Whidbey Watershed Stewards (WWS) has been linking water, land, wildlife, and people since 1994. With a mission rooted in education, restoration, and environmental stewardship, they’ve cultivated a legacy of curiosity and care across generations of Whidbey Islanders. From salmon eggs hatching in classrooms to hundreds of students tromping through Maxwelton Valley in rubber boots, WWS is an organization grounded in place, powered by community, and guided by nature.
This year, with support from Whidbey Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program, WWS took a bold step toward long-term sustainability. With an aging board and ambitious goals to expand programming—especially for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and even adult learners—they knew it was time to deepen their internal capacity. Their project focused on strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and board development, all designed to support a future of broader reach and deeper impact.
WWS didn’t waste a moment. They began by inventorying their existing programs and organizational resources. They conducted discovery interviews with board members and staff, solicited feedback from program participants and community partners, and began assembling a multi-year business plan that includes a succession strategy for their board, a staffing roadmap, and a funding plan. These efforts position WWS to expand its offerings while staying grounded in what makes the organization special: connection to the land and to each other.
And what makes WWS so special? A few things stand out. Their Maxwelton Outdoor Classroom, established in 1997, is not just a place for school field trips—it’s a living nature preserve teeming with deer, owls, salmon, and native flora. Their programs reaches over 800 elementary students each spring alone, bringing watershed science to life through direct, muddy, joy-filled experience. And their public self-guided trails—complete with interpretive signs and a salmon-bearing stream—are open to the community all year round.
WWS is also the force behind beloved programs like Salmon in the Classroom, which lets students raise and release salmon from egg to fry, and hands-on stewardship activities like stream monitoring and invasive species removal, powered by their dedicated volunteers.
With this recent capacity-building effort, WWS is channeling the wisdom of the watershed into smart organizational planning—ensuring their next 30 years are just as vibrant as their first. And as they bring more young people, educators, and volunteers into relationship with Whidbey’s natural environment, they remind us all of the power of place-based learning and the importance of investing in it.
Learn more at: https://whidbeywatersheds.org/.
Support Nonprofit Capacity-Building Grants
WCF’s Nonprofit Capacity-Building Grant Program strengthens the internal operations of Whidbey Island nonprofits, ensuring they have the tools to grow and sustain their impact. By funding staff and board development, technology upgrades, financial planning, and strategic assessments, WCF helps organizations build long-term resilience. Investing in organizational infrastructure rather than direct program costs allows nonprofits to operate more effectively and expand their impact in the community.
WCF is able to provide grants like these with broad support from our community. If you are interested in supporting the Nonprofit Capacity-Building Grant Program, we invite you to make a contribution to WCF’s Foundation Fund, which holistically supports our grant programs, nonprofit trainings/workshops, and WCF operations. Our Board of Directors allocates funding each year to ensure nonprofits have access to critical resources. WCF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to Whidbey Island; all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Learn about different ways to make a charitable contribution here.