Avista Foundation: Washington
/OVERVIEW: The Avista Foundation supports education, human services, economic and cultural vitality, health, youth, the environment and arts and culture in portions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.
FUNDING AREAS: Education, human services, economic and cultural vitality, health, youth, the environment, arts and culture
IP TAKE: This corporate funder has broad interests throughout the Northwest region and offers an accessible grant program for local groups through five annual cycles.
PROFILE: Established in 2002, the Avista Foundation is a corporate foundation based in Spokane, Washington. Avista Corp. created this foundation but it does not receive funding from Avista Utilities or the company’s customers through rates. Avista is an energy company that works with producing, transmitting and distributing energy, and its operating division called Avista Utilities delivers electricity to approximately 340,000 customers and natural gas to approximately 300,000 customers across the Northwest. The foundation "provides funding to nonprofit organizations addressing the needs of communities and citizens served by Avista Utilities.” It funds local efforts for education, human services, economic and cultural vitality, health, youth, the environment and arts and culture.
The Avista Foundation’s education grants support K-12 education, especially for STEM topics and higher education, including scholarships. The funder’s human services grants assist people who are living in poverty and who are on limited incomes. Economic and cultural vitality grants fund projects that help local citizens and communities grow and prosper. The foundation also has a community investment program that encourages matching gifts with donations from Avista employees. Major initiative interests of this foundation are homelessness, small town pride and youth success. There are separate application cycles for each of the foundation’s interest areas. The funder also provides sponsorships on a year-around basis.
Grants range between about $100 and $50,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on eastern Washington, northern Idaho, portions of southern Oregon, Sanders County in Montana and the city and borough of Juneau in Alaska. Past local grantees include the Ashland Emergency Food Bank, Catholic Charities Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Symphony Orchestra.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. Depending on the subject area, there are grant application deadlines of February 1, April 1, August 1 and November 1. The application process begins with an online eligibility quiz, and then all applications must be submitted through the foundation’s online system. Direct general questions to the staff at contributions@avistacorp.com or 509-495-8156.
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