In April Washington Women’s Foundation (WaWF) hosted a 4-day trip in Yakima to select our first Place-Based Grantee and three Merit Award grantees as part of our inaugural Place-Based Grantmaking. I was born and raised in Yakima and as a second-year member of the WaWF, I was incredibly proud of WaWF’s meaningful investment in Central Washington. It was an honor to collaborate with the WaWF’s tremendous and intentional work that goes into the immersive weekend.
Learning Day
We had two full days during our time in Yakima. The first was a learning day, intended to ground us and build a sense of place. Together we toured the Yakama Nation Cultural Center, learned about the apple industry at Washington Fruit, and explored the Yakima Valley Museum. Across the learning day, I was impressed with the caliber of questions from the grant committee members. It was clear that folks were eager to learn and genuinely cared about our quality time together. We ended the day with a reception at the beautiful Freehand Cellars with a large turnout, including local nonprofits.
Grantmaking Day
The second full day was the grantmaking day where we selected the Place-Based Grantee and Merit Awardees. Aviva, the WaWF Grants and Programs Director, was a skilled facilitator that kept the discussions smooth and efficient. By the end of the day, the grant decisions ended in overwhelming majority votes. Since each grant committee member invested significant energy in advance by studying the grant applications, reading the WaWF grantmaking resources, and reviewing data about Yakima, the group made relatively quick decisions. In one day, we thoughtfully considered the pool of applicants in a way that didn’t require a large effort from the applicants, intense scrutiny of finances, and combative debates.
Looking back, a highlight for me was the grant discussions. Even when it got heated, it was healthy. At one point the committee considered the possibility of selecting a grantee that could be controversial with Yakima’s rural and conservative climate. WaWF staff steered the grant committee out of the groan zone and into clarity. Maria, the WaWF President and CEO, empowered the group to select the nonprofit that aligned best with the grant criteria, standing strong on our values. Together we selected an organization that is intentional, accountable, and demonstrable in the way that they serve Yakima women, girls and gender expansive people most impacted by inequities.
One key takeaway from the grantmaking day was the importance of including local community members in the grantmaking discussion, especially when doing place-based grantmaking. The incredible Yakima leaders gave honest insight that addressed the questions and concerns of the group. The Yakima women added tremendous value to the committee, and they were critical to the grant discussions.
Conclusion
Especially moving to me was how in a short period of time, everyone made authentic relationships and left inspired by the experience. My sincere thanks go to the Place-Based Grant Committee, which consisted of the ten WaWF members, two WaWF board members, and three non-WaWF community leaders rooted in Yakima. It was a rewarding and remarkable experience together.
To the nonprofits that applied, all of us learned a lot about each organization. Thank you so much for sharing your story with the WaWF grant committee. To the WaWF staff, I’m so grateful that your small yet mighty staff committed to planning an immersive weekend in my hometown by researching Yakima’s nonprofit sector, networking with locals, planning thoughtful programming, dining at small businesses, and understanding what makes Yakima beautiful.
Major kudos and gratitude to WaWF’s bold direction. 2026 is a big year for WaWF with visionary changes to the business plan and grantmaking program, and it was special to kick things off with our first grant under the new plan. I’m excited for what comes next.
For anyone not yet a member of WaWF that wants to join this statewide philanthropic leader, please consider joining us! We encourage you to attend our events and learn more about membership. For WaWF members, I highly recommend getting involved with the grant committees, especially place-based!