Our Mission – fostering sustainable rural communities in North Central Washington by gathering and sharing success stories that enhance a sense of belonging, inspire action, and build community. We believe that thriving communities in a healthy environment create success.
Board Membership
Brooklyn Holton
Erin Mundinger
Michael Yale
Maggie Reilly
Marcia Ostrom
Our History
The Institute for Rural Innovation & Stewardship (IRIS) was founded in 2001 by Dr. Kent Mullinix, Director of Wenatchee Valley College Agriculture Department, to serve as an educational hub for students, industry representatives, and other professionals dedicated to improving the sustainability of family farms, related businesses and rural communities that rely on agriculture for their economic and social health. See IRIS brochure.
Guided by a diverse Steering Committee, IRIS organized a variety of workshops, short-courses, and a major conference – the Washington Family Farm Summit – in the early years of the organization. By 2005, IRIS was working with the Washington Biodiversity Council to research systems, such as habitat farming, that could be used to balance the needs of agriculture with those of biodiversity conservation and to highlight stewardship successes through the Gathering Our Voice program. It became clear, during this time, that for IRIS to succeed the organization would need to focus as much time in the community as in the classroom. Consequently, the Steering Committee sought to establish IRIS as an independent non-profit able to partner with Wenatchee Valley College and many other organizations around shared goals. See IRIS historical highlights.
Ray Sandidge Jr, one of the founding members of the Lake Chelan Wine Alliance, and participants in the viticulture workshop IRIS offered in 2004.
Now, after two decades of working with the people and communities of North Central Washington to gather and share stories, distill information that can inform action, and envision a healthy future for this place we invite you to explore, learn, and make connections via the NCW Collections.
IRIS 2005-2007 Healthy Lands Initiative Project
IRIS Strategic Plan 2017 – 2020
Where we want to be in three years and why
Mission: To foster sustainable rural communities in North Central Washington by gathering and sharing success stories that enhance a sense of belonging, inspire action, and build community. We believe that thriving communities in a healthy environment create success.
Vision: NCW is a vibrant community that appreciates the connections between the past and present, honors all contributions to lasting stewardship, and innovates and adapts to change.
Values: Our programs and organization reflect our values of stewardship, inclusiveness, integration, collaboration and commitment to the future.
Themes: Our story search focuses on critical elements of a healthy community: Maintaining Healthy Diverse Ecosystems, Fostering Thriving Lives, and Building Heart and Unity.
Program: We facilitate a learning network that inspires action by connecting stories that reveal proven successes and highlight new ones that can be used to shape our future. We do this by:
- Gathering stories that honor local knowledge and success by recording interviews with diverse people, inviting writers to contribute to the Success Story Exchange, and collecting photos that illustrate the many aspects of health in this place.
- Sharing stories through digital and printed media, the annual NCW Community Success Summit, and the 2020 IRIS Legacy Project, Thinking Like a Community handbook.
- Caring for the hundreds of stories we have gathered since 2005 by distilling the wisdom and ideas they bear and by developing systems for archiving this content into the future.
Outcomes: By 2020, Thinking Like a Community will provide a print handbook and digital resource bank for NCW that connects past and present successes, serves as a springboard for action, and engages the community in describing the legacy we want to pass on to the next generation.
Leadership: Strengthen capacity needed to sustain IRIS into the next decade by leveraging leadership, networks, and technology via core partnerships with organizations that share our vision.
- Integrate the goals of six more 2020 Partners into the IRIS strategic plan
- Hire an executive director; expand options for interns and volunteers to help with programs
- Work with partners to secure and package our digital assets and knowledge bank to maintain continuity and understanding of our own story as organizational staff and leadership changes
Outcomes: Expand the community of board members, partners, staff and volunteers gathering, sharing, and caring for the stories of NCW by 2020 to advance shared goals and elevate diverse voices.
Finance: Implement a fundraising plan that supports the work of staff, board members, and partners. By 2020, we will have a proven model for building community by securing a stable fiscal foundation.
- Cultivate multi-year and annual partners and sponsors to provide baseline support at $30,000 per year by 2020.
Outcomes: IRIS welcomes two new 2020 partners for a combined value of $6,000 and increases annual giving by $2,000 per year.