The Grays Harbor Community Foundation offers Community Building Grants aimed at strengthening nonprofit organizations serving Grays Harbor County in Washington. The Foundation is committed to enhancing the quality of life in the county by supporting nonprofits that address critical needs in arts and culture, education, health, and human services. Emphasizing substantive, positive change, the Foundation prioritizes initiatives that resolve problems at their root and demonstrate strong organizational capacity and potential for community impact.
The Community Building Grants are distributed twice each year, with submission deadlines on February 1 and October 1. Applicants can request funding in the typical range of $5,000 to $30,000, although proposals outside this range can be discussed with Foundation staff before submission. Each applicant is allowed to receive one grant award per 12-month period, and preference is given to organizations that have not received Foundation grants in recent years. Final reports from previously funded projects are mandatory to remain eligible for future awards.
To ensure effective use of resources, the Foundation considers several factors in evaluating applications. These include the strength and administrative capacity of the organization, the ability to leverage additional funding, alignment with GHCF’s giving priorities, and demonstrable benefits to the local community. Site visits and bids are required for capital projects, and photographs of the proposed project must be submitted with the application.
Certain activities are generally not funded through the Community Building Grants, including one-time events like school field trips, endowment contributions, re-granting programs, deficit funding, feasibility studies, and strategic planning. Religious organizations may apply, but their proposed project must have a secular community benefit. Additionally, nonprofits are not allowed to seek funding for the same project more than once per calendar year and must submit distinct projects if applying for both Community Building and Quarterly Impact Grants in separate cycles.
First-time applicants must schedule a meeting with the Foundation before submitting their application. The Foundation’s office is located in Hoquiam, Washington, and operates during standard business hours, Monday through Friday. Interested applicants can contact the Foundation by phone or email for more information or to schedule a pre-application meeting.
