This fall, the Gorge Community Foundation (GCF) reached a milestone that reflects the generosity and spirit of the Columbia River Gorge: more than $10 million in endowments dedicated to supporting local nonprofits, students, and community programs. While reaching this goal is exciting, what matters most is the path we took to get here. It was built slowly, steadily, and locally, through people who believe in taking care of their community.
Since its founding in 1999, GCF has awarded $4.9 million in grants to local organizations and $934,000 in scholarships to students across the region, now overseeing 101 funds, each created by someone who wanted to give back. Scholarship fund founders hoped to open doors for local students. Nonprofits invested in their own long-term stability. Families created legacy funds to express gratitude or pass along deeply held values. Professional advisors encouraged clients to keep their giving close to home. And community members contributed what they could because they care about the place they live, all while board members guided the foundation with care, humility, and a steady long-term vision.
Our nonprofit partners are at the center of this work. Their daily efforts in food security, arts and culture, environmental stewardship, youth programs, and health services show donors what their generosity makes possible. Their commitment inspires us all, and through annual distributions and community grants, GCF does our part to support those who support so many.
One of the most powerful parts of community philanthropy is that change happens where you can actually see it. Local giving allows people to support the schools their children attend, the forests they hike in, the libraries they visit, and the nonprofits that support their neighbors. When change happens at the community level, it is not abstract. It is immediate, visible, and is deeply felt in ways that are hard to measure but easy to recognize in daily life.
This milestone, however, comes during a year when nonprofits across the Gorge are navigating real challenges. Higher operating costs, reduced state and federal funding, and growing community needs are pushing organizations to do more with fewer resources. Wildfire impacts and recovery needs have added another layer of complexity.
All of this makes year-end giving especially important this year. For many nonprofits in the Gorge, donations made in November and December make up nearly 30% of their annual revenue. These gifts keep essential programs running, support staff, and allow organizations to step into the new year with stability. Whether it is a food pantry preparing for winter demand or a youth program responding to more families seeking support, year-end gifts often determine what is possible in 2026.
And while we are deeply grateful for contributions that help grow GCF’s endowments, we also encourage donors to support the nonprofits they care about directly. Giving to an annual fund, contributing to an organization’s endowment, opening a flexible gift fund, or establishing a donor-advised fund are all meaningful ways to strengthen the Gorge and different scenarios make sense for different donors.
Above all, we want to say thank you. Thank you to the donors, nonprofit leaders, volunteers, advisors, board members, and community partners who made this milestone possible. With a strong year-end giving season, we can ensure that all Gorge nonprofits have the stability and resilience they need to serve our communities in the year ahead.
If you would like to know more about GCF and our funds please contact me at tucker@gorgecf.org.
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