Initiative for Rural Innovation & Stewardship (IRIS)

08/04/2026

L.I.G.H.T. Foundation (https://thepnwlf.org/) is developing a free, publicly available Post-Wildfire Native Plant Restoration Directory to provide native plant information and resources to Tribal Nation citizens and community members. Once the fires of 2026 rest and the smoke clears, recovery and restoration begins - and LF strives to provide this Directory as a free resource to all communities.
If you are an individual, business, nonprofit, or entity that works in the areas of native plant seed saving, plant propagation, habitat restoration, landscape design, permaculture, land stewardship, conservation, or associated funding, education or training - please fill out this form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScP9mM8ymXxPJcBEUsQnS4mdz65_zmVFwhtva-0Kku0GNBkmA/viewform to be added to the Directory.

10/31/2025

NCW Food Council Launching Soon
Come to the table!

With support from Thriving Together, Blue Sky Minds is bringing people together to create a cross-sector NCW Food Council aimed at strengthening our local food system.

Why:
• To address the vital conditions highlighted in the Thriving Together community survey that address Basic Needs for Health and Safety within the Vital Conditions Framework. Vital foods are also interconnected with the other six pillars of TT Vital Conditions.

How:
• Sharing resources and knowledge so that we can collectively create solutions that will deliver large-scale impacts to the communities of NCW, including the Colville Reservation.

Who:
• Everyone! Nearly 300,000 community members in NCW and the Colville Reservation.
• Local organizations, local agencies, and nonprofits who will increase their organization's resources, knowledge, and solutions by expanding their capacity through participation in the NCW Food Council.

Where:
• NCW region – Okanogan, Ferry, Grant, Douglas and Chelan counties

When:
• November 2025 - November 2028
• Three years is important to create enough momentum, relationship building, develop shared NCW vital food values, develop initiatives done in collaboration, and create impact
• Quarterly NCW, 2-hour virtual food council meetings.
• An annual in-person Vital Foods Gathering for 3 years (2026-2028).

To learn about upcoming meetings please contact:

Project Director Maria Hines, [email protected] or,
Advisory Group Member Nancy Warner, [email protected]

07/28/2025

Here's a great opportunity with Sustainable NCW to work as a Bike Education Coordinator in partnership with the YMCA and CAFE. Learn more and apply for the job here

Join our team! Find out about job opportunities to make a difference in North Central Washington.

07/17/2025

Hats off and thank you to Tara Sullivan with the Tonasket branch of NCW Libraries for calling out NCW Collections as a good source of local history you can explore online. You may even meet one of your neighbors there!

Explore Local History with NCW Libraries Online Resources Jul 14, 2025 | Blog By Tara Sullivan, Tonasket Library History doesn’t have to be boring, dusty or distant. I think it’s at its best when it’s personal—like a story told over coffee or a memory sparked by an old photo. That’s what m...

10/02/2024

The Our Shared Democracy series was the topic of a recent interview on NCW Life with Jessica Heringer Ingman, Interfaith Justice Coalition steering committee member, and Alicia O'Dell, Alicia Ncw-Libraries Adult Programs Manager. Check it out!

WENATCHEE — Our Shared Democracy is a new coalition of local organizations dedicated to promoting democracy and civic engagement in North Central Washington.

09/08/2024

Thanks for our friends at Thriving Together NCW for the Partner Spotlight on the Interfaith Justice Coalition and the Our Shared Democracy series. Check it out!

In the summer of 2023, a new force for social justice emerged in North Central Washington—the Interfaith Justice Coalition. Born out of a shared vision among diverse faith communities, the organization aims to build relationships across differences and advocate for tolerance, empathy, inclusion, n...

04/26/2024

So excited to see the new business that my old friend Julie Vanderwal has launched growing native plants for restoration using peat-free sustainable methods. Check it out!

Specializing in growing plants that beavers use for food and construction, Beaver Food Forest Farm is your partner in conserving and restoring local ecosystems.

04/18/2024

It was great to learn about the Grand Opening of Rebuild, a program of [email protected] at Sunday's Interfaith Justice Coalition meeting at New Song Church. The Rebuild event that coordinates the reuse of building materials and more is Saturday Apr 27 in Cashmere from 3-7 p.m. Check it out!

02/16/2024

Registration is LIVE for "Decolonization for Transformation" training with Sarah Augustine on Saturday, March 2 from 9 AM - 4 PM at Sunnyslope Church. Register here by February 20! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/decolonization-for-transformation-tickets-808221310697