The Community Grants Program supports a wide range of nonprofit organizations contributing to the region’s overall social, health, and environmental well-being across a broad range of focus areas.
Donor Name: Community Foundation of South Puget Sound
State: Washington
County: Lewis County (WA), Mason County (WA), and Thurston County (WA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/09/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $227,000
Details:
The Community Grants Program aims to strengthen the Lewis, Mason, and Thurston County communities through broad, diverse, and flexible funding.
Program Objectives
In reviewing grant proposals, the Community Foundation prioritizes the following:
- Impact: The Foundation supports organizations contributing to individual and community well-being across a variety of focus areas including arts and culture, community and civic engagement, environment, animal welfare, health and wellness, basic needs, and economic opportunity.
- Geography: The Foundation funds organizations that primarily work in the service area or fill unmet needs within the service area.
- Accountability: The Foundation seeks to fund services that are designed appropriately for the communities they serve and prioritize organizations that meaningfully engage the voices, perspectives, and expertise of their program participants.
- Community Partnerships: The Foundation prioritizes organizations that carry out their work in coordination with local community partners.
- Equity: The Foundation supports nonprofits serving all populations and seek to prioritize populations and communities with unequal access to resources and opportunities.
Funding Information
In 2023, Community Grants will be awarded with the intention of providing two years of funding, contingent on (1) the availability of funds, and (2) the completion of grant reporting requirements as set by the Foundation.
- Total awards through the 2023 cycle will be approximately $367,000.
- The Foundation anticipates awarding the following amounts:
- Lewis County: up to $70,000
- Mason County: up to $70,000
- Thurston County: up to $227,000
- Awards typically range from $1,500 to $7,500
- The average grant amount has been $4,000 to $5,000 in recent years
- Most grants will be unrestricted. “Unrestricted grants” invest in a grantee’s mission rather than specific projects or programs. Nonprofits may use funds as they see fit to reach their goals, including salaries, overhead, technology, marketing, and more. To qualify for unrestricted grants, an organization must be based in Lewis, Mason, and Thurston County.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility is limited to organizations with up to date 501(c)(3) public charity status or groups fiscally sponsored by an eligible 501(c)(3) organization
- In addition to 501(c)(3) status or fiscal sponsorship:
- Organizations must demonstrate basic organizational capacity, including reasonable financial health and governance practices, including a minimum of 3 board members.
- Organizations must acknowledge 100% of Community Grant funds will be used in Lewis, Mason, and/or Thurston County.
Ineligible Organizations
- Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disabilities, age, status as a veteran, national origin, or any other protected classes
- Partisan political activities
- Religious organizations when funds would be used in whole or in part to further the organization’s religious purposes
- National and statewide organizations that cannot demonstrate a strong community-based local presence in Lewis, Mason, or Thurston Counties
- Requests for funds that will be passed through to other organizations
- Service clubs and service club foundations
- Schools, school districts, PTOs, preschools, childcare centers, camps, and sports teams.
For more information, visit CFSPS.
