The Whitefish Community Foundation is hosting a series of workshops with information related to nonprofits and is also holding its first meeting for those looking to participate in the 2021 Great Fish Community Challenge. It’s also taking applications for its Community Grant program.

When the Flathead Community Foundation board of directors last year made the decision to disband it transferred its assets to the Whitefish Community Foundation. As part of that change, the Flathead Nonprofit Development Partnership also transitioned to Whitefish Community Foundation.

The development partnership has provided an educational forum to the nonprofit community and a way for those running organizations to connect. The partnership though the foundation is offering a list of virtual workshops on the second Thursday of each month. All sessions are free of charge and registration is available at https://tinyurl.com/y5fw396u.

The first session is Thursday, Jan. 14 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. with Jan Schweitzer, a CPA with Anderson ZurMuehlen in Missoula, who will present “Know Fraud to Say "No" to Fraud.” Every nonprofit organization is at risk for fraud to occur and this session is designed to teach nonprofits how to protect their organization's assets and reputation by implementing measures to mitigate that risk. Schweitzer will discuss real-life scenarios she has encountered over the last several years, and will provide best practices to help formulate practical internal controls.

The 2021 Great Fish Community Challenge is set to run from Aug. 5 to Septe. 17, and every Flathead Valley nonprofit organization is encouraged to learn more about the campaign. On Tuesday, Jan. 19, the foundation will hold an informational meeting that is mandatory for organizations that did not participate in the campaign in 2020, yet anticipate submitting an application to participate in 2021. New eligibility requirements, and changes in the application process will be discussed, therefore, the meeting is highly recommended for previous participants as well.

The Community Grant program will accept applications from Jan. 25 to Feb. 25, and organizations may apply once annually for up to $4,000. The Community Grant program helps Whitefish Community Foundation get to know an organization. For this reason, applying for a Community Grant is a required stepping stone to the Great Fish Community Challenge. For more information about all grant programs, including the COVID-19 Community Emergency Response Fund, visit www.whitefishcommunityfoundation.org/community-grant-programs/.

Whitefish Community Foundation is dedicated to fostering philanthropy, building endowments, and helping donors and nonprofits benefit our communities.