Community Foundation to award over a quarter million dollars in grants

Vancouver, WA – March 17, 2009. The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington will award over a quarter of a million dollars in grants to nonprofit organizations and schools in Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties on Thursday, March, 19, 2009 at the Hilton Vancouver, Washington. Local nonprofit leaders, philanthropists and Community Foundation Board and Grants Committee members will attend the Awards Event that will commence at 9:00 a.m.

Twenty-seven nonprofit programs will receive a total of $243,946 from the Community Giving Fund and the Children’s Trust Fund. In addition, the Community Foundation continues to allocate over $30,000 annually for the Principal’s Checkbook Program.

The Community Giving Fund

The Community Giving Fund is a permanent endowment within the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington that supports a broad range of organizations and programs that improve the lives of our community’s residents. Grant award selections are guided by a committee of Board and community members knowledgeable about local needs.

The following organizations are this year’s grant recipients: Affordable Community Environments, Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest, CDM Services, Clark County Food Bank, Clark County Safe Kids, Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program, Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts, Deaf Advocates Foundation, Evergreen Habitat for Humanity, Free Clinic of SW Washington, Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Hough Foundation, Loaves and Fishes Centers, Parks Foundation of Clark County, Val Ogden Center/Janus of Southwest Washington, Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation, YW Housing, and YWCA Clark County.


The Children’s Trust Fund

Established in 1989 to support children’s issues, the Children’s Trust Fund is the result of the efforts of a group of women dedicated to raising funds. Nearly $1 million in grants has been awarded to local nonprofits since the Fund was established.

2009 grants are for: The Arthur D. Curtis Children’s Justice Center, Boys and Girls Clubs of SW Washington, comfort items for children who are victims of trauma, Impact Northwest, Infant Layette Program benefitting Healthy Steps Women and Children’s Center and Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital, Reach Out and Read, ROCKSOLID Community Teen Center, Share, Washington State University Foundation/At-Home At-School.

Principal’s Checkbook Program

Funding for the 2008/2009 Principal’s Checkbook Program came from the following sources; the Children’s Trust Fund, Tribe Fund for the Principal’s Checkbook Program, iQ Credit Union, Masco Family Trust, La Center Casinos Charitable Fund, and the community-at-large.

This year, the urgent needs of children and youth from 94 schools in 16 southwest Washington school districts in Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties will be supported through this Program.