Thank you to all who applied for this year's Community Grants. Applications are currently being reviewed and we expect to send out award notifications in October 2023.

About

The Community Grants Program aims to strengthen our Lewis, Mason, and Thurston County communities through broad, diverse, and flexible funding. This 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.

Community Grants Info. Session Recording

Thank you to all who joined us for the Community Grants Info. Session on June 23, 2023. Below is the recording of this session for all to enjoy. For additional help with the Grants Platform (GLM) or Application Assistance, please scroll down to the 'Contact Us' section.

Program Objectives

Click here to download a copy of the 2023 Community Grants Guidelines.

Click here to download a copy of the Application Questions.

In reviewing grant proposals, the Community Foundation prioritizes the following:

• Impact: We support 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: We fund organizations that primarily work in our service area or fill unmet needs within our service area.
• Accountability: We seek 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: We prioritize organizations that carry out their work in coordination with local community partners.
• Equity: We support nonprofits serving all populations and seek to prioritize populations and communities with unequal access to resources and opportunities.

Most Grants Will Be Unrestricted

“Unrestricted grants” invest in a grantee’s mission, rather than specific projects or programs. Grantees may use funds as they see fit to reach their goals. This may include salaries, overhead, technology, marketing, and more. To qualify for unrestricted grants, an organization must be based in Lewis, Mason, or Thurston County and meet all other eligibility requirements.

Click here to read more about unrestricted funding and other updates to our Community Grants program.

Grant Cycle Timeline

• June 23: New Grantee and Community Grants Information Session (registration above)
• July 5: Application Opens
• August 9: Application Closes at 11:59 pm
• August-September: Due Diligence and Committee Reviews
• October 2023: Award Notifications and awards are distributed

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.
• If you are applying under a fiscal sponsor, you will be asked to share the contact information of your fiscal sponsor and upload your sponsorship agreement. This is the only information that you will need to provide about your fiscal sponsor. Please answer all questions in the application as it pertains to your organization (not for your fiscal sponsor).

For additional information about eligibility see pages 3-4 of the 2023 Community Grants Guidelines.

Nondiscrimination Policy

The Community Foundation of South Puget Sound does not support 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.

Contact Us

Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is happy to assist you with any questions regarding Community Grants.

• ‍Questions about the Community Grants program? Email Janece Levien (she/her), Director of Community Programs, at janece@thecommunityfoundation.com.

• ‍Questions about the online grant platform (GLM)? Email Melissa Rosscup (they/them), Programs Coordinator, at mrosscup@thecommunityfoundation.com.