3 Rivers Community Foundation Impact Grant

The Three Rivers Community Foundation (3RCF) administers an annual grant cycle to support nonprofit organizations operating in Benton and Franklin counties in Washington State. Founded to serve as a philanthropic resource in the region, 3RCF helps local nonprofits meet community needs through strategic grantmaking. The foundation invites eligible 501(c)(3) organizations to submit proposals during the annual open application period, which runs from August 1 through September 15 each year. Applicants can choose between two types of funding options: the Program/Project Grant and the Impact Grant. The Program/Project Grant supports specific initiatives or services and follows a traditional grant application model. In contrast, the Impact Grant offers more flexible funding and requires narrative follow-up to describe how the funds supported the organization’s mission. To be eligible for the Impact Grant, applicants must have received a grant from 3RCF in 2024, 2023, or 2022, and must have demonstrated timely reporting and adaptive responses to community needs. These organizations must also show diversified funding sources and an ability to clearly articulate the impact of the funding. The grant awards typically range from $500 to $10,000, although a limited number of larger awards exceeding $10,000 may be given. Applicants interested in requesting more than $10,000 are required to contact the 3RCF staff in advance. The average grant size is $4,000. Grant funds may not be used for capital campaigns, debt reduction, political or religious activities, matching funds, re-granting, sponsorships, or support to schools, service clubs, or sports teams. Additionally, the foundation does not fund expenditures incurred prior to the award decision. Applications are reviewed in the fall. All applicants may be subject to interview requests by the foundation to further discuss their proposals. Awards are announced in November, and grantees are invited to attend the Celebration of Philanthropy luncheon on December 3 to receive their grants. Each awarded organization receives two complimentary tickets to this event. 3RCF emphasizes thoughtful grantwriting, and prospective applicants are encouraged to consult data sources such as bentonfranklintrends.org and wa211.org/community-data for community data insights. Only one application is accepted per organization each cycle. The grant portal offers access to both the 2025 Program/Project Grant and the 2025 Impact Grant applications. While there is no stated matching requirement, applicants should note all exclusions and eligibility conditions before applying. The foundation does not list specific contact names or emails on the provided materials, but further details and applications can be found on the 3RCF website. Interested organizations are strongly encouraged to plan their submissions early and reach out to staff with any questions regarding large funding requests or grant type suitability.