By JESSIE GUNN
Many of us started 2023 eager for more connections after years of distance and isolation. Whether living on or visiting Whidbey Island – one immediately senses deep ties to people and this place.
As a growing community foundation, Whidbey Community Foundation, known as WCF, knows the value of connections. Connecting with nonprofits and donors, connecting with community leaders, connecting emerging ideas with existing resources, and connecting all of these components together. It’s a weaver’s role WCF leans into and one that we believe will be steadfast as WCF serves the changing needs of our community forever.
And so, in 2023, WCF celebrated these relationships! The organization is thrilled to present their remarkable progress and highlights from the year in our 2023 Impact Report–all made possible by our generous community.
WCF hosted their inaugural Celebration of Philanthropy in September to gather in-person and reflect on our community’s generosity, resilience, and impact. They kicked off with a new Strategic Plan that for the next three years will build a resilient nonprofit sector, expand giving, increase impact, and grow WCF to serve the community in perpetuity. They welcomed two new board members, and opened nine new funds including a nonprofit endowment, donor advised funds, and field of interest funds. Donors named WCF in their legacy giving, and WCF implemented Impact Investing that leverages a lending model for greater change. WCF offered more workshops, implemented an enhanced Nonprofit Directory, and developed stronger relationships through their early learning coalition.
WCF is incredibly proud of this work. Thank you for believing in the potential of the community foundation, and the power of this community. We believe great things happen for the community when we come together for the common good.
View our 2023 Impact Report at www.whidbeyfoundation.org.
Jessie Gunn is the executive director of the Whidbey Community Foundation, which was founded in 2016 by long-time community members. Its mission is to improve the quality of life on Whidbey by providing support for the nonprofit sector, assisting donors to build and preserve enduring assets for charitable purposes, and meeting community needs through financial awards.
