A Quarter-Century of Support
Bainbridge Community Foundation Celebrates a Milestone in Quest to Strengthen Island Nonprofits
BY AUDREY NELSON | PHOTOS BY DINAH SATTERWHITE
Jim Hopper contends that almost anything islanders love about Bainbridge is likely connected to a nonprofit organization. And as executive director of Bainbridge Community Foundation, he’s enthusiastic about linking philanthropic donors with those groups.
“We started with a relatively small amount of money, $172,000,” in 2001, Hopper said. But those funds, which originally were undesignated gifts to One Call for All, have provided a lifeline when nonprofits’ needs exceeded their regular fund-raising efforts.
BCF has grown the pool to $35 million in this, its 25th year, distributing the funds in the form of grants, Hopper said. A ticketed anniversary event in September at IslandWood is in its planning stages, in addition to a possible public celebration in conjunction with concerts in the park this summer.
Maria Metzler, executive director of Helpline House, which provides free groceries to people experiencing food instability along with other social services, said that the foundation’s work is essential. “Of course, BCF promotes efforts such as annual granting that support programs or general operating,” she said, “but perhaps their most meaningful work is the behind-the-scenes efforts of educating and engaging donors and supporters around causes that truly matter, and Helpline House is lucky to be among those.”
BCF-directed funds were “a very important part of Helpline House’s Capital Campaign” to build its recently opened complex, Metzler said.
Island Volunteer Caregivers, a comparatively small organization, finds BCF’s support “especially vital,” said Joanne Maher, IVC’s executive director. “We often rely on them not only for funding, but for training that helps us better equip our team to thoughtfully and effectively roll out programs,” she said. “BCF’s Nonprofit Training Series on Program Management, led by David Harrison, was particularly valuable in strengthening how our program managers think strategically and approach their work.”
IVC has used BCF grants to create pilot programs, including IVC Care Kitchen and other initiatives that support caregivers during times of increased need—such as when someone is recovering from illness, navigating caregiving challenges or facing periods of instability, Maher said.
Maher added that BCF also plays an important role in connecting organizations with local partners, such as other Bainbridge nonprofits or the city. “That kind of coordination strengthens the broader network of support that helps our community thrive,” she said. “That perspective allows them to identify needs, respond thoughtfully and help direct resources where they can make the greatest difference.”
Hopper said 70 BCF volunteers work in teams to review the nonprofits’ grant requests. Some volunteers have lived on Bainbridge for decades, while others might have moved here a month ago. “The process is enriched by the experiences of all these people, sitting down together at a table,” he said. “Everybody is highly engaged.”
Then BCF works with and advises donors who have expressed interest in supporting particular types of needs, Hopper said. Currently, the foundation manages about 110 of these donor-advised funds, he said.
Hopper said that donor-advised funds start at about $10,000 and that some people take several years to reach that level. “You can create a sort of savings account for your philanthropy,” he said. “You’re almost like a mini-foundation.”
People are often on Bainbridge Island because they choose to be here, Hopper noted. The strong support here for nonprofits speaks to that sense of community and wanting to take care of each other. Without that feeling, he said, a community becomes vulnerable.
Two big needs currently are affordable housing and youth mental health.
“Most first responders and the majority of teachers don’t live here,” Hopper said. “And it’s hard for businesses to find people to fill service jobs.”
For young people, there are many plusses to living on Bainbridge, but they often feel there aren’t lots of things to do for fun, he said. And external influences, particularly the internet, are out of parents’ hands. “There’s less opportunity for children to have a baseline of stability,” Hopper said. “It’s kind of a community crisis.”
BCF donors want to help, regardless of whether they have school-age children, he said. “Still, financial resources alone won’t solve this problem,” he added. “We need more ways for children to gain leadership skills.”
Hopper doubts that BCF’s founders 25 years ago could have envisioned the impact that the organization has today.
“There are incredible things to come in the next 25 years—and beyond—that we can’t imagine right now,” Hopper said, “Our North Star is for everyone on Bainbridge Island to understand the challenges and opportunities and to step up with time and resources to help.”
