The Icicle Fund was established in 1999 by Harriet Bullitt to support the work of five named partner organizations in protecting the environment, advancing the arts and promoting the natural and cultural history of the Wenatchee River watershed and the greater North Centeral Washington region, comprised of Chelan, Okanogan, Douglas and Grant counties. At an early board meeting, Harriet told "The Parable of the Long Spoons", which conveys the caring and cooperative spirit with which she hoped the Fund would operate.

The Icicle Fund is a 501(c)(3) supporting organization. Representatives of the five partner organizations hold the majority of seats on the board of directors and work collaboratively with each other and other organizations in the region to carry out the Fund's mission.

The Icicle Fund Mission

The mission of the Icicle Fund is to support the environment, the arts and history in the Wenatchee River watershed and neighboring landscapes, through innovative collaboration.

The work of the Icicle Fund is inspired by a vision of the Wenatchee River watershed and North Central Washington as a region where nature, the arts and the area’s natural and human history encourage appreciation, understanding and stewardship of this special place.

The principles that guide the Fund’s work include the importance of place, reverence for nature; the transformative powers of nature and art, innovation, and collaboration.

Five named organizations - Icicle Creek Music Center, Chelan-Douglas Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land and Barn Beach Trust - lead the work of the Icicle Fund. Representatives of the named organizations and selected community members serve on the board of directors and design, review, sponsor and implement specific projects and activities of interest to the Fund.

The Icicle Fund conducts its business by providing direct cash support to the named organizations, as well as other organizations and projects that further its interests; funding acquisition of land with conservation values; and actively identifying and helping to develop opportunities for partnerships and programs that advance the arts, protect the environment and promote natural and social history in the Wenatchee River watershed and North Central Washington.

Preference is given to projects and activities that

• Bridge the arts, environment and human and natural history
• Engage culturally diverse members of the community
• Reach out to young people through educational and experiential opportunities
• Are science-based
• Leverage other resources
• Show promise of achieving positive, long-term effects
• Go beyond the customary operations of the named and other related organizations
• Build the capacity of the named and other related organizations.

The Icicle Fund does not review unsolicited applications for support.