Originally published in the Daily Inter Lake on October 25, 2026.
Last week, the Great Fish Awards Ceremony brought together hundreds of nonprofit staff, donors and volunteers who make the Flathead such a special place. These are the people who help our neighbors, care for our mountains and waterways, create opportunities for children and families, and enrich our communities. Together, we celebrated what is possible when a community comes together around a shared purpose.
And there was plenty to celebrate. During this year’s Great Fish Community Challenge, 89 nonprofits shared their missions and raised $9.1 million from more than 4,000 donors. Those are impressive numbers, but they tell only part of the story.
For Girls on the Run Western Montana, this was a year of firsts. Participating in the Challenge for the first time, the organization raised $48,747 in donations. With matching funds and special awards from Whitefish Community Foundation, the total grew to $71,247.
Those dollars will help Girls on the Run build confidence and healthy habits for girls in grades 3–5 across the Flathead Valley, removing financial barriers that might otherwise prevent participation. The organization also earned the “New Fish on the Block” award, recognizing a first-time participant that enthusiastically embraced the Challenge.
For the Abbie Shelter, this year’s Challenge coincided with a meaningful milestone: 50 years of supporting survivors in our community. More than 500 donors contributed $233,743, bringing the organization’s total to $257,743 with matching funds and awards.
These gifts will help survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and other forms of abuse access emergency shelter, mental health services, legal advocacy and the Abbie Shelter’s Helpline. They will also support community education programs that promote awareness and safety throughout our region.
“The fact that our community showed up for us so generously in 2026 is particularly meaningful, as we are also celebrating the Abbie’s 50th anniversary and remarkable five-decade history of providing services for Flathead Valley residents impacted by intimate partner violence and sexual assault,” said Kristen Schepker, executive director of the Abbie Shelter.
Girls on the Run and the Abbie Shelter are just two examples among 89 participating nonprofits. Across the Flathead Valley, local nonprofits are feeding families, protecting open spaces, providing shelter, caring for animals, supporting seniors, strengthening arts and culture, and creating opportunities that improve lives.
Their missions may look different, but each begins with people who see a need and decide to do something about it. During the Great Fish Community Challenge, thousands of donors had the opportunity to stand behind them.
This year, that generosity was extraordinary. With the Great Fish Match and special awards, the Challenge generated an astounding $10.8 million for 89 Flathead Valley nonprofits.
Whitefish Community Foundation created the Great Fish Community Challenge in 2015 to help local nonprofits raise funds, reach new donors and share their missions. Since then, the Challenge has raised more than $50 million for local nonprofits. Circle of Giving donors make the matching funds possible and help ensure nonprofits participate at no cost.
The Awards Ceremony may mark the end of this year’s Challenge, but for our nonprofit partners, the work continues the next morning.
Soon, girls across the Flathead Valley will lace up their running shoes. A survivor will reach out for help and find someone ready to answer. And across the Valley, dozens of other organizations will put generosity to work—helping neighbors, caring for the places we love and creating opportunities that enrich our lives.
That is the real celebration—not simply how much our community gave, but what our nonprofits will be able to do because we gave together.
Alan Davis is President & CEO of Whitefish Community Foundation. The Foundation manages over $100 million in charitable assets and granted $21.5 million to nonprofits last year. He can be reached at alan@whitefishcommunityfoundation.org or 406-863-1781.
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