Investing in Community
The Annual Community Grants Cycle is the heart of the Bainbridge Community Foundation (BCF) grants program. Each year since this program's beginning in 2005, BCF staff and dozens of well-trained community volunteers have spent hundreds of hours reviewing applications, conducting site visits, and setting priorities. BCF discretionary funds provide initial proposal funding; then Fund Advisors and the community at large are invited to partner with BCF to support these important programs. This community-based approach to grant-making ensures that community needs are met — by our own informed and engaged community members. For the 2021 list of CGC recipients and project descriptions, click here.
Funding Sources
In addition to BCF discretionary grant-making funds, we partner with Charitable Fund Advisors, private foundations, and the public through Bainbridge Gives — BCF's online giving platform — to fulfill the rest of the funding requests. The BCF Shel Klasky Award (the BCF Trustees' Award) is presented to nonprofits with applications promoting collaboration between organizations or creating innovative programs, and is funded by donations from board, staff, and Community Grants Cycle team members. In 2021, BCF launched its first Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice (IDEAS) Award that honors proposed projects focused on equitable access to programs and services for everyone.
2022 Grants Cycle: In It Together
BCF will be accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations from March 1 - March 29th at 5PM.
Application questions were similar to last year, with new questions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within each organization and in programs, reflecting the importance the foundation places on this issue. Questions regarding the effects of COVID-19 on the organization are also included. BCF encouraged all sectors of our nonprofit community serving greater Bainbridge Island to apply.
In 2021, 47 volunteers from the community reviewed 56 applications to the CGC, and 52 of those proposed projects were vetted and approved. BCF provided $50,000 in initial funding, and the rest of the support came from generous donors who gave at all levels. BCF was able to fund all approved applications, for a total of $422,589. The Shel Klasky Award was presented to Fishline for its strong partnerships during the pandemic, and the IDEAS Award was presented to the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum for its exhibit on Bainbridge Island's diverse history.
In total, BCF has granted more than $19 million back to the community. To read the full article on 2021's CGC grants cycle, click here.
A reminder that final reports from grants awarded during the 2021 Community Grants Cycle are due August 31, 2022.
Comparative Overview
| Year | Grant Total | Average Grant | Number of Grants |
| 2012 | $137,039 | $2,538 | 54 |
| 2013 | $139,166 | $2,840 | 49 |
| 2014 | $165,109 | $3,839 | 43 |
| 2015 | $195,202 | $4,067 | 48 |
| 2016 | $243,661 | $4,597 | 53 |
| 2017 | $269,887 | $4,353 | 62 |
| 2018 | $273,535 | $5,583 | 49 |
| 2019 | $321,823 | $6,310 | 51 |
| 2020 | $507,313 | $8,430 | 60 |
| 2021 | $422,589 | $7,030 | 52 |
