The Deborah Ann Angel Fund
Investing in the small businesses our community relies on.
The Deborah Ann Angel Fund provides grants to established small businesses in the Columbia Gorge that contribute to the well-being of our local community.
Applications closed
Applications are available in English and Spanish.
It started with a conversation.
Deborah Nelson has been investing in small businesses for decades, including ours. She has been my business partner, an angel investor and a steady supporter of the social-purpose work that has always been important to me.
The fund began during a weekend when my own hope was being tested. I reached out to Deborah and Jessica Metta with a question: could we create something together that would put meaningful financial support directly into the hands of local small-business owners?
The answer was yes.
With Deborah’s founding contribution, we established the Deborah Ann Angel Fund through Four Rivers Community Corporation in March 2025.
What began as a response to a difficult moment became something we intend to carry forward as part of NovaStella’s commitment to social purpose.
Briea O’Duinn
Founder, NovaStella
Small businesses matter here.
The businesses we interact with every day shape life in the Columbia Gorge. They provide services we depend on, employ people in our communities and help make this a place where people want to live.
The Deborah Ann Angel Fund supports established small businesses that are doing that work while also finding ways to contribute to the community around them.
To be considered, a business must:
- Be based hereHave its headquarters in Klickitat, Skamania, Sherman, Hood River or Wasco County.
- Be establishedHave operated for at least one year.
- Meet the revenue rangeHave gross annual revenue between $50,000 and $1,000,000.
- Be an active businessHave a valid Employer Identification Number, or EIN, and be in good standing with the applicable Secretary of State.
- Support the communityHave at least one current initiative or activity that supports the local community through community engagement, volunteerism, mentorship, environmental efforts, education or another social program.
How it works
Start with a short eligibility check.
Before asking you to spend time completing a full grant application, we’ll ask a few questions to determine whether your business currently meets the fund’s basic requirements.
If you’re eligible, you’ll continue directly to the grant application.
If you’re not eligible right now, we’ll let you know why. Businesses change. We hope you’ll consider applying in a future cycle if your circumstances change.
Complete your application.
We’ll ask you to tell us about your business, leadership, financial picture, plans for the grant, community impact, long-term sustainability and market.
Your progress is kept temporarily on your own device, so you can step away and return within 7 days without losing your answers.
Applications are reviewed by people.
Eligible applications are reviewed by members of the Fund Management Committee using a shared scoring framework.
Scores help inform the committee’s deliberation. They do not replace it.
You know your business better than we do.
The application is an opportunity to help the committee understand the business you’re building and what additional funding could make possible.
- Your businessWhat you provide, your mission and the people involved.
- Your financial pictureRecent revenue, projected revenue and profitability.
- Your leadershipThe people responsible for the business and any advisors supporting them.
- How you would use the grantThe amount you’re requesting, how the funds would be spent and what you hope they will make possible.
- Your community impactHow your business contributes to life in the Columbia Gorge.
- The futureThe risks you’re planning for and the resources you’re using to support the long-term health of the business.
- Your marketWho you serve, the competitive landscape and what sets your business apart.
Apply in English or Spanish.
A community-led review process
Applications are reviewed by a volunteer Fund Management Committee.
Applicants first complete an eligibility review. Applications that meet the requirements advance to judging, where committee members independently review the application using a common framework before the committee deliberates.
Committee members are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from reviewing or deliberating on an application when a conflict exists.
Help us invest locally.
The Deborah Ann Angel Fund began with one person’s willingness to invest in the businesses around us.
Additional contributions allow that investment to continue, and we welcome the opportunity to grow the fund.
Your donation is tax deductible through our partner, The Four Rivers Community Foundation, a 501c(3).
Make the check payable to Four Rivers Community Corporation. Add “Deborah Ann Angel Fund” to the memo line. Mail checks to Four Rivers Community Corporation, 802 Chenowith Loop Road, The Dalles, OR 97058.
Community partners
The Deborah Ann Angel Fund was established through Four Rivers Community Corporation. Mid-Columbia Economic Development District has also supported the grant program.
Frequently asked questions
Where must my business be located?
Your business headquarters must be located in Klickitat, Skamania, Sherman, Hood River or Wasco County.
How long must my business have been operating?
Your business must have been operating for at least one year.
What is the eligible revenue range?
Businesses must have gross annual revenue between $50,000 and $1,000,000.
Do I need an EIN?
Yes. Eligible businesses must have a valid Employer Identification Number and be in good standing with the applicable Secretary of State.
Do I need to be involved in the community to qualify?
Yes. The business must have at least one current initiative or activity that supports the local community. This can include community engagement, volunteerism, mentorship, environmental work, education or another social program. The existence of an initiative is part of eligibility. The strength of its impact is considered later during judging.
What happens if my business isn’t eligible?
We’ll tell you which requirement isn’t currently met. Your circumstances may change, so we encourage you to review the requirements and consider applying again during a future cycle.
Does the owner need to complete the application?
No. An owner, co-owner, employee or other authorized representative may prepare the application. If the applicant is not an owner, we’ll ask the applicant to confirm that an owner has authorized the application.
Can I save my application and return later?
Yes. Once you pass the eligibility check, your answers are kept temporarily on your own device for up to 7 days. If you step away, you can return to the same device within 7 days and pick up where you left off. There are no accounts to create, and your progress is not saved on our website.
Can I apply in Spanish?
Yes. The eligibility check and application are available in English and Spanish. We don’t always have a Spanish speaker on our Grant Management Team, so we may be using translation tools to review submissions made in Spanish.
How are applications evaluated?
Eligible applications are evaluated in seven areas: Description of Business, Financial Overview, Leadership Team, Use of Grant Funds, Community Impact and Involvement, Future Sustainability and Market Landscape. Committee members use a shared scoring framework. Scores inform, but do not replace, committee deliberation.
Think your business may be a fit?
Start with our short eligibility check. If your business meets the initial requirements, we’ll guide you directly into the application.