The day after September 11, 2001, thirty-four Idaho women decided they weren't going to sit still. They pooled their money, their networks, and their energy into something they called the Idaho Women's Charitable Foundation. Twenty-five years later, that decision has turned into more than $7 million in grants across southwest Idaho.
Chipping In
"Right now, we have 451 members," IWCF Board President Nicole Patterson said. "It is primarily women, but we are inclusive and so men can also join. We also have some teenagers. It's just anyone who's passionate about making a difference through pooled giving."
To be an IWCF member, you can join as an annual member with $625, with $1,125 (which includes a $500 individual grant given to the nonprofit of your choice), or through a $125 Belonging Scholarship (with an additional $500 donated to the IWCF Pooled Fund on your behalf).
"Last year, we gave ten grants and those were between $20,000 and $35,000," Patterson said. "And then members also have an option to give smaller grants of $250 to $500 to organizations they're passionate about."
Focusing on Need
IWCF focuses its grants on six areas: basic needs, cultural arts, education, health, the environment, and rural communities, the last of which was added most recently to reach organizations outside the Treasure Valley.
"The first one is something we call Basic Needs," Patterson said. "That could be anything from housing to food insecurity. So really what are those basic needs we believe people are entitled to have and organizations doing work to meet those needs. The others are a little more self-explanatory: Cultural Arts, Education, Health, the Environment, and then Rural Communities."
"And I think that's really cool — our funding areas reach across Southwest Idaho," she said. "We knew that our grants could actually do a lot in those communities."
Distributing the Pool
Grant committees made up of IWCF members review applications, meet with applicants, and bring the top candidates to a vote each spring.
"There's something beautiful about, 'I want to get involved. I can play a very direct role in identifying who we will fund,'" Patterson said. "And in the end, it's a very democratic process. We put the ballot out. Everyone votes. That value of every person having an equal voice is really important. Every person can get involved. And in the end, we decide together what we will do as an organization. It's that mix of independence and autonomy, but also collaboration and partnership."
Patterson said her favorite IWCF event is the spring annual meeting, when the grants are celebrated and every member sees where the money went.
"It's just a really fun opportunity to hear the grantee stories," she said. "Everybody gets to watch a quick three-minute video about each grant, why it's needed, where the focus is, how it's going to make a difference."
Since its founding, IWCF has awarded more than 150 grants.
Continuing Support
The impact compounds in ways IWCF didn't always anticipate. An IWCF grant has become something of a community signal.
"When IWCF funds an organization, we hear back that it's a sign of like, 'Oh, cool, that group is good,'" Patterson said. "And then other parts of the community come forward and want to fund them, which is neat. So in some ways, our grant can serve as a seed grant for a community and then it inspires others to also step up and contribute."
Members don't stop at writing checks. Volunteering, sharing networks, and telling stories are all part of what Patterson calls the Five Ts: time, talents, treasure, ties, and testimony.
"It's not just about money," she said. "There are other tools that we have that we can use to make a difference. It's always nice to go back and see the organizations that you've invested in and to see what their needs are, how your support made a difference. Ultimately, it's about people having access to the services, the programs, the projects they need. We might fund a project, but we're strengthening the community."
Grant applications for 2027 are due December 1. For more information on membership or giving, visit iwcfgives.org.