Community Grants Cycle Awards Record $561,492 in Local Grants
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND – Bainbridge Community Foundation’s 2022 Community Grants Cycle (CGC) awarded a record-setting amount of $561,492 in grants to local nonprofits, which greatly exceeds the previous high mark of $507,313 awarded in 2020. Not only was BCF proud to award these grants, but we also gave awards to five organizations for prioritizing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice (IDEAS) as part of their applications, along with a Catalyst Award for an organization that provides a critical service to our community. In addition, BCF awarded the Klasky (Trustees’) Award to a nonprofit for working closely in partnership with others.
Bainbridge Community Foundation’s CGC is an opportunity for island residents to support the causes that matter most to them. Whether priorities lie in providing basic needs for neighbors, creating opportunities for traditionally underserved populations, or supporting creative new initiatives in any sector, donors support many aspects of the quality of life here. Many of our engaged community members also volunteer their time by reviewing each application and conducting virtual or on-site interviews with nonprofit staff. This year, 50 volunteers vetted and approved 61 applications to the CGC, and 60 of those were funded. BCF provided $50,000 in initial funding, and the rest of the support came from generous donors who gave at all levels.
This year’s IDEAS Award went to organizations that made extra efforts to make their programs and services more accessible. While 32 of the 61 applications this year identified their applications as related to IDEAS work, only five organizations were given the award—recognizing nonprofits at different stages in their IDEAS journey. These organizations were Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN), Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center (KIAC), Peacock Family Services, Vitalize Kitsap, and WEAVE Presents. Their applications included supporting affordable access to childcare for low-income families, expanding access to programs for neurodiverse adults and teens, and creating awareness of social and cultural diversity through the arts. Each nonprofit received $2,000 as part of their grant award for their IDEAS efforts, with a total distribution of $10,000 in BCF IDEAS awards.
BCF also awarded its inaugural Catalyst Award to Bainbridge Youth Services (BYS), or an additional $11,000 to nearly double their grant for a total of $24,000, to support their work in providing free, confidential, and professional mental health counseling and related services for adolescents. A recent rise in mental health concerns in both youth and adults due to the pandemic have deemed their work as critical to our community. In the words of Courtney Oliver, the Executive Director of BYS, “BYS feels honored to receive this award. We continue to see an increase in counseling needs from our community youth, and the Catalyst Award will provide us the opportunity to expand our mental health program as well as increase the number of hours dedicated to counseling.”
Finally, BCF’s Klasky (Trustees’) Award is presented to a nonprofit with an application promoting collaboration or innovation in its request. BCF awarded $10,000 from this fund to Bainbridge Prepares to support their request for 13 Disaster Hubs in strategic locations around Bainbridge Island to ensure emergency supplies are accessible to everyone when a disaster occurs. Their total grant was $15,000.
Close to 50% of this year's grants went towards Health, Housing, and Human Services, and BCF has awarded more than $3.9 million to 818 grants through the CGC since the program's inception in 2005. BCF's cumulative grantmaking now totals more than $20.7 million back to the community since 2001.
BCF is grateful to all of the nonprofits providing these critical programs and services, which helps support equitable access to quality of life on Bainbridge Island. We are also thankful to the donors and volunteers who donate their time and money to support our community. If you would like to learn more about BCF’s Community Grants Cycle, please contact Debbie Kuffel at debbie@bainbridgecf.org or click here to see a full list of funding.
