Avista Foundation Fuels Northwest Nonprofits with Over $336K in Grants

SPOKANE, WA – December 29, 2025 – The Avista Foundation has concluded its 2025 giving with a significant investment in the region's cultural and environmental vitality, awarding a combined $336,150 to 76 nonprofit organizations during its third and fourth quarters. The grants, distributed across Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska, and Montana, underscore the utility-backed foundation's deep-seated commitment to fostering resilient and vibrant communities.

This latest round of funding, focused on environmental efforts, arts, and culture, brings the Foundation's total giving for 2025 to more than $832,350. It caps a year of structured philanthropic support that also included cycles dedicated to health and human services, education, and economic development, reflecting a comprehensive strategy to address a wide spectrum of community needs.

A Pillar for Arts, Culture, and the Environment

The final grants of 2025 highlight a deliberate effort to bolster the organizations that form the cultural and environmental backbone of the Northwest. From youth arts education to critical trail maintenance, the funding touches a diverse array of local initiatives.

In Washington, a grant to Friends of KSPS in Spokane will help expand arts and culture education, while in Alaska, Perseverance Theatre received support to continue its mission of bringing youth voices to the stage. These grants aim to enhance cultural access and participation, particularly for younger generations. Similarly, Idaho’s Festival at Sandpoint utilized its funding to improve accessibility for its popular Community Night program, ensuring broader public engagement with the arts.

Environmental stewardship was also a key focus. The Idaho Trails Association received a grant to engage young people in outdoor programs and trail maintenance, fostering a new generation of environmental guardians. In Montana, the Friends of Whitepine Grange will use its grant to enhance rural community life by constructing a new picnic pavilion, creating a hub for local gatherings. Meanwhile, an award to the Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center in Oregon will support a science camp, creatively merging cultural programming with STEM education to inspire young minds.

These individual grants, often around $5,000, demonstrate a strategy of broad-based support. Rather than funding a few large projects, the Avista Foundation spreads its investment across dozens of grassroots organizations, maximizing its reach and empowering local leaders to address the specific needs of their communities.

Beyond the Wires: A Strategy of Corporate Citizenship

This consistent philanthropic output is a core component of Avista Corporation's larger corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Established in 2002, the Avista Foundation has become a significant philanthropic force in the region, having donated over $17 million to date. A critical aspect of its structure is that its funding is derived entirely from company shareholders, not utility ratepayers. This insulates the foundation's charitable giving from business cycles and ensures that community support remains a priority, independent of the company's operational finances.

When compared to its peers, Avista's philanthropic model holds its own. The Pacific Power Foundation, for instance, one of the largest utility-endowed foundations in the U.S., has awarded over $77 million since 1988 and recently announced $313,000 in grants for STEM education in Oregon. The Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Foundation awarded $600,000 in 2023, focusing on community resiliency. Avista’s giving, which regularly exceeds $1 million annually, positions it as a key player in regional corporate philanthropy, distinguished by its highly structured, quarterly focus on different community sectors.

Beyond the Foundation, Avista has deepened its community investment through other channels. The company recently launched a "Named Communities Investment Fund," dedicating up to $5 million annually to projects benefiting historically underserved communities in its Washington service area, including Tribal nations, low-income populations, and communities of color. This fund directly addresses energy equity goals. Furthermore, the company has pledged an additional $7 million over several years to tackle major social issues, including homelessness, rural community resilience through a "Small Town Pride" initiative, and youth success.

Strengthening the Social Fabric for Vulnerable Communities

While the latest grants focus on arts and the environment, they are intrinsically linked to the Foundation's overarching mission: supporting vulnerable populations, education, and overall community well-being. Many of the funded projects directly serve at-risk youth and underserved groups, weaving a stronger social safety net across the region.

For example, a grant to Spokane Word in Washington will help amplify the voices and perspectives of immigrant and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) youth. The International Rescue Committee in Spokane is using its funds to develop STEAM, digital literacy, and English language skills for young refugees and immigrants. In Oregon, the Klamath KID Center received support for its work providing safe and enriching spaces for children.

This focus extends to fundamental needs like housing. In Alaska, the Alaska Development Corporation received a grant to advance its affordable housing work through a community land trust in Juneau, addressing a critical need in the state. This holistic approach—linking cultural enrichment with educational opportunities and basic needs—is central to the Foundation's impact. By empowering organizations that provide everything from literacy programs for Latinx adults to new shoes for children in need, the Foundation's investments collectively strengthen the region's social fabric.

A Pathway for Community Support

For nonprofit organizations across the Northwest, the Avista Foundation provides a clear and accessible pathway for funding. The Foundation operates a transparent process with a dedicated online portal and four distinct grant cycles per year, each with a specific focus. This predictable schedule allows organizations to plan their applications well in advance.

The quarterly themes are:
* Health and Human Services (January 1 – February 1)
* Education and Youth Development (March 1 – April 1)
* Economic and Community Vitality (July 1 – August 1)
* Environmental, Arts and Culture (October 1 – November 1)

To be eligible, an organization must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, school, or civic group serving communities within the Avista Utilities or Alaska Electric Light & Power Co. service territories. As the 2025 giving year closes, the Foundation is already looking ahead. The next grant cycle, dedicated to health and human services, will open on January 1, 2026, and run through February 1, 2026, inviting a new round of proposals aimed at supporting the well-being of the region's residents.