Initiatives
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In addition to Medina Foundation’s standard grantmaking, the Foundation has also funded a number of special initiatives. These initiatives have been larger, targeted, often longer-term investments in specific issue areas and are based on community need and the interests of the Foundation. While these grants fall outside of Medina Foundation’s normal grantmaking process, initiatives strongly align with the Foundation’s priorities and have been a great way to deepen our impact in key areas of concern.
Recent Medina Foundation Initiatives
RFP for Professional Development (2017)
In honor of the Foundation's 70th Anniversary, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was sent out to current and recent grantees to fund professional development work of their choice, up to $5,000 per organization. Read more about the professional development requests and results here.
Rural Capacity Building (2011-2012)
The Rural Capacity Building Initiative was based on a desire to deepen the Foundation’s investment in several of the rural counties we serve. The goal was to provide capacity building funding related to topics grantees identified themselves. The RFP was open to organizations in Whatcom and Skagit Counties, and was designed to be intentionally flexible. Organizations were encouraged to do an organizational assessment (we referred them to several tools) to prioritize their greatest areas of need.
Download: Rural Capacity Building Report
Youth Homeless Prevention (2012-2014)
Every year, more than 5,000 youth and young adults experience homelessness in King County. In response, King County has a Comprehensive Plan to Prevent and End Youth and Young Adult Homelessness. Between 2012 and 2014, Medina helped Cocoon House and YouthCare, two leading organizations providing services to homeless youth, establish homelessness prevention and family reunification efforts in King County. Medina continues to meet with private and government funders to support the community efforts around this important issue.
Domestic Violence Stable Housing (2011-2015)
The Domestic Violence Stable Housing Initiative demonstrated that flexible funding and a focus on survivor-driven solutions can immediately and positively impact the stability of survivors and their families. The impact is often greater and more cost-effective than would be possible with traditional, restrictive funding.
Download: Domestic Violence Stable Housing Initiative and Update
Pacific County Youth Development (2012-current)
Recognizing that Pacific County was underrepresented in Medina’s grantmaking, the Foundation decided to make a deeper investment in this county. We held listening sessions with community members, who identified youth success as the area’s greatest need. Together with the Ben B. Cheney Foundation, we helped fund a new, community-led group- the Pacific County Youth Alliance (PCYA). The PCYA works with existing youth-serving organizations in Pacific County to identify needs and gaps in services to strengthen the impact of the programs that currently exist, helping to increase youth success across the county.
Download: Pacific County Youth Initiative
Express Advantage (2009-2017)
Medina helped launch Express Advantage (EA) in 2009 to provide fair and affordable banking options and alternatives to payday loans for low-income people—critical services to help people lift themselves out of poverty. In a unique partnership with Express Credit Union, BECU, and Medina, EA was established as the nonprofit arm of the enterprise—to provide the programs to help low-income people gain access to those much-needed financial services (financial education, payday loan alternatives, community tellers, microloans, and financial coaching). Through its products that alleviate onerous fees and encourage savings, Express estimates that it saves its members nearly $1 million per year. In 2016, EA expanded its work into Thurston, Pierce, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties, among others, with the goal of helping over 60,000 low-income people. In 2017, EA was renamed the National Council for Financial Opportunities and now works with credit unions in 30 states through its affiliated partner, CU Strategic Planning.
Recent Medina Foundation Initiatives
RFP for Professional Development (2017)
In honor of the Foundation's 70th Anniversary, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was sent out to current and recent grantees to fund professional development work of their choice, up to $5,000 per organization. Read more about the professional development requests and results here.
Rural Capacity Building (2011-2012)
The Rural Capacity Building Initiative was based on a desire to deepen the Foundation’s investment in several of the rural counties we serve. The goal was to provide capacity building funding related to topics grantees identified themselves. The RFP was open to organizations in Whatcom and Skagit Counties, and was designed to be intentionally flexible. Organizations were encouraged to do an organizational assessment (we referred them to several tools) to prioritize their greatest areas of need.
Download: Rural Capacity Building Report
Youth Homeless Prevention (2012-2014)
Every year, more than 5,000 youth and young adults experience homelessness in King County. In response, King County has a Comprehensive Plan to Prevent and End Youth and Young Adult Homelessness. Between 2012 and 2014, Medina helped Cocoon House and YouthCare, two leading organizations providing services to homeless youth, establish homelessness prevention and family reunification efforts in King County. Medina continues to meet with private and government funders to support the community efforts around this important issue.
Domestic Violence Stable Housing (2011-2015)
The Domestic Violence Stable Housing Initiative demonstrated that flexible funding and a focus on survivor-driven solutions can immediately and positively impact the stability of survivors and their families. The impact is often greater and more cost-effective than would be possible with traditional, restrictive funding.
Download: Domestic Violence Stable Housing Initiative and Update
Pacific County Youth Development (2012-current)
Recognizing that Pacific County was underrepresented in Medina’s grantmaking, the Foundation decided to make a deeper investment in this county. We held listening sessions with community members, who identified youth success as the area’s greatest need. Together with the Ben B. Cheney Foundation, we helped fund a new, community-led group- the Pacific County Youth Alliance (PCYA). The PCYA works with existing youth-serving organizations in Pacific County to identify needs and gaps in services to strengthen the impact of the programs that currently exist, helping to increase youth success across the county.
Download: Pacific County Youth Initiative
Express Advantage (2009-2017)
Medina helped launch Express Advantage (EA) in 2009 to provide fair and affordable banking options and alternatives to payday loans for low-income people—critical services to help people lift themselves out of poverty. In a unique partnership with Express Credit Union, BECU, and Medina, EA was established as the nonprofit arm of the enterprise—to provide the programs to help low-income people gain access to those much-needed financial services (financial education, payday loan alternatives, community tellers, microloans, and financial coaching). Through its products that alleviate onerous fees and encourage savings, Express estimates that it saves its members nearly $1 million per year. In 2016, EA expanded its work into Thurston, Pierce, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties, among others, with the goal of helping over 60,000 low-income people. In 2017, EA was renamed the National Council for Financial Opportunities and now works with credit unions in 30 states through its affiliated partner, CU Strategic Planning.
