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Dear Friends,
We stand in awe of all that the pandemic has brought out in our grantees, colleagues, and our community. That was the last line of our 2020 annual report, when we were all hoping that COVID-19 would soon be in the past. While the challenges, heartbreak, and hardships continued into 2021, so did the innovation, resilience, and creativity.
In this report, we highlight a few of the ways the Medina Foundation supported the incredible efforts of some of our nonprofit partners.
Knowing that youth-serving programs were constantly having to close and re-open their doors, react to unpredictable school schedules, and help families as well as kids, Medina made unsolicited grants to 67 of our recent grantees in this area. These additional grants were meant to help with any aspect of recovery that each organization most needed—technology, staffing, safety equipment, etc.
As Washington saw its rate of households facing food insecurity increase from 10% before the pandemic to nearly one-third of the population in 2021, organizations found new ways to reach people in need.
Medina funded a Grocery Card Program that simultaneously gave more choice to people who were hungry and supported local and BIPOC-owned grocery stores.
At the core of our response in 2021 was general operating support. Unrestricted grants have always been a cornerstone of Medina’s giving because we trust our grantees, believe they know best how to use funding, and want them to have the flexibility to respond to the most critical needs they see. Nearly 70% of our grants were general operating in 2021. We are heartened to see more foundations taking this approach since COVID-19 emerged, and we hope it continues.
To the 168 organizations we funded in 2021, and to everyone working on the front lines in our communities, we thank you. You have done heroic work.
With gratitude,
Jill Gardner
Board President
Jennifer Teunon
Executive Director
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Recovery Grants Help Youth-Serving Organizations Adapt
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact across all organizations and sectors. However, recovery has not looked the same for everyone. We’ve seen that some nonprofits—mainly those that focus on basic needs like hunger and housing—received high levels of government and private COVID-specific support to match the increase in need. But that hasn’t been true across the board and for some—particularly those that were forced to shut down programs—their income dramatically decreased.
Photo courtesy of College Success Foundation
Recovery Grants Help Youth-Serving Organizations Adapt
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact across all organizations and sectors. However, recovery has not looked the same for everyone. We’ve seen that some nonprofits—mainly those that focus on basic needs like hunger and housing—received high levels of government and private COVID-specific support to match the increase in need. But that hasn’t been true across the board and for some—particularly those that were forced to shut down programs—their income dramatically decreased.
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Photo courtesy of College Success Foundation
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Photo courtesy of College Success Foundation
During the crisis, many youth-serving organizations had to close their doors, in-person programming had to stop or go virtual, and programs that worked in schools lost that connection. In summer 2021, as the world was starting to open back up (albeit temporarily), these organizations had to determine how to bring students back, address social distancing needs, and staff-up to provide programming. These changes all cost money, and many of these organizations were already struggling financially.
To address this, Medina Trustees made surprise $5,000 grants to 67 youth-serving Medina grantees in May. These grants had no application process and minimal reporting, and could be used for any need that organizations were experiencing in this trying time. They were above and beyond any other funding from Medina.
Besides helping to pay for a critical need, this funding was also meant as a show of support for Medina’s nonprofit partners that had been struggling after an unbelievably challenging year. These were relatively small grants, but because they were made without an application or restrictions on how the funding could be used, we heard that they made a huge difference. Grants were spent on staffing, technology, personal protective equipment, capital expenses to make sites safer, and direct services for the kids and families they serve. Medina was thrilled to offer this support, and the response from organizations was nothing short of overwhelming.
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“Your generous investment of these funds was crucial in our ability to innovate and serve students in a virtual environment.”
— Washington Business Week
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Youth Development Recovery Grantees ($5,000 each)
America SCORES Seattle
Arts Corps
Asia Pacific Cultural Center
Atlantic Street Center
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Island County
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound
Bike Works Seattle
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County
Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula
Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County
CCS* - Youth Tutoring Program
City Year, Inc.
College Possible WA
College Success Foundation
Communities In Schools of Peninsula
Communities In Schools of Puyallup
Communities In Schools of Renton
Communities in Schools of Whatcom-Skagit
Community Network Council
Denise Louie Education Center
East African Community Services
Eastside Academy
Friends of the Children Seattle
Friends of the Children Tacoma
Funhouse Commons
Garden Raised Bounty (GRuB)
Girl Scouts of Western Washington
Hilltop Artists in Residence
Iraqi Community Center of Washington
Jefferson Teen Center
Kandelia
Kent Youth and Family Services
Lopez Island Family Resource Center
Northwest Education Access
Palmer Scholars
Peace Community Center
Powerful Voices
Rainier Prep
Rainier Scholars
Rebound of Whatcom County
Rochester Organization of Families
SafeFutures Youth Center
Sawhorse Revolution
Seattle Arts & Lectures
South Sound YMCA
Southwest Youth & Family Services
Summer Search Seattle
Team Read
Technology Access Foundation
The Answer For Youth
The Big-Brained Superheroes Club
The Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas
The Mockingbird Society
The Youth Connection
Vashon Youth & Family Services
Washington Business Week
Whatcom Family YMCA
YMCA of Grays Harbor
YMCA of Pierce & Kitsap Counties
Youth in Focus
Youthnet
Zeno
*CCS = Catholic Community Services
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Youth Development Recovery Grantees ($5,000 each)
America SCORES Seattle
Arts Corps
Asia Pacific Cultural Center
Atlantic Street Center
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Island County
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound
Bike Works Seattle
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County
Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula
Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County
CCS* - Youth Tutoring Program
City Year, Inc.
College Possible WA
College Success Foundation
Communities In Schools of Peninsula
Communities In Schools of Puyallup
Communities In Schools of Renton
Communities in Schools of Whatcom-Skagit
Community Network Council
Denise Louie Education Center
East African Community Services
Eastside Academy
Friends of the Children Seattle
Friends of the Children Tacoma
Funhouse Commons
Garden Raised Bounty (GRuB)
Girl Scouts of Western Washington
Hilltop Artists in Residence
Iraqi Community Center of Washington
Jefferson Teen Center
Kandelia
Kent Youth and Family Services
Lopez Island Family Resource Center
Northwest Education Access
Palmer Scholars
Peace Community Center
Powerful Voices
Rainier Prep
Rainier Scholars
Rebound of Whatcom County
Rochester Organization of
Families
SafeFutures Youth Center
Sawhorse Revolution
Seattle Arts & Lectures
South Sound YMCA
Southwest Youth & Family Services
Summer Search Seattle
Team Read
Technology Access Foundation
The Answer For Youth
The Big-Brained Superheroes Club
The Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas
The Mockingbird Society
The Youth Connection
Vashon Youth & Family Services
Washington Business Week
Whatcom Family YMCA
YMCA of Grays Harbor
YMCA of Pierce & Kitsap Counties
Youth in Focus
Youthnet
Zeno
*CCS = Catholic Community Services
“We often don't take the time to stop and take care of ourselves; this grant helped us focus on the need and make it happen.”
— College Success Foundation
“This funding was such a wonderful surprise during an incredibly challenging time.”
— Seattle Arts & Lectures, Writers in the Schools Program
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Creativity in Food Distribution
While every aspect of the safety net has been impacted by the pandemic, hunger relief systems saw the number of people in need instantly grow exponentially. The number of Washingtonians going hungry has more than doubled since the start of the pandemic—from 10% to 27%, according to the latest University of Washington and Washington State University research on food insecurity and food assistance in the state.
In the past, the prevailing model for organizations working in hunger relief has been food distribution. Agencies purchase bulk food, at discounted prices, and distribute it to local food banks and meal programs. While this has worked in many areas, it has had some shortcomings: the food is often shelf-stable and not always the most nutritious; there’s typically a lack of culturally appropriate food choices; and, as we saw during the pandemic, when the supply chain is disrupted or transportation logistics become challenging, the system fails.
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Creativity in Food Distribution
While every aspect of the safety net has been impacted by the pandemic, hunger relief systems saw the number of people in need instantly grow exponentially. The number of Washingtonians going hungry has more than doubled since the start of the pandemic—from 10% to 27%, according to the latest University of Washington and Washington State University research on food insecurity and food assistance in the state.
In the past, the prevailing model for organizations working in hunger relief has been food distribution. Agencies purchase bulk food, at discounted prices, and distribute it to local food banks and meal programs. While this has worked in many areas, it has had some shortcomings: the food is often shelf-stable and not always the most nutritious; there’s typically a lack of culturally appropriate food choices; and, as we saw during the pandemic, when the supply chain is disrupted or transportation logistics become challenging, the system fails.
Photo courtesy of Food Lifeline and Mutual Aid Solidarity of Skagit
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Photo courtesy of Food Lifeline and Mutual Aid Solidarity of Skagit
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Photo courtesy of Food Lifeline and Mutual Aid Solidarity of Skagit
When faced with these challenges, Medina’s nonprofit partners Food Lifeline and Northwest Harvest got creative and leaned into the use of gift cards.
Gift card programs are not new, but what made these two programs different was that the gift cards were predominately purchased from small, BIPOC-owned and serving grocery stores. This small but significant shift made a huge difference. Not only did it allow families to shop at their local grocer, but it promoted the purchase of culturally appropriate foods (which can often be difficult to source and distribute in large quantities), while also stimulating local BIPOC-owned businesses.
Client choice is a critical part of a community’s efforts to end hunger. Through these two programs, individuals were able to choose their own food, which gave them a sense of dignity and control, limited waste, and allowed them to tailor the help they received to be the best possible fit for their own unique situation.
Medina made special grants in the amount of $25,000 each to Food Lifeline and Northwest Harvest to support their grocery card programs and we applaud this innovation in the face of adversity.
“People in our local neighborhoods have benefited from this program by having the ability to buy healthy food that they would like to feed their family but could not otherwise afford. Our Mutual Aid Volunteers benefited from the program and made strong connections through this work.”
— Mutual Aid Solidarity of Skagit County
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Grocery Store Gift Card Grantees ($25,000 each)
Food Lifeline
Northwest Harvest
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General Operating Grants = Believing in Organizations
General operating grants, also called core support or unrestricted funding, are an integral part of Medina’s grantmaking. These grants can be used to cover any expenses that an organization needs—staffing, the lights, rent, or programs. It’s up to the organization, and we believe nonprofits know best how to use funding to meet their missions.
While some organizations come to Medina for help with a specific program or a capital campaign, the vast majority need unrestricted dollars. On average, about 70% of Medina’s funding each year goes to general operating support.
We consistently hear from organizations that making these grants is one of the most important things we do.
Photo courtesy of Compass Housing Alliance
General Operating Grants = Believing in Organizations
General operating grants, also called core support or unrestricted funding, are an integral part of Medina’s grantmaking. These grants can be used to cover any expenses that an organization needs—staffing, the lights, rent, or programs. It’s up to the organization, and we believe nonprofits know best how to use funding to meet their missions.
While some organizations come to Medina for help with a specific program or a capital campaign, the vast majority need unrestricted dollars. On average, about 70% of Medina’s funding each year goes to general operating.
We consistently hear from organizations that making these grants is one of the most important things we do.
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Photo courtesy of Compass Housing Alliance
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Photo courtesy of Compass Housing Alliance
In national surveys asking what nonprofit leaders need most, general operating support always lands in first place. Despite the fact that a lot of funders want to target their giving and see results correlated to specific grants, nonprofit CEOs consistently report that general operating grants have the most impact on strengthening their organization.
Beyond providing stability and flexibility, unrestricted grants allow organizations to respond to immediate needs they see, try creative approaches in their work, and operate more effectively.
These benefits have been even more apparent during the pandemic—when shelters needed to quickly move to larger spaces for social distancing; organizations needed to purchase masks, gloves, and sanitizer; youth programs had to expand to help families; educational and employment programs shifted to meet basic needs; and everyone needed to figure out virtual ways to work.
Historically, only 20-25% of foundation giving has been unrestricted, although there is hope that is increasing as the calls for trusting nonprofits have grown louder. From Medina’s perspective, it is essential for organizations to be able to take charge of their funding to truly be able to achieve their goals.
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“General operating support allows us to fund our agency’s greatest needs. It helps us to be nimble, responsive, and ultimately more successful in our work providing for individuals and families.”
— Compass Housing Alliance
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2021 Grant Payments
Economic Opportunity
CASA Latina | $25,000
CCS* - ASSET Program | $15,000
CCS - Social Services Provider Academy | $10,000
Degrees of Change | $15,000
FareStart | $50,000
Financial Beginnings Washington | $15,000
RE Sources for Sustainable Communities | $20,000
Remote Energy | $15,000
Sound Outreach | $25,000
Year Up Puget Sound | $30,000
*CCS = Catholic Community Services
Education
CCS - Youth Tutoring Program | $15,000
Communities In Schools of Puyallup | $25,000
Communities In Schools of Renton | $15,000
Eastside Academy | $30,000
Literacy Source | $15,000
Northwest Education Access | $30,000
Rainier Prep | $30,000
Rainier Scholars | $30,000
Sound Learning | $10,000
We Act. Present. Perform. | $20,000
Whatcom Literacy Council | $15,000
Youth Development
Arts Corps | $15,000
Asia Pacific Cultural Center | $15,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington | $20,000
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue | $35,000
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County | $40,000
Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County | $25,000
Community Network Council | $15,000
Friends of the Children Seattle | $30,000
Friends of the Children Tacoma | $115,000
Peace Community Center | $20,000
Sawhorse Revolution | $20,000
South Sound YMCA | $20,000
The Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas | $20,000
**Youth Development Recovery Grants (see list in story above) | $335,000
Hunger
Ballard Food Bank | $30,000
CCS - Feed the Hungry | $13,000
CCS - The Community Kitchen | $12,000
Coastal Harvest | $25,000
Emergency Food Network of Tacoma-Pierce County | $30,000
Food Lifeline | $50,000
SeaShare | $25,000
Stanwood Camano Food Bank | $15,000
**Grocery Store Gift Card Program (see list in story above) | $50,000
Housing and Homelessness
Anacortes Family Center | $25,000
Associated Ministries of Tacoma-Pierce County | $30,000
CCS - Benedict House | $25,000
CCS - Drexel House | $25,000
CCS - Family Housing Network | $25,000
CCS - HOME/ARISE/Reach Out | $15,000
CCS - Katherine's House & Rita's House | $20,000
CCS - Nativity House | $30,000
CCS - Noel House | $20,000
CCS - Rose of Lima | $10,000
CCS - Sacred Heart Shelter | $20,000
CCS - Spirit Journey | $10,000
CCS - St. Martin de Porres Shelter | $20,000
Community Youth Services | $25,000
Compass Housing Alliance | $50,000
Congregations for the Homeless | $30,000
Downtown Emergency Service Center | $50,000
Family Promise of Skagit Valley | $15,000
Friends of Youth | $40,000
Housing Hope | $50,000
Interim CDA | $25,000
Low Income Housing Institute | $30,000
Lydia Place | $25,000
New Horizons Ministries | $35,000
Real Change | $20,000
ROOTS Young Adult Shelter | $30,000
Ryan's House for Youth | $25,000
Serenity House of Clallam County | $25,000
Shared Housing Services | $20,000
Skagit Valley Family YMCA | $20,000
The Sophia Way | $20,000
Vine Maple Place | $35,000
Way Back Inn Foundation | $20,000
YMCA of Greater Seattle | $40,000
YouthCare | $40,000
Family Support
Amara | $35,000
Assistance League of Everett | $20,000
Assistance League of Seattle | $10,000
Atlantic Street Center | $30,000
Boyer Children's Clinic | $40,000
Bridge Receiving Center | $25,000
Brigid Collins Family Support Center | $30,000
Byrd Barr Place | $25,000
Catherine Place | $15,000
CCS - Hope House | $10,000
Child Advocacy Center of Snohomish County at Dawson Place | $30,000
Childhaven | $35,000
Community Action of Skagit County | $35,000
Connect Casino Road | $30,000
Connections | $15,000
Denise Louie Education Center | $20,000
Eastside Baby Corner | $15,000
El Centro de la Raza | $30,000
Exodus Housing | $20,000
Families of Color Seattle | $20,000
Family Law CASA of King County | $10,000
Greater Lakes Mental Healthcare | $25,000
Holly Ridge Center | $25,000
Hopelink | $50,000
HopeSparks | $35,000
Jewish Family Service | $30,000
Jumping Mouse Children's Center | $25,000
Kent Youth and Family Services | $20,000
Kindering | $50,000
Lutheran Community Services Northwest | $20,000
Mother Mentors of Whidbey Island | $15,000
Multi-Service Center | $35,000
NW Furniture Bank | $20,000
Olive Crest | $30,000
Open Arms Perinatal Services | $15,000
Readiness to Learn | $15,000
Rebound of Whatcom County | $15,000
Solid Ground | $50,000
Southwest Youth & Family Services | $30,000
The Answer For Youth | $10,000
Turning Pointe Survivor Advocacy Center | $25,000
United Way of Pierce County | $25,000
Vashon Youth & Family Services | $25,000
WestSide Baby | $15,000
Wonderland Child & Family Services | $20,000
Other/Miscellaneous
Asset Funders Network | $3,400
Behavioral Health Roundtable | $10,000
BIPOC ED Coalition | $25,000
Employee Matching Gifts (total) | $4,493
Immigrant and Refugee Funder Collaborative | $10,000
National Center for Family Philanthropy | $2,500
Neighbor to Neighbor Fund | $15,000
Philanthropy for Child Well-Being | $10,000
Philanthropy Northwest | $7,405
Statewide Capacity Collaborative | $5,000
Washington Nonprofits | $1,000
Whatcom Community Foundation Resilience Fund | $20,000
2021 Grants Summary
2021 Financial Summary
Unaudited summary from January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
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Photos courtesy of Compass Housing Alliance
Board of Trustees
Jill Gardner, President
Stephen Gant, Vice President
Jean Gardner, Treasurer
Elizabeth Williams, Secretary
Andrew Clapp, Trustee
Edelveis Clapp, Trustee
Margaret Clapp, Trustee
Gail Gant, Trustee
Henry Nettleton, Trustee
Kate Nunn, Trustee
Marion Rawlinson, Trustee
Staff
Jennifer Teunon, Executive Director
Alexia Cameron Casiano, Grants and Operations Manager
Jessica Case, Program Officer
Aana Lauckhart, Program Officer