Annual Great Fish giving campaign begins this week

The Great Fish Community Challenge launches this week, beginning the giving campaign featuring 50 nonprofits.

The Whitefish Community Foundation will kick off the fourth annual challenge on Thursday, July 26 with a free launch party at the Wave from 5 to 7 p.m.

The public is invited to come enjoy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and learn more about this year’s participating nonprofits.

The giving campaign runs seven weeks and begins with a $200,000 match fund. When donors give to the match they are essentially giving to all 50 participating nonprofits.

The community foundation organizes the challenge and provides the matching funds to inspire the community to give to the participating nonprofits. The campaign in the past three years has raised more than $4.5 million while creating awareness for the nonprofits involved.

Last year alone, the Great Fish received $1.6 million through almost 4,000 contributions for more than $2 million with the match being distributed to the nonprofits.

“The bottom line is to beat or exceed that,” said Linda Engh-Grady, president of the foundation. “We always hope we can do better than that $2 million.”

The number of nonprofits participating this year has increased slightly from last year.

Engh-Grady said the foundation reviews applications for those looking to participate while making sure they fit in with the goals of the Great Fish.

“Each year we have a lot of nonprofits that want to get in,” she said. “This year we expanded to add another five. Some of the nonprofits participating this year just didn’t last year. It’s all about who applies — we review all of them and how they spent the money they raised before. We expand as necessary while still looking to keep the match fund strong.”

During Thursday’s launch party, donors have a chance to win additional money for their favorite charities through incentive grants. Whitefish Community Foundation will draw a total of $1,000 in incentive grants — matching $25, $50, and even $100 donations made at the event to participating nonprofits.

This year a Mic Drop Contest is part of the Great Fish. One artist, who creates the winning rap, will win a $1,000 grant for the participating charity of their choice along with a $500 cash prize for their winning rap.

Over $15,000 of bonus and incentive grants will be awarded to nonprofits this year. Every week during the campaign, an incentive grant will be announced a week ahead in the Whitefish Pilot and on social media sites.

Nonprofits will also get the chance to talk about their work during Facebook Live interviews throughout the campaign on the Whitefish Community Foundation’s Facebook page.

Donors can start making gifts on July 26 online at www.whitefishcommunityfoundation.org, or by sending in an official donor form. Official donor forms will be mailed out and will be available in newspapers, at the Whitefish Community Foundation office, local downtown businesses, Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, and from participating nonprofits. Donation forms can also be downloaded from the foundation’s website.

The campaign is designed to make it easy for donors to make one gift and benefit multiple charities. All donations are made to Whitefish Community Foundation. Donors can write checks, donate online by credit card, donate appreciated securities, and use an IRA distribution to donate during the campaign.

Whitefish Community Foundation covers the costs of the campaign and passes on 100 percent of contributions to the designated charity. New this year, credit card fees are covered by the designated charity rather than the foundation.

The Great Fish Community Challenge will culminate on Sept. 8 at Depot Park with the Great Fish Challenge Color Run and Community Celebration. Sign-up for the Color Run today and get a free T-shirt, while supplies last, at www.whitefishcommunityfoundation.org. The Great Fish Community Challenge will officially end on Sept. 14 at 5 p.m.

The grand total raised during the Great Fish will be announced Oct. 18 during an awards ceremony at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

For more information about the Whitefish Community Foundation and the Great Fish Community Challenge visit the foundation website at www.whitefishcommunityfoundation.org or call 406-863-1781. The Whitefish Community Foundation is dedicated to fostering philanthropy, building endowments and helping donors and nonprofits benefit the community.