FAQs - Whatcom Together

Q: Who can I contact if I have more questions?

We'd love to hear from you! E-mail us at wcf@whatcomcf.org or give the Whatcom Community Foundation a call at (360) 671-6463.

Q: Who decides how these funds are used locally?

It’s up to the people in each community. We’re supporting the formation of a local advisory board or committee that can solicit ideas and make recommendations or decisions. But if that’s not in the cards for your area, then Whatcom Community Foundation will ensure the funds are dispersed with local input.

Q: Why is the Whatcom Community Foundation launching 15 of them now?

It’s our 30 th birthday! We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than taking “local” philanthropy to a new level. We’ve learned a lot over the last three decades, chief among them that, as humans and as communities, our deepest wellbeing lies in connection, and those connections start close to home. We’ve also learned that no-strings giving is the best way to help communities help themselves. The more people and organizations are empowered to look out for each other in ways that work best for them, the better.

Q: What is a Community Fund?

Just like it sounds, a community fund is a pool of money dedicated to benefiting a particular place. Community Funds are typically held by a community foundation. In community foundation language, they are considered “place-based, field-of-interest" funds. The money is restricted to a defined geographical area to support that place in ways that the community decides is best for them. While the funds can’t go to individuals or for-profit organizations, there is lots of flexibility in where they can be put to work, including nonprofit groups, such as a food bank, church, or arts organization, and other community assets like libraries or parks.