The Resilience Fund was established in late 2020 to, “further address the impacts of COVID-19, bolster our region’s long-term efforts to rebuild, respond to emerging opportunities, help nonprofits adapt, and support creative new approaches and partnerships that would ideally benefit our communities well beyond recovery.”
To uphold this purpose in 2022, we are committed to approaching Resilience Fund grants with a flexible and open mindset. We understand that some in our communities continue to face challenges caused by COVID-19, while many more are addressing needs and challenges that existed well before 2020 but were amplified or made worse through the pandemic. Others face the challenge of continuing to strengthen our communities in a pandemic-changed social and economic environment still undergoing frequent and unpredictable shifts. Efforts to recover and rebuild must share space with the reality that COVID-19 is still with us.
Recognizing this, the Resilience Fund will continue to be guided by a grantmaking framework that balances the need to learn and adapt with the need to act. We have made the full grantmaking framework available HERE, both for transparency and to invite community feedback. If you have questions, comments, or would like individual support, please fill our our contact form or give us a call at 360.705.3340.
In reviewing grant proposals, the Community Foundation considered the following elements to prioritize limited funding:
Geography: We will consider proposals that fill crucial needs in our area (Thurston, Mason, and Lewis counties) and demonstrate a strong connection to our local communities. We will prioritize proposals from organizations headquartered here.
Equity: We will seek to ensure that funds are invested as equitably as possible by prioritizing the needs of underserved populations, communities, and geographic areas; and/or prioritizing people and organizations disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Impact: We will prioritize applications that bolster community strength and long-term local resilience, including applications that address one or more of the following:
Innovation and Collaboration: We will seek to fund organizations that are adapting, innovating, and responding to changes in our social and economic environment; working with other organizations to do more than they can do alone; or making other changes to better serve the long-term health, well-being, and resilience of our communities.
Accountability: We will prioritize services that are designed appropriately for the communities they serve and organizations that engage meaningfully with the perspectives of those most affected by the issues they seek to address.
Applications have been accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed on the following timeline:
The Community Foundation of South Puget Sound generally makes grants to 501(c)(3) “public charities” that serve Thurston, Mason, and Lewis County residents.
We will accept applications from organizations with a regional or statewide geography if the organization acknowledges that 100% of grant funds will be used toward filling a crucial and otherwise unmet need in Thurston, Mason, and/or Lewis County. We will accept applications for programs run by religious organizations if the program meets a crucial and otherwise unmet need in the community and does not require religious participation. Organizations that offer childcare, including camps, whose applications demonstrate robust or inclusive programming or service to underserved populations may apply. If your organization or group is not a 501(c)(3), you must secure a fiscal sponsor or obtain prior approval from our team. For further assistance with this matter, please fill our our contact form or give us a call at 360.705.3340.
Organizations that qualify for one of these exceptions must meet all other 2022 Resilience Fund requirements.
The Community Foundation of South Puget Sound does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disabilities, age, status as a veteran, national origin, or any other protected classes.
Grant applicants must hold similar standards in the provision of services.
Rather than being tied to a specific project or program, unrestricted grants allow grantees to use funds flexibly as they see fit to fulfill their mission and reach their goals. This could mean funding a program or project, or it could mean funding salaries and overhead, technology, or a marketing campaign. It may even mean funding a change of plans, especially in times of uncertainty— something 2020-2021 have demonstrated so well.
Organizations serving different populations and addressing diverse needs and opportunities will vary in how they build resilience. For some, resilience might mean a small training or technical assistance. For others it may look like an ambitious community initiative or collaboration.
We kept the application simple but left the funding range broad ($2,500-$30,000) to accommodate a wide variety of requests. However, for larger requests ($10,000 or more), we may follow up to request more narrative detail or additional budget information so that our evaluation committee can understand the scope of your plans or the reasoning behind that deeper investment. If you are unsure about the amount or have any questions as you make your request, please contact our staff. We are here to support however we can.
We welcome and encourage questions and feedback regarding the Resilience Fund and other programs. To discuss community needs and opportunities, ask questions about our grantmaking framework, or anything else please fill our our contact form or give us a call at 360.705.3340.
When the pandemic first swept through the South Puget Sound, no one knew how to best support our communities. But we all met that moment of uncertainty together and rallied behind our people and this place we call home.
Thank you to those who love and care for our communities—we couldn't have done this without you! Your generosity allowed our region to increase its resilience throughout the pandemic.
Thank you to the many local nonprofits who, through various closures, loss of personnel, and increasing community needs, continued to forge a path forward as they embraced innovations and partnerships ensuring vibrant and healthy futures for our communities.
At first glance, the 55 grantees of the Resilience Fund might seem like an assortment of organizations working in various focus areas. However, all together they demonstrate the many facets of how people in our region worked together to create stronger and more resilient Thurston, Mason, and Lewis County communities.
Click here to learn more and read our final Resilience Fund Announcement.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington
Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington
Dispute Resolution Center of Thurston County
Family Education and Support Services
Habitat for Humanity of Mason County
Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group
Humane Society of Mason County
Interfaith Works Emergency Overnight Shelter
Mason County Senior Activities Association
North Mason Firefighters Association
Partners in Prevention Education
Pierce County AIDS Foundation (PCAF)
Rebuilding Together Thurston County
Rochester Organization of Families
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Holy Family Conference
South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity
South Sound Estuary Association
South Sound Reading Foundation
Tenino Community Service Center
The Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties
The Community Foundation aspires to keep the community and our donors informed about the benefits generated from the grants we make. Grantee reports help tell the stories of our communities. The Grant Report is used to capture information to help us communicate your work to the larger community.
Resilience Fund grant recipients will be required to submit a grant report, typically within 8 months of receiving funds, unless other arrangements (such as a site visit or report extension) are made. You will receive an email notification with reporting instructions approximately 6 months after your funding is awarded.
Please fill our our contact form or give us a call at 360.705.3340 for assistance with Resilience Fund grant reports.