for the past 32 years.”
Mary is a volunteer for the Idaho Humane Society’s SPOT clinic, which spays and neuters feral cats. She has also participated in mobile adoption clinics and been a “snake wrangler” at Rattlesnake Avoidance Training.
She and her husband Drake have been married for almost 23 years. Mary enjoys being outdoors, coloring and is looking forward to camping this year.
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We are sorry to say goodbye to Tina Murphy, Philanthropic Advisor, East; and to Elisha Horrocks, Office and Events Coordinator.
Tina joined ICF in 2017. In her role at ICF, she worked with a portfolio of donors, community organizations, financial planners and grantees in the 16-county region of east/southeast Idaho. She helped individuals, families, and companies identify charitable opportunities that matched their values and interests.
“I am thankful to Tina for serving as a passionate advocate for our work and our donors in eastern Idaho,” said ICF President and CEO Karen Bilowith.
Elisha joined ICF in 2020, just before the pandemic. In her role as office administrator, she was responsible for administrative support across every ICF department. She is joining Habitat for Humanity as Operations Manager.
“Elisha helped all of us stay productive during the challenges of 2020,” Bilowith said. “We were grateful for her compassionate and steady presence.”
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| ICF Regional Council Member receives honor |
ICF Friend of the Foundation passes |
PAFE Executive Director retires |
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North Idaho Regional Council Member Brinnon Garrett Mandell of Coeur d’Alene has been recognized by the Idaho Business Review as one of 50 Women of the Year for 2021.
Honorees are chosen based on their professional achievement, leadership, mentorship and community service. One woman will be named 2021 Woman of the Year at an in-person gala on Sept. 30 at Boise Centre. Last year, that honor went to former Meridian Mayor Tammy de Weerd. See the full list of honorees.
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Harvey T. “Harv” Bickett of Boise, ICF’s Friend of the Foundation honoree in 2015 and a past grant panelist, passed away in early June.
Harv and his wife Myrna established an ICF charitable giving fund in 2006 that benefits community organizations in the Magic Valley, particularly Lincoln and Gooding counties where Harv grew up.
Harv and Myrna raised their family on a ranch in Gannett, a small community in Blaine County south of Bellevue. Harv served on the board of directors for many local nonprofits and civic groups.
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After 15 years as executive director of the Panhandle Alliance for Education in Sandpoint, Marcia Wilson is retiring. PAFE supports pre-K through 12th-grade education in the Lake Pend Oreille School District with teacher grants, a career/college guidance counselor center, the Ready! For Kindergarten program, professional development for K-12 teachers and more.
PAFE was co-founded by former ICF Board Chair Bill Berg and his spouse Mindy Cameron. PAFE has an organizational fund at the Idaho Community Foundation and plans to grow the endowment to $5 million by its 20th anniversary in 2022.
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| New Legacy Society |
New Funds |
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The Legacy Society is comprised of generous donors who will shape Idaho’s communities through an estate gift to the Idaho Community Foundation. These gifts guarantee support for the community organizations and causes that are meaningful to members of our Legacy Society.
For June/July, we had two anonymous members join the Legacy Society.
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Idaho Heritage Trust Fund – Created by the Idaho Heritage Trust to support its mission of serving all Idahoans by preserving cultural legacy.
Ponderosa Center Fund – Created by the Ponderosa Center, Inc., to support the building and sustainability of an all-season venue for the West Central Mountains community.
Shelley Community Church Fund – Created by the church to support the newly-formed Heart 2 Hand Bingham Food Pantry in Shelley.
William Tews Memorial Fund – Created by Ella Ruth and John Griffith of Culdesac in honor of Ruth’s father Williams Tews, a longtime farmer in the Shoshone area, to support Shoshone High School graduates with post-secondary scholarships.
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| Upcoming Deadlines |
Memorials & Honors |
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Forever Idaho Southwest and South Central
ICF’s Forever Idaho Southwest and South Central Region Grant Program, which provides grants ranging from $1,000 to $25,000, is now accepting applications.
Organizations that serve the following counties are welcome to apply to Southwest: Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley, and Washington counties.
Organizations that serve the following counties are welcome to apply to South Central: Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Elmore, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls counties.
Special consideration will be given to organizations who fall within ICF’s Areas of Impact, which are:
- Access to Services
- Educational Opportunities
- Health and Mental Health
- Housing and Family Homelessness
Deadline for submission is August 15.
Additional information, including eligibility and application.
Forever Idaho Grant Program Guidelines (Revised).
Other questions? Please send us an email.
Ifft Foundation Fund
The Ifft Foundation Fund in ICF is seeking grant proposals for projects that will provide landscaping, beautification and public recreation in southeast Idaho. Deadline to apply is August 15.
Grant requests will be considered from Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida and Power counties.
Additional information and application. Other questions? Please send us an email.
Shelton Fund for Valley County
The Perc H. Shelton and Gladys A. Pospisil Shelton Foundation Advised Fund in ICF is currently accepting grant applications for projects that benefit residents of Valley County. Deadline to apply is September 1.
Additional information and application. Other questions? Please send us an email.
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The Idaho Community Foundation welcomes gifts sent as memorials or in honor of individuals on their birthdays, anniversaries, retirement or other special occasions.
The following gifts were received June 1 through July 31, 2021:
In Memory of Harvey T. Bickett
Alice E. Hennessey
In Memory of Dean Buffington
Alice E. Hennessey
In Memory of Ray Carter
Idaho Society of CPAs
In Memory of Kenny Gortsema
Andrea Solberg
In Memory of James Hawkins
Vickilyn S. Hammer
In Memory of Alan Herr
Robert G. Hamlin
In Memory of Doug Jackson
Ray Stark
In Memory of Ruthie Johnson
Freda Cenarrusa
In Memory of Charles McDevitt
Robert L. Bilow
Alice E. Hennessey
Ray Stark
In Memory of James J. McMurtrey
Idaho Society of CPAs
In Memory of Daren Sauter
Idaho Society of CPAs
In Memory of Roy Smith
Denton Wilde
In Memory of Kerry Story
Robert G. Hamlin
In Memory of Dave Terrell
Ray Stark
In Memory of Mark Warbis
Idaho Society of CPAs
In Honor of Alex Galovich
Jeremy Gray
In Honor of Tracey Golden
Idaho Society of CPAs
In Honor of David Scott
Jeremy Gray
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