Who We Are
The Gorge Community Foundation is one of over 1,000 community foundations across the country dedicated to improving the quality of life in a particular region. The Gorge Community Foundation was established in 2000 by local residents active in working with Gorge nonprofit organizations.
Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in the Columbia River Gorge by building permanent charitable endowments to help fund the long-term needs and opportunities in our communities. Our assets, which total over $6,000,000, represent over eighty funds established by local families, individuals, and organizations.
We offer different kinds of funds, structured to make it easy to give back to the community.
Our goal is to make your charitable giving as simple, flexible and effective as possible. From our funds, the Foundation has made grants to nonprofit groups totaling over $1,200,000 in grants since 2003.
Our Staff
Jill Burnette
Executive Director
Jill is a resource development consultant and non-profit executive whose experience includes managing organizations and facilitating public-private partnerships and collaborative projects with multiple stakeholders. Jill has worked with foundations, corporations, and individual philanthropists. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Colgate University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Seattle University. Jill has been a Gorge resident since 1989 and loves wind sports, cycling, and reading. She has three grown children and she and her husband, Eric, enjoy hiking with their dog, Ruby.
Jim Coats, Ferguson Wellman
Financial Advisor