The Non-profit Spotlight Circle is currently made up of Mary Lou Johnson, Liz Moore and Sara Bauer. Here is a little refresher about what our circle does and our process. Each year, we select five organizations from the Spokane community to “spotlight” at INUUC. We include information for them in the newsletter as well as during our Soul Weaving services. We encourage our members to donate and we give each a base amount of $200 from our circle budget. We work with Soul Weaving to get someone from the organization to participate in a Sunday service whenever possible.

Here is the criteria we use to select the organizations:

• The organization must be a local 501-C3.
• It must provide direct service to people and/or indirect advocacy for, or organizing of, people for policy change.
• It must have a significant need for financial assistance.
• Our team has an equity lens and holds a focus on non-profits supporting vulnerable communities and issues, e.g., racial justice, LGBTQ, housing/unhoused, climate, hunger, criminal justice, classism, poverty.
• When looking at the year we are cognizant of what is going on in the community and world and how that may impact the non-profit we would like to spotlight. We look at the year holistically and ensure we are spotlighting organizations focused on a variety of topics throughout the year/years.
• The organization must pass a due diligence check by a special collections team member and a discussion by our team as a whole to ensure consensus that it is a good selection.

We have a spreadsheet with lots and lots of organizations on it and we add to it as we hear of new organizations or get recommendations from the community. We always welcome ideas and suggestions AND choosing only five agencies per year means we have to make some hard decisions. 

If you have ideas or input, please contact us at non-profitspotlighting@inuuc.org

Thank you for your continued support to our Spokane community non-profits.

In faith,
Sara, Mary Lou and Liz

Previously (February 2021 through September 2022), the Special Collection Circle sponsored monthly special collections through INUUC, as opposed to direct member contributions to the nonprofit. Contributions of approximately $16,500 were made through INUUC to 24 of our local organizations. Those recipients included: 

Peace and Justice Action League, Tenants Union of Washington State, Odyssey Youth Movement, Compassionate Addiction Treatment, The Inland NW Land Conservancy, The Way to Justice, Spokane Community Against Racism (SCAR), Refugee Connection Spokane, Transitions, Salish School of Spokane, 350 Spokane, Mujeres in Action, APIC-Spokane, NAMI, Spectrum, NAACP, Spokane Riverkeeper, Immigrants Relief Fund, Our Place, Disability Rights WA, Health Justice Recovery Alliance, American Indian Community Center, Northwest Abortion Access Fund, and The Carl Maxey Center.