The Women’s Gift Alliance (WGA) is preparing to distribute its annual funding to local organizations, with a fundraising dinner scheduled for September 15 at the Hagadone Event Center in Coeur d’Alene. As first reported by cdapress.com, the North Idaho group has awarded more than $1.9 million to community nonprofits since its inception in 2005, continuing a long-standing tradition of supporting local causes through significant grant allocations.
Recent Grant Recipients and Funding Impact
This year, four organizations received $30,000 grants from the alliance. The funding is designed to address specific operational needs for each recipient. 3rd Avenue Marketplace, a food bank serving Kootenai County, used its grant to replace aging appliances in its facilities. Charity Reimagined allocated its funds toward a 12-week financial empowerment and wellness program aimed at low-income adults in the region.
Newby-Ginnings of North Idaho, which provides resources for veterans and active military families, utilized its grant to purchase movable industrial shelving for a new warehouse location. Safe Passage directed its funding toward implementing a new legal program designed to assist survivors of violence in seeking legal resolutions to their cases.
In addition to the larger grants, the Coeur d’Alene Symphony, the North Idaho State Fair & Rodeo Foundation, and Safe Start each received $5,000 grants this year. The Coeur d’Alene Symphony recently returned to City Park for a free Labor Day performance, highlighting the cultural impact of such community support.
A History of Community Support in Kootenai County
The Women’s Gift Alliance was established by 52 founding members who were inspired by the Washington Women’s Foundation. Their goal was to create a similar vehicle for supporting nonprofits within Kootenai County. The organization’s first grant, issued in 2005, was $26,000 to the Kootenai County Search & Rescue Council.
Over the years, WGA grants have supported a wide range of community needs. Previous funding helped the Search & Rescue team purchase a drone to locate missing persons in wilderness areas. The Music Conservatory of Coeur d’Alene used a grant to establish a piano lab featuring five pianos, while Lake City Playhouse received funds to update its sound and lighting equipment.
“Something I’m very proud of is we give large grants that really make an impact,” told the Coeur d’Alene Press WGA President Patricia Krug. The strategy focuses on providing substantial sums to fewer organizations, allowing for more significant operational improvements than smaller, dispersed donations might allow.
Fundraising Dinner Details
The annual fundraising dinner will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on September 15 at the Hagadone Event Center. Dr. Katia Passerini, president of Gonzaga University, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker for the event.
Tickets are priced at $100 and include dinner and dessert. Registration is available through the organization’s website at womensgiftalliance.org/events. The event serves as a primary mechanism for raising funds to continue the alliance’s grant-making activities in the coming year.
“When they make a contribution, people know that their dollars are going to make a big impact,” told the Coeur d’Alene Press Janice Baldwin, a WGA founding member. The organization’s model emphasizes transparency and direct benefit to local residents, ensuring that donor contributions translate into tangible resources for Kootenai County families and veterans.
How to Get Involved
Residents interested in supporting the Women’s Gift Alliance can purchase tickets for the September 15 dinner or register online. The organization continues to seek community support to maintain its grant program, which has become a staple of nonprofit funding in North Idaho.