Community Foundation’s longtime leader to retire
Linda Engh-Grady, president of the Whitefish Community Foundation, accepts the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce’s Great Whitefish Award during the Feb. 7 awards gala at the O’Shaughnessy Center. (Daniel McKay photos/Whitefish Pilot)
The Whitefish Community Foundation President and CEO Linda Engh-Grady recently announced her pending retirement from the organization; she has been with the foundation for 14 years.
“Linda has taken Whitefish Community Foundation from a fledgling organization to the impactful organization it is today,” Board Chair Ardy Whisler said.
The Foundation is currently seeking qualified candidates for the position.
“We know it will not be an easy position to fill, but Linda has built a solid foundation that will be very attractive to the right candidate. The board has organized a search committee and is committed to finding the right individual to lead the Foundation into the next stages of its development.”
Over her tenure, Engh-Grady has grown the organization’s assets from $1 million to $56 million, including $17 million in permanently endowed assets. She transitioned the Whitefish Community Foundation to a fund-accounting system and built a robust Donor Advised Fund program. Today the foundation awards over $10 million in grants every year through its various grant programs.
With the assistance of the foundation’s board of directors, Engh-Grady started the Circle of Giving program in 2013, which has grown to provide over $1 million in grant revenue annually for local nonprofits. In 2015, she created the Great Fish Community Challenge, an annual fundraising platform that has generated over $17 million for more than 75 charities.
Most recently she helped secure a permanent home for the foundation thanks to a generous donation of a building from Mike, Barbara and Maresa Jenson. Renovations to the building’s grounds are underway to accommodate the growing organization.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to lead Whitefish Community Foundation for the past 14 years,” Engh-Grady said. “Being President of the foundation has allowed me to meet many incredible people who truly care about our community. My husband and I plan to stay involved with the Foundation through the Circle of Giving, because we truly believe in the power of giving together.”
To learn more about the position, required qualifications and application process, visit whitefishcommunityfoundation.org/employment-opportunities/.