More than 30 island-based nonprofits raised $250,000 plus match funds during the Seattle Foundation’s annual GiveBIG fundraising campaign last Wednesday.

The Vashon Island Public Schools Foundation, Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust and Vashon Community Care Foundation (VCCF) raised the most, receiving $103,000, $45,745 and $38,000 respectively from a combination of online, in-person or mailed donations, as well as matched funds.

Unlike in previous years, nonprofits that participated in this year’s GiveBIG were not awarded “stretch pool” funds from the Seattle Foundation, but were instead urged to secure their own matching funds. According to the GiveBIG website, this change was due to the fact that as the event has grown, the foundation’s ability to distribute stretch funds has declined.

“At the current pace of donation growth, the pro-rated distribution of the $1 million ‘stretch pool’ would have declined to 5 percent or less this year,” the website indicated.

This new model worked for the Vashon Public Schools Foundation, which raised $103,000 between the $53,000 in donations and a $50,000 match provided by “several major donors, including board members,” according to foundation president Donna Nespor.

“It is definitely the most we’ve ever received for GiveBIG,” Nespor said.

Last year, the organization was also the island’s top recipient of GiveBIG donations and collected $48,000.

Nespor said the Vashon Island School District has presented the foundation with a $350,000 request for funding that asks for funds to provide everything from writing and math curriculum to health and suicide prevention programs.

“This is a good start for sure,” she said. “Our goal for this year is $235 per student ($350,000). We have until Dec. 31 to reach that.”

She said the foundation is the primary funder of applied science programs at Chautauqua Elementary School and will continue those programs. It is also continuing to fund social-emotional learning and mental health programs.

“In order to learn academically, they (students) have to be confident and strong as individuals,” she said. “I like to consider them enhancements, but in a lot of ways, we’re basically supporting basic education.”

At the Land Trust, Consulting Development Director Erika Carleton said that the organization is thrilled with the results of the annual online fundraising effort.

“We’re so happy. We have a growing sense that we’re more in the public eye and the community likes what we’re doing. If they didn’t give, we’d know they’re not happy,” she said.

Land Trust Executive Director Tom Dean said much of the organization’s total this year was driven by the $15,000 match it offered, which means actual donations to the organization totaled closer to $30,000.

He said the funds will be used for restoration projects at Judd Creek.

“This (will) certainly give us the ability to move forward with that restoration work and the wherewithal to start acquisitions for Judd Creek,” he said.

VCCF, the fundraising arm of Vashon Community Care, rounded out the top three organizations receiving the most money during GiveBIG, collecting $19,000 in donations. With a match, the organization received a total of $38,000.

VCCF Executive Director Verna Everitt said that there were many checks sent in on GiveBIG day in addition to the online giving. Everitt said the organization received about $5,000 in checks alone.

“It just proves how incredibly generous this island is time and time again,” she said.

The funds will go toward operations at the island senior living and care facility that recently parted ways with longtime partner Providence Health and Services. The search is underway for a new management company.

Vashon Youth & Family Services, the island’s largest social services provider, met its $20,000 goal, in part thanks to board members who matched $3,500 and the Seattle Foundation, which matched an additional $2,500.

In an email last week, VYFS Executive Director Kathleen Johnson said the organization is dependent on individual donations like the ones received during GiveBIG to continue providing services to around 13 percent of the island population.

“Individual gifts like yours make up 14 percent of our annual budget, and GiveBig is the single biggest day for people like you to give,” she said.