Raise Up Umatilla County

Last Updated 4/15/2024 • in Marketing, MFCDA Member Advertising, #mfcda, #marketing, #mfcdamember

What We Are Doing

Raise Up Umatilla has one goal, and we need to reach it by December 31, 2024:

Raise at least $12 million dollars to be placed into community endowment funds to help people and places in Umatilla County in perpetuity. These Funds will exist forever to make grants to help our community in the ways that our community most needs as those needs change over time. We are seeking at least $2 million in donations to the Funds before December 31, 2024, and pledges of bequest donations that total at least $10 million. A bequest pledge is a person telling us that they will leave a Forever Fund donation through their will or trust when they pass away.

You can choose to contribute to any or all of the following Funds:

1. Umatilla County Forever Fund. This Fund will support needs anywhere in the county.

2. Greater Hermiston Forever Fund. This Fund will support needs only in the Greater Hermiston area.

3. Pendleton Forever Fund. This Fund will support needs only in Pendleton area.

4. Milton-Freewater, Athena, Weston Forever Fund. This Fund will support needs only in the named area.

Our Partners

We are proud to be working with the Greater Hermiston Community Foundation (GHCF) and the Blue Mountain Community Foundation (BMCF). You can learn more about the Greater Hermiston Community Foundation by clicking here.

You might be wondering what organization will hold and manage the assets in these Forever Funds. BMCF will hold the Umatilla County Forever Fund and Milton-Freewater Athena Weston Fund. GHCF and BMCF will each hold a Greater Hermiston Forever Fund -- the donor can chose which organization they'd like to hold their donated funds for Greater Hermiston. BMCF will initially hold all of the Pendleton Forever Fund dollars. In 2025, BMCF will transfer to the Pendleton Foundation Trust all of the Pendleton Forever Fund contributions that donors want to have transferred to the Pendleton Foundation Trust. You can learn more about the Pendleton Foundation Trust by clicking here.

Raise the Blues Campaign - Matching Dollars

Raise Up Umatilla County is part of the Raise the Blues Campaign. Please click here to learn more about the Raise the Blues Campaign, including the matching dollars available for gifts made for Umatilla County.

Who We Are - Leadership Team Members

Co-Chairs: Leslie Brown & Barbara Roloff

Team members: Jill Parker, Vickie Nokleby, Rick & Tracey Rambo

Make a Donation

This campaign is seeking large donations and bequests. If you are interested in donating or discussing a possible bequest through your estate, please contact one of the Team members listed below or Kol Medina, Blue Mountain Community Foundation CEO, at 509-529-4371 or [email protected].

You can donate stock, bonds, or other securities (including required minimum distributions from retirement accounts) as well as real property, including farmland. Or you can donated cash by mailing a check to Blue Mountain Community Foundation, PO Box 603, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Make your check payable to the name of the Forever Fund into which you are donating. Also, you can donate online using a credit card by using one of the links listed below:

Milton-Freewater Athena Weston Forever Fund: click here