Seventy Flathead Valley nonprofit organizations will participate in the 8th annual Great Fish Community Challenge hosted by Whitefish Community Foundation August 4 to September 16.
The Great Fish Community Challenge is a six-week charitable giving campaign in which donors can choose to give to multiple nonprofit organizations with a single transaction. At the conclusion of the campaign, Whitefish Community Foundation will award a percentage match on the first $20,000 raised by each participating organization. Nonprofits must raise at least $10,000 to be eligible for the match. The match is made possible by Whitefish Community Foundation’s Circle of Giving donors, as well as donors who designate their gift to the Great Fish Match Fund.
Nonprofits interested in participating in the 2022 Challenge applied through a comprehensive application process by the published deadline. Twenty-five nonprofits were approved for the fast-track application process based on their previous participation in the campaign, stellar performance in prior campaigns, and continuity of leadership.
Of the 70 organizations that will participate in this year’s Great Fish Community Challenge, 10 are first-time participants. The following organizations will participate in the 2022 Challenge:
Abbie Shelter
Amazing Place Music
Backpack Assistance Program
Big Brothers Big Sisters NW Montana
Bigfork Art and Cultural Center
Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation
Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country
CASA for Kids
Center for Restorative Youth Justice
Child Bridge
Code Girls United
Conrad Mansion Museum
Creston Firefighter’s Association
DREAM Adaptive Recreation
Flathead Area Mountain Bikers
Flathead Audubon Society
Flathead County Sheriff’s Posse
Flathead Food Bank
Flathead Land Trust
Flathead Rapids Youth Soccer
Flathead Valley Community College Foundation
Flathead Valley Ski Foundation
Flathead Warming Center
Flathead Youth Home
Foy’s to Blacktail Trails
Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center
Gateway to Glacier Trail
Glacier Institute
Glacier National Park Conservancy
Glacier Nordic Club
Glacier Skate Academy
Glacier Symphony & Chorale
Good Grief Group
Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley
Hockaday Museum of Art
Housing Whitefish
Humane Society of Northwest Montana
Immanuel Foundation
Kalispell School District Education Foundation
Land to Hand
Lighthouse Christian Home & Services
Logan Health Foundation
Logan Health-Whitefish Foundation
Montana Conservation Corps
Montana Kayak Academy
Nate Chute Foundation
North Valley Food Bank
North Valley Music School
North West Montana Veterans Food Pantry
Northwest Montana Community Land Trust
Northwest Montana History Museum
Project Whitefish Kids
Ravenwood Outdoor Learning Center
Samaritan House
Shepherd’s Hand
Sparrow’s Nest of NW MT
Stumptown Art Studio
Tamarack Grief Resource Center
The Nurturing Center
Whitefish Community Center
Whitefish Community Foundation
Whitefish Dog Park
Whitefish Firefighters Association
Whitefish Lake Institute
Whitefish Legacy Partners
Whitefish Review
Whitefish School District Education Foundation
Whitefish Theatre Company
Whitefish Veterans Support Team
Wings Regional Cancer Support
Since 2015, the Great Fish Community Challenge has raised over $17 million for more than 75 local nonprofit organizations. In addition to the percentage matching grant awarded on the first $20,000 raised by each nonprofit, Whitefish Community Foundation awards thousands of dollars in incentive grants throughout the campaign.
Whitefish Community Foundation will kick off this year’s campaign with the Great Fish Launch Party on Thursday, August 4 at 5:30 p.m. at Park Side Credit Union in Whitefish. Donors who make a gift of $100 or more at the Launch Party to one participating nonprofit will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of 10 $100 matching grants for their designated organization. From August 4 to September. 16, there will be many opportunities for donors to give to the campaign and help their favorite charities earn more incentive grants.
The Great Fish Fun Run & Community Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, September 10 in Depot Park in Whitefish. The event will include 5K and one-mile fun runs, a tot trot, barbecue lunch from Piggyback BBQ, live music by David Walburn, a nonprofit fair and the presentation of awards and prizes. Registration for Great Fish Fun Run is now open at runsignup.com/great-fish-fun-run.
For more information about the Great Fish Community Challenge, visit whitefishcommunityfoundation.org/great-fish or call (406) 863-1781.