COEUR d’ALENE — Sometimes the smallest things can make a difference.

But for the three organizations in Kootenai County awarded $22,500 each from the Women's Gift Alliance in June, it is no small thing.

"It can make a big difference in what we can do — it's just amazing," said Don Waddel, vice president of the Inland Northwest Disabled Veterans Sports Association, a nonprofit organization aimed at "getting people with disabilities off the sofa" and doing sports and recreation, as well as educating the public on people with disabilities.

The organization is one of the three pooled grant recipients, so the money will help INDVSA and the nearly 40 disabled veterans and non-veterans who participate in the sports programs. The grant was awarded to the organization to support the adaptive sports initiative, which Waddel said includes expanding the sled hockey program, as well as setting up a cross-country ski program and archery. Some of the other sports the members enjoy through INDVSA are hand-cycle and wheelchair racing, field events, swimming, weightlifting, billiards, quad soccer and rugby, baseball, basketball, air rifle and trap shooting, as well as other national and international events.

"It's a lot of fun," Waddel said about INDVSA, adding the Women's Gift Alliance is a "great" group. "I never thought this would be happening, so it's very cool."

For other recipients, such as Family Promise of North Idaho, the basic need request for heating, cooling and bathroom upgrades will also help make a difference in the lives of many people.

Cindy Wood, executive director for Family Promise, said the center is located in the lower level of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Coeur d'Alene, so the three bathrooms in the building are shared. When Wood first applied for the grant, she took a photo of the bathroom floor and the men's urinal and said, "We need help."

Although the grant winners were announced June 16, Wood said the money will be available this week and the plans to put new floors and fixtures in the bathrooms, along with the heating and cooling upgrades, are in place. Wood said these basic needs are important for a hospitality network and a matter of dignity as they help families in crisis.

She said between Family Promise and St. Luke's, about 2,000 people a month come through the building. With the many groups, families and individuals who inhabit the building each month, she said it is really used as a community center.

"Having updated bathrooms and clean air and warm air, and cool air in the summer, could really impact a lot of people, a lot of groups," Wood said. "It's a really exciting thing to be able to partner with just St. Luke's, and then to invite Women's Gift Alliance to come and help make the space more dignified. It's just phenomenal that they chose us."

The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office Volunteer Search and Rescue also received the large pooled grant, and while it did not respond to The Press' inquiries prior to publication, WGA member and past president Janet Robnett spoke highly of the group and the work it does.

"The Search and Rescue people were amazing," Robnett said. "The time and energy they put into training and being on-call, going out on searches and training more — the things that they do for absolutely nothing out of the goodness of their heart — that's why it's fun to support their efforts."

Search and Rescue will use the money for a mobile communications center upgrade and enhancement project.

The Women's Gift Alliance started in 2004 with about 50 members and has grown to 127 members. Each member donates $1,000 annually. Of that, $500 is pooled with other member contributions, $250 is placed into a WGA endowment fund, and $250 is an individually designated gift given to any nonprofit of a member's choosing.

Large pooled grant recipients go through a detailed process starting with a proposal in December of each year. The WGA grant committee, which consists of about 15 to 20 members, goes over the initial proposals and it is narrowed down to about 15 organizations that will submit detailed proposals and eventually it is narrowed down to five finalists. Three are chosen for the large pooled grant and two receive "consolation prizes" of $2,500 that come from the endowment fund.

"For most of our nonprofits in Kootenai County, even that's a significant amount of money," Robnett said. "So it's very cool. They have to think outside the box when they apply for these large sums of money, so it's been fun to see them do that."