Bainbridge Community Foundation Awards a Record $1 Million in 25th Anniversary Grants Cycle
Bainbridge Community Foundation (BCF) holds an annual Community Grants Cycle (CGC), which is a grants program open to any nonprofit serving the greater Bainbridge Island community. Over the period of several months in the spring, organizations apply for what they need, community volunteers review and vet the proposals, and BCF and donors come together to fund the work. Read on to learn how this year’s CGC broke all records on its 25th anniversary.
June 25, 2026 – Last night, Bainbridge Community Foundation celebrated a new milestone on its 25th anniversary. For the first time ever, BCF awarded more than $1 million to local organizations in a single Community Grants Cycle. BCF invited its volunteers and nonprofits to gather on Wednesday, June 24 at Manor House to share the incredible news. The energy was palpable as those most connected to the CGC traded stories and experiences about their engagement with the community.
This year, 78 participants, including four high school student volunteers, reviewed and conducted site visits for more than 100 applications, ultimately approving 96. Requests ranged from basic needs for 
neighbors and opportunities for traditionally underserved populations to creative new initiatives in the arts, recreation, and education. BCF provided $90,000 in initial seed funding, and the remaining support came from generous BainbridgeGives donors, including BCF donor advised and donor designated funds as well as individual and public donations. The total awarded this year was a record-setting $1,058,977, far exceeding last year's previous high of $849,180. Hitting this record during BCF's 25th anniversary year felt especially fitting.
The Community Grants Cycle is a unique experience for everyone, for those who volunteer, for those who donate, and for the nonprofits who apply for and receive funding. Through the eyes of a first-time CGC volunteer this year, the process felt personal, immersive, and full of surprises. "The CGC's structure is really such an amazing experience," she said, "from the community involvement in reviewing and approving applications to the wide reach across all sectors. This was the most fun volunteer experience and the easiest, with the support of staff. Truly a treat all around."
Each year, BCF surveys local nonprofits to help identify the community's most pressing needs, and affordability and access to mental health services consistently rank near the top. In this year's grants cycle, nonprofits reported that 89% of their projects addressed affordability and 52% supported mental health. Nearly 80% of applications related to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice (IDEAS), and five nonprofits received awards for their work in this area.
The largest grant went to a new grantee this year, the Islander Mobile Home Park, to support replacing aging utility infrastructure in its affordable housing. The grant came through at $22,000 rather than the $14,000 requested, which is a sign of how strongly the community prioritizes affordability. In the words of Ann Lovejoy, president of the board for the park, “The mobile home park community is thrilled to be receiving the amplified BCF grant, especially since it means many people chose to support our infrastructure project. Having such strong community support is so heartening, especially for our elders who have been living in the park for decades and know very well that there’s no place else for them to live if we can’t get the funding we still need.”
Other grants that exceeded their requested amounts include:
- Bainbridge Island Special Needs Foundation (Stephens House), $16,100 to support adults with disabilities through skills, connection, and respite for caregivers.
- Suquamish Tribal Cultural Center (dba Suquamish Museum), $15,000 to support archives digitization and facility, landscape, and grounds improvements.
- Battle Point Astronomical Association, $14,290 to support STEAM programs, planetarium shows, and school field trips.
For many nonprofits, recognition through BCF's Community Grants Cycle is a springboard toward bigger goals. In 2021, for example, BCF awarded the Indipino Community of Bainbridge Island and Vicinity a total of $82,650, well above their original request of $10,000. 
This uniquely Bainbridge grant drew tremendous support and covered the cost of producing a documentary about Indipinos, who are the descendants of Indigenous mothers and Filipino immigrant fathers. The film tells their stories through the voices of their adult children, many of whom still live on Bainbridge Island, sharing their lives, losses, and legacies. Since its release, the documentary has become part of the Bainbridge Island School District curriculum and earned widespread acclaim. The stories of Indipinos and their families are now known locally, nationally and internationally, and the Indipino Community of Bainbridge Island just premiered their second film in celebration of Asian Heritage Month in May of 2026 called "Strawberry Fields Forever: Picker Cabin Stories.”
At BCF's LeadHERship event in 2023, Gina Corpuz of the Indipino Community of Bainbridge Island and Vicinity described that support as, "It's a feeling, actually, rather than being able to articulate from events or actions. There is an energy exchange happening here, and this movement on Bainbridge is what gives me hope." The legacy of profound community support, including through BCF's grantmaking, lives on well beyond any individual grant cycle.
Overall, the CGC program has awarded 1,134 local grants for $7,211,318 since it began in 2005, providing support for specific programs, capital projects, as well as mission support of local nonprofit organizations.
View the full list of 2026 CGC grantees. The next Community Grants Cycle will open in February 2027. Keep your eye on BCF’s website or contact Debbie Kuffel at debbie@bainbridgecf.org for more information.
