The Washington Opportunity Fund (WOF) is sponsored by Community Foundation of North Central Washington. The WOF is a rapid-response revolving loan fund to support the protection of Washington State's wildlife and their habitats, helping to bridge the gap between high-priority habitat conservation opportunities and longer-term permanent funding sources.

The Washington Opportunity Fund - Community Foundation of North Central Washington The Washington Opportunity Fund (WOF) is built around the needs of conservation practitioners to help support the protection of Washington State’s wildlife and their habitats.

Specifically, WOF is structured as a rapid-response revolving loan fund to help bridge the gap between high-priority habitat conservation opportunities and longer-term permanent funding sources. As nonprofit conservation organizations continue to expand the scope of their vision in the face of ongoing fragmentation and conversion of high-priority habitat, they need a variety of different tools to help respond to important opportunities.

Based on feedback from practitioners across the state, the WOF is structured to provide loans of up to $500,000 with a process that is fast, flexible, and friendly. The Fund is administered by the Community Foundation of North Central Washington (CFNCW). The Fund initially has a loan capacity of $1,000,000.

The vision of the WOF is that by providing this type of conservation finance, it can both help achieve priority conservation outcomes that wouldn’t otherwise be possible, while helping to spur organizational growth among nonprofits that might otherwise have been unable to effectively leverage debt.

Eligible Organizations and Projects WOF is available for land trusts and other nonprofits operating in Washington State to acquire fee-title, or less than fee-title (i.e. conservation easement), interests in land.

Though we recognize that projects often provide the opportunity to support multiple environmental and social benefits, the WOF is intended first and foremost to support ecological conservation values, including but not limited to projects that: directly or indirectly provide habitat for priority species; help connect or expand existing protected habitat; support ecological resilience in the face of a changing climate; facilitate and secure important restoration efforts; or prevent imminent, adverse development.

In addition, though the WOF is open to all land trusts and conservation nonprofits in the state, the WOF is intended first and foremost to support organizations that: may lack a base of donors who can provide larger private loans on short notice; may struggle to provide collateral other than the value of the land; are looking to further utilize debt-financing as a part of their conservation strategy; and can leverage WOF funds to help raise their community profile and technical capacity.

Loan Terms and Conditions If the project is approved, subject to the availability of funds, the Loan Agreement will take the form of a simple promissory note, subject to the following terms and conditions: Loans shall not exceed $500,000; Proceeds of the loan may only be used to close a specific real estate transaction; The loan is non-recourse and does not require collateral; The borrower may subordinate this loan to the benefit of another lender; Interest will accrue at the rate of 1% per annum, to be paid annually; Maximum loan term is 36 months, with no penalties for prepayments; Failure to pay principal when due will leave the loan as an outstanding liability.

Application and Approval Process Potential applicants are asked to submit a brief, one or two-page pre-application that addresses: A description of the proposed acquisition (location, acreage, infrastructure); Status of the proposed acquisition (under contract, in negotiation, up for auction, etc.); Proposed loan amount and sources of matching funds; Potential final funding sources and estimated schedule for receipt; Summary of ecological conservation values; Upon review, and potentially a short interview with the prospective applicant, the Fund Committee will advise as to whether the applicant is invited to move forward with a full application, as further described below.

Pre-applications can expect a decision within 2 weeks. As part of submission of the pre-application, a potential borrower may request up to $10,000 as seed money to assist with due diligence costs related to getting a project to the point where a full loan application can be made.

Such costs might include, for example, appraisals or other valuation analyses, environmental site assessments, earnest money, etc. Seed monies received will be added to the loan principal if the full application is received and the project is approved; otherwise, the seed money will be considered a financial grant.

If an applicant is invited to submit a full application, they will use the application form that is attached separately and should be submitted to CFNCW’s online application system. , which can be accessed here. Specifically, the full application supplements the pre-application with additional project, organizational, and financial information to better assess the merits of the project.

Applications can expect a decision within three weeks of submittal. Funding decisions made by the WOF will be guided by the Fund Committee and its advisors. It is the intent of the WOF to maintain a Fund Committee with a combination of expertise in wildlife biology/habitat ecology, conservation real estate, nonprofit executive leadership, and financial risk assessment.

This will allow the WOF to provide a robust assessment of the conservation benefit, organizational capacity, and financial viability of any particular project. Current members of the Fund Committee include: John Rose, Founder, former chair of the Washington Chapter of the Nature Conservancy and current chair of Sustainable Northwest.

Owen Wozniak, Land Transactions Program Manager at the Land Trust Alliance Tim Seifert, former Executive Director of the San Juan Preservation Trust Committee Advisors include: Peter Dunwiddie, Affiliate Professor in the University of Washington Dept. of Biology Curt Soper, retiring Executive Director of the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust Any additional questions can be sent to WOF Founder John Rose johnmcbrose@gmail.

com or CFNCW Executive Director Beth Stipe beth@cfncw. org.

Make A Difference Day Grant NCW Foundation for Youth Grant The Washington Opportunity Fund Mansfield Community Fund Grant Waterville Community Fund Grant Wenatchee High School Foundation Grant Woods Family Music and Arts Grant Grant Guidelines and Policies The Washington Opportunity Fund Loan Application State / Province / Region Annual Operating Budget (Required) Which counties does your organization serve?

(Required) Loan Funding Request Amount: (Required) What are the dates the funds are needed? (Required) Please describe in detail the fee simple or easement acquisition for which you are seeking support. Include location and any special information as to why this is important to the communities and constituents you serve and the timeframe for the project.

(Required) How did your organization identify this property as a priority for your organization’s mission? (Required) Please provide a list of rare species and communities that are documented onsite. Include information on animal use, habitats, and significant plant species or vegetation types.

(Required) Describe in detail the conservation benefits you anticipate from this acquisition. (Required) Describe your organization’s plan and capacity to preserve, protect, or enhance the acquired property. (Required) Do you anticipate any additional partnerships/partners for this purchase or ownership?

Please describe. (Required) Describe the total acquisition cost(s). (Required) Detail any in kind or financial support your organization is contributing to this purchase.

(Required) Please describe your organization’s plan to raise the funding to repay the loan. Please include a proposed timeline and any grant sources you have identified as potential sources. (Required) Please feel free to share any additional information that you would like the committee to know as they consider your request.

Please upload your most recent Balance Sheet (Required) Max. file size: 64 MB. I am currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science at Stanford.

Since the beginning of my freshman year I have been involved with clubs such as Stanford’s Space Initiative (SSI) and the Society of Latinx Engineers (SOLE). In SSI I built a rocket and launched it. Aero Methow Rescue Service Chelan Douglas Volunteer Attorney Services The grant provided funds to hire a Housing Justice and Outreach Coordinator to visit rural and underserved areas.

Rosie’s bilingual and bicultural skills and experience have increased equity of service. Rosie is building partnerships with local organizations through events such as the Columbia Valley Community Health’s Back to School Drive, as well as posting yard signs. My father was a migrant agricultural worker who eventually started his own cherry and apple orchard.

He told me if I wanted to live a better life, I had to get an education. I plan on starting a career with the Chelan PUD with a passion for renewable energy and in turn give back to my parents and community for supporting my dreams. GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED