Philanthropic Group Awards Spring 2026 Grant to Support New Facility
The Priest Lake Food Bank has been selected as the recipient of the 101 Women Sandpoint spring 2026 grant cycle, receiving an $11,000 award to help advance construction of a permanent facility in Bonner County’s Priest Lake area.
The food bank intends to put the funds toward installing a sewer pressure line and gravity sewer line at its new Priest Lake site — infrastructure that must be completed before Phase 1 construction of a dedicated garage and storage building can begin this fall. Currently, the organization shares a cramped space with a local thrift store, limiting its ability to serve the community year-round.
Adding to the impact of the award, organizers announced that a separate anonymous donor has agreed to match the $11,000 grant, effectively doubling the financial support available for the sewer infrastructure project. A permanent facility, organizers noted, is essential to expanding capacity and ensuring the food bank can reliably serve food-insecure residents through all seasons.
How 101 Women Selects Its Recipients
101 Women Sandpoint is a membership-based philanthropic organization composed of women living in Bonner County. Each member contributes an annual donation, which is pooled to fund two grants per year — one in the spring and one in the fall. The per-grant award was raised to $11,000 in fall 2025, up from the previous $10,000 level.
This spring’s finalists also included Better Together Animal Alliance and the Community Resource EnVision Center. Each applicant goes through a formal vetting process that includes application review and site visits, followed by a presentation to the full membership. Members then vote to determine the winning organization.
The previous spring grant recipient, Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc. (SASi), used its award to construct a covered portico connecting the Senior Center kitchen to the sidewalk — improving safety for volunteer drivers who provide meal delivery services — and to install automatic garage door openers to enhance access.
Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for a future grant cycle can find application details at 101womensandpoint.com. Membership information is also available through the organization’s website.
What Comes Next
With sewer infrastructure funding now secured — and the matching gift in place — the Priest Lake Food Bank is positioned to break ground on its Phase 1 storage and garage building by fall 2026. Completion of that structure would mark a significant step toward a self-contained, purpose-built facility capable of meeting the food security needs of the Priest Lake region on a permanent basis. The 101 Women Sandpoint fall grant cycle will open later this year, offering another local nonprofit the opportunity to compete for an $11,000 award.
For more local community and civic news across Bonner County, visit our coverage of Lake Pend Oreille High School’s future plans and other North Idaho stories.