Grays Harbor Community Foundation awards over $480,000 in grants

The Grays Harbor Community Foundation announced that they invested $483,013 into the community through their 2023 1st Cycle Community Building Grants program. 

Twenty-six organizations were awarded funding for projects, ranging from supporting local school districts to providing lifesaving services to babies in the community. 

According to a release, this cycle proved to be the largest number of grant requests since the inception of the Foundation. 

The foundation said that they worked in partnership with The Community Foundation of South Puget Sound to award an additional $53,000 in funding for the Westport VFW and City of Westport for the Fisherman’s Monument Project. 

“This is possible thanks to the Neddie Farrington fund created specifically to support South Beach area nonprofit organizations. “ 

Projects were awarded from the following funds held at the Grays Harbor Community Foundation; The Weatherwax Family Fund, After School Fund, Gladys Phillips Cultural Tours Fund, Marian J. Weatherwax Fund, Warren Family Fund and the Raymond S. Kauders Memorial Fund. 

The organizations that were funded through the 2023 First Cycle Community Building Grants program include: 

  • Aberdeen School District – Miller Junior High Fitness Lab 
  • Aberdeen School District – UW STEM Summer Experience 
  • Beyond Survival – Community Building for Survivors 
  • Catholic Community Services – Feed the Hungry 
  • City of Westport – Skatepark and Pump Track 
  • Coastal Harvest – Local Harvest Support 
  • Connections – Mental Health Services Phase One Expansion 
  • Cosmopolis Elementary School– After School Program 
  • Family Promise of Grays Harbor – New Beginnings Education Program 
  • Friends of Highland Park – Cosmopolis Lions Club Park 
  • Hoquiam School District – Lincoln Playground 
  • Montesano School District – Improving Extracurricular Opportunities 
  • Morningside – High School Transition Program 
  • Nonprofit Leaders Conference – Annual Nonprofit Leaders Conference for Coastal and SW Washington 
  • Oakville School District – Oakville Middle and High School Enrichment and Enhancements 
  • Ocosta Recreation Association – Building Repairs 
  • Ocosta School District – Stage Lighting Ocosta High School Commons 
  • Our Aberden – Kurt Cobain Tribute Museum 
  • Pacific Education Institute – Grays Harbor County FieldSTEM and Climate Science 
  • Pediatric Interim Care Center – Infant Withdrawal Program 
  • St Mary School- Boiler Project 
  • The Bridge Music Project – Community Songwriting Workshops for Underserved Youth  
  • The Cranberry Heritage Center – Replace Handicap Ramp  
  • The Moore Wright Group – Gravity Program 
  • YMCA of Grays Harbor – Camp Bishop Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Upgrade

 

Grays Harbor Community Foundation Executive Director, Eric Potts, commented “There is no shortage of needs in our community, but we were fortunate to be able to address several of them during this most recent grant cycle thanks to the ongoing generosity of our donors. We utilized seven different funds to provide almost half a million dollars in support to the work being done in Grays Harbor on a daily basis. We will be able to do this again in October as well as on a smaller scale several times throughout the year, which I think is a true testament to the generosity of people in our community as well as the great work being done by our schools and nonprofit organizations.”

 You may find out more about the grants program by checking the Foundation website at www.gh-cf.org