INUUC is committed to supporting social justice work in the Inland Northwest. To promote this mission the Special Collections Circle selects local nonprofits that align with our values to spotlight every other month. The Circle encourages members and friends of INUUC to consider volunteer opportunities at the organization and to make direct financial donations to support the non-profit’s work for equity and justice. The organization has the opportunity to participate in a Soul Weaving service as well. See below for the criteria the Circle uses in its selection process.

Domain:

• All aspects of special collections’ spotlighting are the domain of this circle in consultation with Soul Weaving and the Social Justice Circle.

Mission:

• To support local social justice non-profits that align with our values by spotlighting organizations for the INUUC community

Aims:

• To identify and select nonprofits for spotlighting based on our criteria 
• To publicize the organizations to the community
• To keep the Circle’s webpage and circle data current

Contact us at non-profitspotlighting@inuuc.org

The Circle uses the following criteria in its selection process:

• The organization must be a local 501(c)(3).
• 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 nonprofits supporting vulnerable communities and important issues, e.g., racial justice, LGBTQ, climate, housing/unhoused, hunger, criminal justice, classism, and poverty.
• When looking at the year we are cognizant of what is going on in the community and world and how that may affect the nonprofit we would like to spotlight.
• 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. 

The organization that is spotlighted is announced in the Inland Northwest UU Community Weekly Newsletter and at each Soul Weaving Service during the two months. It also appears on the INUUC website at this link

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.