Executive Director's Letter

In April, I had the pleasure of attending "Creatives Get Real," a panel hosted by our colleagues at Wheelhouse - a Washington State non-profit supporting creative business owners. The panel included some of our favorite locals - T.S. the Solution, Jenny Slagle from Indigenous Eats, Megan Kennedy from Rogue Heart Media, and Jaiz Boyd. While my favorite comment was from TS saying "shout-out to Google Sheets," my biggest takeaway was comments about how people in our Eastern Washington communities show up for each other. Showing up includes attending events, sharing social media posts, donating time and money to non-profits, buying local, and so much more. One panelist commented that showing up also means being our authentic selves in our work and our community.

Showing up at SIMBA means collaborating with other non-profits and small businesses, freely sharing resources and education (we don't gate keep here), and creating a platform - our FREE Live Local INW community calendar - to allow folks in Eastern Washington to share their events and promotions all in one place. Recent examples of our collaborative efforts include our partnership with StartUp Spokane and our SIMBA School of Business Event in Colfax, where we collaborated with the Colfax Chamber of Commerce and the Port of Whitman County to teach business owners about Marketing, Social Media, and SEO. Showing up also means advocating, which includes sponsoring Spokane Pride this June and connecting small businesses directly to their elected officials to share stories of the impacts of tariffs on their small businesses. If you want to learn more about how SIMBA has shown up, I highly encourage you to review our recently-released 2024 Annual Report (designed in-house by our own Alexis McLaughlin).

How can SIMBA show up for you? How can you show up for SIMBA? How are you showing up for your community? I'd love to hear from you!

Warm regards, Robin

*SIMBA Staff did in-person outreach in the Palouse in April. We always want to stop by and say hello to independent and local business owners like Dominic Villareal, owner of* *A Modern Plantsman*.

SIMBA Updates

We're thrilled to offer Fiscal Sponsorships!

What is a fiscal sponsorship?
A fiscal sponsorship allows emerging nonprofits and for-profit entities to apply for grants and receive donations through the support of an existing 501(c)(3) organization acting as a fiscal sponsor. The fiscal sponsor tracks grant revenue and income, processes tax receipts, and provides other administrative services, giving businesses and organizations access to funding that would otherwise be out of reach.

There are a number of local and national organizations offering sponsorships, and SIMBA is proud to offer them to Eastern Washington nonprofit and for-profit businesses, with processing fees starting as low as 3% (and even lower for SIMBA Business Members). For comparison, rates from other fiscal sponsors can be as high as 20%.

Why use a fiscal sponsor?
Most grant funders require recipients to be standalone 501(c)(3) organizations. If you’re just starting your nonprofit, applying for a project-specific grant for your for-profit business, or seeking to collect donations while launching a charitable organization, you’ll need a fiscal sponsor.

Emerging nonprofits and for-profit businesses are not permitted to receive tax-deductible donations. A fiscal sponsor enables your organization or project, without its tax-exempt status, to receive tax-deductible contributions. This arrangement provides a pathway for funding that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Ready to learn more?
Email our Executive Director, Robin Haynes, at robin@spokaneindependent.org to schedule a meeting.

Meet Our Members

SIMBA members have invested in making our community a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous place in which to Live Local! Learn more about becoming a SIMBA Member!

**Sponsoring Member Spotlight:** **Spokast!**
**Spokast!** is a Spokane-based podcast and creative studio founded by SIMBA member Brennon Poynor. Focused on sharing the stories of Spokane’s artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, Spokast! celebrates the people who make the Lilac City thrive. Beyond storytelling, Spokast! offers full podcast production services, helping creators launch and grow their own shows with ease.

**Sustaining Member Spotlight:** NewBeginnings Spokane
NewBeginnings Spokane is dedicated to building trust, providing personalized expertise, and relentlessly advocating for clients throughout their student loan journey.

Supporting Member Mentions: RW BookKeeping & Notary PLLC, Spokane United We Stand, and The Isaac Foundation.

Grant & Loan Opportunities

In our ongoing commitment to supporting the success of the local businesses we serve, SIMBA actively seeks out grant opportunities that align with their needs! We can assist in navigating the application process, offering guidance and support every step of the way. If you want help applying for any of these grants, simply complete this short intake form. Grants are RARE for for-profit businesses outside of research fields, so make sure to apply for grants that may be available.

Community Accelerator Grant for Arts Organizations

Washington State cultural nonprofits, arts organizations, and tribal organizations — apply now for the 2025 Community Accelerator Grant, funded by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and administered by ArtsFund! SIMBA can serve as your fiscal sponsor if you are not a standalone 501(c)(3)