Commerce and ArtsFund award nearly $11 million to Washington nonprofits; $200k+ locally

Over 700 organizations in 34 counties receive funding as more COVID-19 relief grants are announced, with local organizations seeing numerous awards.

ArtsFund, in partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce, announced that they will begin distributing $10.78 million in recovery grants to nonprofits throughout the state this week. 

The Nonprofit Community Relief (NCR) grant program announced on May 3, 2021 was designed to provide critical funding to nonprofit arts, cultural, science, and heritage organizations; neighborhood associations; sports and recreation nonprofit groups; and veterans service organizations impacted by the pandemic.

Through these grants, over $200,000 is coming to Grays Harbor or Pacific County organizations.

This included organizations such as the Coastal Interpretive center, North Beach artists Guild, Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum, 7th Street Kids, and more. 

Grant funds may be used to cover expenses that were incurred between March 1, 2020 and this month due to financial hardship. 

Grant recipients cited the top uses for funding, in order of priority, include staff salaries, programming, rent/mortgage, and reopening education and awareness communications.

“At their core, nonprofits are driven by people serving people, and their dedication throughout the pandemic has sustained countless communities by providing their constituents with needed relief and recovery services,” said Michael Greer, ArtsFund President & CEO. “ArtsFund is proud to partner with Commerce in recognizing the important role nonprofits, and in particular arts and culture, play in sustaining thriving and vibrant communities.”

“These funds provide critical financial resources to keep people employed and active in strengthening communities and their local economies,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “As we all reimagine our futures together, the positive economic impact of these community-focused grants will help to keep momentum going into the next stages of recovery.”

Applicants were invited to request between $2,500 and $25,000. 

Grants are being awarded to every eligible organization that applied, covering over 91% of the total funds requested. 

Over 70% of the awardees reported pre-pandemic budgets under $500,000. 

Nearly 90% of all recipients expect their post-pandemic earned revenue to be reduced by more than 30%.

 

Grays Harbor
40 et 8 Veteran’s Club	Grays Harbor	$10,000
7th Street Kids	Grays Harbor	$7,500
7th Street Theatre Association	Grays Harbor	$10,000
Aberdeen Revitalization Movement DBA Downtown Aberdeen Association	Grays Harbor	$2,500
Coastal Interpretive Center	Grays Harbor	$22,500
Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority	Grays Harbor	$22,500
North Beach Artists Guild	Grays Harbor	$17,500
Polson Park & Museum Historical Society	Grays Harbor	$12,500
Westport South Beach Historical Society	Grays Harbor	$20,000
	Grays Harbor Total	$125,000
Pacific County
Alliance for a Better Community	Pacific	$10,000
Appelo Archives Center	Pacific	$12,500
Friends of Chinook School	Pacific	$13,000
Friends of the South Bend Public Library	Pacific	$8,500
Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge	Pacific	$15,000
Ilwaco Heritage Foundation DBA Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum	Pacific	$20,000
Long Beach Peninsula Acoustic Music	Pacific	$2,500
Northwest Carriage Museum	Pacific	$12,500
	Pacific Total	$94,000

 

 

See a complete list of grant award recipients HERE.