They could be called angels, benefactors, lifeboats or donors, but at the Orcas Island Community Foundation they are called partners – Partners in Philanthropy to be exact. And that title fits them perfectly. Partners in Philanthropy are generous friends and neighbors who join with the community foundation to make a difference for nonprofit causes on the island.

The foundation conducts an annual grants cycle, inviting all local nonprofits to submit proposals for programs and projects that benefit the Orcas community. The grants committee, made of up OICF trustees and community members, carefully assesses the proposals and prioritizes them. Then the list goes to the partners, who choose the projects they wish to fulfill. Once the partners have weighed in, the grants committee decides where to allocate the foundation’s money, which is comprised of a percentage of the earnings from the Community Endowment and some funds donated by partners who choose to have OICF decide which grants to fulfill. Even with the partners’ generosity, there is never enough money for all of the worthy requests.

The foundation would like to recognize last year’s partners: Barbara Bedell, Michael Brennan, the Corbett Family Fund, Eastsound Sewer and Water, Eastsound Water Users Association, Martha Farish and Joe Cohen, Bob and Phyllis Henigson, the Masterson Family Fund, Victoria and Bruce Parker, Clayton Philbrick, Nanette Pyne, the Wright Janeway Family Fund, and those partners who wish to remain anonymous. Together the Partners contributed $49,000 last year.

This year presents great challenges to all island nonprofits. The foundation anticipates that there will be more proposals by the grant deadline (March 30) than last year. This represents an opportunity for all islanders to become partners. According to OICF’s grant chair, Moana Kutsche, $34,000 has been committed by island partners to date.

Call the foundation at 376-6423 for more information.