Icicle Fund Community Grants
the 2026 application IS AVAILable Dec 15 - Jan 30, 2026.
WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM?
The Community Grants Program provides one- and two-year unrestricted grants to not-for-profit organizations that make an impact in North Central Washington in one of the Icicle Fund’s focus areas: the arts, history and heritage, and environmental education and conservation. These unrestricted funds can be used for programs, salaries/benefits, technology, capacity-building, communications, or any other effort that strengthens the organization and its capacity for short- and long-term mission delivery.
This is a competitive grant program, awarding grants to an average of 40% of submitted proposals. Grant awards have historically been between $3,000 and $35,000, with the majority of awards landing between $10,000 - $15,000. We encourage you to review our Recent Awards to see the amounts and organizations we have funded in previous years.
These grants are made possible by the generosity of Harriet Bullitt, the founder of Icicle Fund, as well as by the net profits from Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort.
IMPORTANT DATES
December 15, 2025: The grant application opens through Grant Management Systems.
January 30, 2026: All applications are due by 6pm on Friday, January 30.
March 16, 2026: Announcement of grant awards.
April 1, 2026: Funds disbursed via ACH.
The grant period for a one-year award will be April 2026 – March 2027. The grant period for a two-year award will be April 2026 – March 2028.
Please note: If creating an account or applying in an online system is a barrier, please contact us at info@iciclefund.org.
WHO CAN APPLY?
The Community Grants Program awards funds to eligible organizations whose mission aligns with one of the three Icicle Fund priorities and that deliver impact in North Central Washington. Organizations must meet all three requirements to be eligible.
1) Organization Structure: Grants are available to the following types of organizations.
501(c)(3) Nonprofits with a Public Charity Status
Local, City, or Tribal Government Organizations
Fiscally sponsored organizations or community groups
2) Organization Mission: Grants are available to organizations that have one of the following focus areas as a core component of their mission.
The Arts: Performance and exhibition of the fine and performing arts, arts education, venue and facility management, and sector support.
The Environment: Conservation, stewardship, sustainability, environmental education, and access (when provided with an educational or sustainable approach).
History and/or Heritage: Museums, cultural centers, and historical education as well as the education, celebration, and sustainability of cultural traditions, knowledge, and communities.
3) Organization Location: Grants are made available to organizations that create impact in Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties.
Organizations that are located and operate primarily in one of the four counties.
Organizations that are located outside of the four counties but create significant impact within our service area.
Please note that while mission-aligned organizations that primarily work outside of Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and/or Okanogan counties are eligible for funding, organizations that primarily serve the NCW region will likely receive higher priority for this grant program.
A Change This Year: The Community Grants Program is changing its approach to creating impact within school districts. Instead of funding individual schools or districts, Icicle Fund encourages community-based partners that work in collaboration with schools to apply, either as a fully-fledged 501(c)(3) themselves or through a fiscal sponsor. This would include PTO/As, booster clubs, alumni groups, etc. If your group or organization would like more information about fiscal sponsorship, please reach out to us at info@iciclefund.org
See our Mission and Eligibility Requirements for more details.
HOW TO APPLY?
To apply, please visit our Grant Management System and follow the application instructions. If you do not have an account, click “Create New Account”.
Tip: Once you are in the application form, you can invite others to collaborate with you by clicking the Collaboration button at the top.
WHAT IS NEEDED FOR THE APPLICATION?
To preview the questions and financial reports requested in the grant application, open or download one of these files:
Tip: Use the editable Word document or some other word processing software to type out your answers, and then just copy & paste the finalized answers into the actual grant application.
WHAT SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE?
General Questions About the Grant Process:
Schedule a 30-minute appointment with Executive Director Phil Lacey to talk through the process and answer any questions you have. Appointments are available from January 5 – 23, 2026. Please use this Calendly link to book an appointment.
Questions About Financial Reporting:
Schedule a 30-minute appointment with Operations Officer Tiffany Brine-Davies to talk through the required financial reports. Appointments are available from January 5 – 16, 2026. To schedule, please send an email with your requested dates and availability to tiffany@iciclefund.org.
HOW ARE APPLICATIONS EVALUATED?
Applications are reviewed by Icicle Fund board members and staff.
Decisions are guided by the Icicle Fund’s belief statements about the arts, history, and environment. During the process, reviewers prioritize funding based on these beliefs and the following key areas:
Organizational health, as evidenced by processes and intentionality.
Organizational impact in NCW, fostering the appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of natural and cultural resources.
The extent to which an organization embraces the full NCW community in terms of access to its services and in its leadership.
The extent to which collaborative relationships have multiplied the organization’s impact.
The sustainability of the organization, as evidenced by financial processes and management.
The Icicle Fund is excited to partner with both new and established organizations of all sizes. Expectations in these key areas depend on the maturity and size of the organization.
QUESTIONS?
Drop us an email at info@iciclefund.org and we’ll be in touch soon!