Request A Grant

Island Thrift primarily awards grants for specific projects, events, and new programs on Whidbey Island that support seniors, youth, and quality of life – with a special focus on the communities served by our thrift store. Grants are funded entirely by the sale of second hand items at our thrift store that were generously donated by the community.

Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis without deadline. Funding decisions are made by a majority vote of the board of directors and are driven by such factors as the number of people to be served, the needs and abilities of an organization, and the potential for funding from other sources.

Grants for general operating support (such as those for salaries and overhead) are typically limited. Grants that are to be regifted to other groups or individuals are also typically limited. To ensure an equitable opportunity for funding throughout the community, we commonly suggest an organization only submit one Island Thrift grant application per year.

For questions or assistance regarding eligibility, grants, and applications, or to submit information regarding your matching grant results, please contact the Island Thrift Philanthropy Committee.

Determine the grant application that corresponds to the total amount of your funding request, and then access the grant application portal (links and details below in #3). Draft grants can be saved in your account account for up to six months while you work. Draft applications that show no activity for six months will be marked as abandoned and then archived.  To allow enough time for a funding decision and post-award coordination, please submit your request at least 60-90 days before the grant is needed. Please use your organization’s mailing address so that we may reach you by US Mail. A complete application is required for grants to be considered.

Once submitted, organizations may be contacted to provide more information, or in some cases to give a brief presentation of the grant proposal to the board of directors. Funding announcements are made by US Mail typically within 60 to 90 days from the time of application submission.

For questions regarding Island Thrift grants, please contact the Philanthropy Committee.