FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bainbridge Community Foundation Announces 2012 Community Grants
Bainbridge Island, Washington
June 28, 2012
Bainbridge Community Foundation announces 53 grants totaling $137,000 to assist organizations working to
support the immediate and long-term needs of Bainbridge Island residents. To date, $829,178 will have been
distributed through BCF’s Community Grants Cycle (CGC) (Bainbridge Fund plus DAF Partnerships) over the seven
years since its inception in 2005.
Reviewing proposals from dozens of deserving nonprofits is always a challenge for the Foundation, but it's even
more difficult at a time of increased need for help and services on the island. The down economy places a
significant demand on local nonprofits and creates a challenge for how to best support the critical needs of the
community while still ensuring support for projects that carry a broad impact.
It was with great consideration and much community input that led to BCF's final funding decisions. With dozens of
deserving local nonprofits and over 72 proposals to choose from, it wasn't easy to select the 53 proposals to fund.
The average grant amount was for a little over $2,500 per grant, but the cumulative impact of these grants will
affect all aspects of life on Bainbridge Island. From improving education, health and safety to better assisting
underserved populations and highlighting the uniqueness of Bainbridge, this year's grants will have a substantial
impact on the island as a whole.
BCF has three Special Awards from funds given to BCF to grant out for special purposes. This year as part of the
Community Grants Cycle, BCF made three Special Awards totaling over $16,000.
Trustees’ Award is focused on funding organizations that promote partnership or collaboration between
organizations. It is funded by donations from board, staff, and CGC team members. This year, the award is shared
by three organizations: The Bainbridge Graduate Institute, The Boys & Girls Club and Island Time Activities.
Lambert / Kuffel Award – Named for the staff of the Health, Housing & Human Services Council (HHHS) Debbie
Kuffel and Jan Lambert, is focused on funding health, housing, and human services proposals and is awarded to the
following three agencies that are meeting needs that were originally identified by the HHHS Needs Assessment:
Martha & Mary, Peninsula Community Health Center, and Washington State Smile Partners. Funding for this
award was the result of a donation from the disbanding of HHHS.
Karen Davis Award –The grant was funded by the family of Karen Davis in her honor. It is focused on funding
proposals related to conflict resolution. This is the second year funds were available from this source. This year it
was awarded to The Dispute Resolution Center of Kitsap County
The impact of the grants are spread across eight key themes and will positively impact many:
Health
 Arms Around Bainbridge: to update and expand its resources to increase the number of individuals served,
and develop greater collaboration between social service organizations
 The Bloedel Reserve: purchase Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
 Bainbridge Island Rowing: purchase life vests for coxswains
 Harmony Hill: support free programs for cancer patients and their families
 Hospice of Kitsap County: support expansion of complementary therapies program
 Kitsap Sexual Assault Center: support Bainbridge Island-based therapy for victims of sexual assault
 YWCA ALIVE: funding for program director and client advocate
Home
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Housing Resources Board: support for independent living and rental assistance programs
Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers: help train volunteers to assist elderly and others in need of assistance to
remain living at home
North Kitsap Fishline: support for emergency housing for homeless people
Learning
 Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council: help fund Arts in Education program
 Bainbridge Schools Foundation: support for remedial reading program for 3rd and 4th graders and support
for extracurricular Explorations in Math program for elementary school students
 Bainbridge Island Football Club and Youth Soccer Club: help fund training for coaches at all age levels
 Bainbridge Youth Services: support for new community education program
 Kitsap Adult Center for Education: help fund training of program tutors
 Kitsap Library Foundation: help fund program to introduce all third graders to the library
 Salish Sea Expeditions: support for environmental education program for high school students
 The Bloedel Reserve: support for summer horticultural internship for high school students
 West Sound Wildlife Shelter: support for live animal education programs in Bainbridge public schools
Access
 Four nonprofits were awarded grants to help fund scholarships for families needing tuition assistance:
o Boys and Girls Club of Bainbridge Island
o Island Music Center
o Kids Discovery Museum
o Peacock Family Services
Support
 Four nonprofits were awarded grants to help fund programming for children and adults with special
needs:
o Bainbridge Island Child Care Centers: staffing to assure smooth integration of special needs
children into Big Kids program
o Bainbridge Island Special Needs Foundation: support for Day Program
o CAST: special fishing event on Bainbridge Island for special needs children
o Elder and Adult Day Services: support for various programs
Expertise
 Kitsap Legal Services: help fund monthly free advice clinic held at Helpline House
 Sound Works Job Center: help fund job search and placement services
 Sustainable Bainbridge: help fund development of the “Time Bank”, allowing islanders to share their
talents with one another
 Washington Trust for Historic Preservation: fund scholarship for a Bainbridge Island resident to attend
National Trust for Historic Preservation conference in Spokane
Preservation
 Bainbridge Island Parks and Recreation Foundation: help develop a gear bank by supporting purchase of
backpacks, sleeping bags and other gear
 Bainbridge Island Land Trust: support for Student Conservation Corps program
 IslandWood: support for community programs, including Enviro-Explorations
 Puget Sound Restoration Fund: support for kelp bed restoration
Celebrating Bainbridge
 Friends of the Farm: support for the annual Harvest Festival at Johnson Farm
 Bainbridge Arts and Crafts: help fund an exhibit on connections between art and books in honor of
Bainbridge Public Library’s 50th Anniversary
 Bainbridge Chorale: help fund this year’s Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along
 Bainbridge Island Downtown Association: help fund First Friday Art Walk
 Bainbridge Island Historical Society: support for updating brochures that let Islanders and visitors make
self-guided tours of historic locations
 Bainbridge Island Museum of Art: help fund gallery pedestals and glass display cases
 Bainbridge Performing Arts: a grant to BPA to fund electronic ticketing and other operating efficiencies
 Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra: fund the final pieces of a full percussion set
 Island Theater: support for upcoming Ten-Minute Play Festival at BPA
And finally, a grant not easily classified, but certainly something that everyone will appreciate: a grant to fund
Open/Closed signage for the Bainbridge Public Library.
BCF is proud to be a part of a collection of donors, nonprofits and community members working together to
enhance the quality of life for Island residents and the greater Kitsap community.
The public is invited to celebrate the good work being done by Bainbridge Island's amazing local nonprofit
community with a public celebration hosted by the Bainbridge Community Foundation at Bainbridge Performing
Arts on June 28, 2012 from 4:30-6:00pm. Members of the public and nonprofit organizations, whether current
grant recipients or not, are invited. Learn more about ways to help our community, meet people working to make
a difference, and learn how to better get involved.
Bainbridge Community Foundation was founded in 2001 in order to sustain and enhance our vibrant community
and the way of life we enjoy. BCF’s goals are achieved by supporting the nonprofits that serve our neighbors and
friends. We are uniquely informed about the health of the nonprofit sector and remain actively engaged in its
effectiveness. We introduce donors to organizations working in the areas they care about, and provide ways for
donors to support those causes effectively.
CONTACT:
Jim Hopper, Executive Director
O: 206.842.0433
C: 425.444.4243
E: jim@bainbridgecf.org