The 8th Children’s Forum, April 12, 2013

For the 8th time, the Children’s Forum will examine the condition of children, families and our community.  The Forum begins at 8:30 AM, April 12 at the William A. Grant Water & Environmental Center at the Community College.  Seating is limited.  Contact Teri Barila for more information.

In addition to a review of a comprehensive data book on community health indicators, the Forum will discuss community wide initiatives to improve conditions for local children and families.

Giving continues!

 Our year-end giving campaign continues! 

This year give a gift that continues giving throughout the year. Join us in making a gift to a Blue Mountain Community Foundation Impact! Fund. Your gift will go directly to local non-profits working to strengthen our communities.

Give at www.bluemountainfoundation.org/impact 

Something Big is Happening!

Blue Mountain Community Foundation has launched our first ever year-end giving campaign!

Click here to learn more.

Lawson Knight on KUJ

Lawson will be on KUJ Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. visiting with Jim Bock to talk about the first ever Blue Mountain Community Foundation year-end giving campaign. Tune in at 1420 a.m. to listen in and learn about how you can make an Impact! on your community this Holiday Season.

Blue Mountain Community Foundation Awards 2012 Grants!

Blue Mountain Community Foundation held it’s Annual Meeting on October 18th where it announced the grantees for it’s 2012 grant cycle. There were approximately 130 people in attendance which included, Grantees, Volunteers and Donors.

Lawson announced the grants by Impact! Area which include:
Arts!
Needs!
Economy!
Education!
Health!
Earth!
Neighbors!

Over $233,000 in grants were awarded.

To read more about the grants or to see a list of grantees please click here.

The Foundation’s Annual Report is also available on our website.

Two Additonal Grants from Blue Mountain Community Foundation’s First Fruits Fund!

Blue Mountain Community Foundation has awarded two additional grants from the First Fruits Fund, a component fund of the Foundation.

Community Council, a citizen led group that brings people together to study regional issues and follow up with actions, was awarded $3,395.00 which helped them meet their $80K fundraising goal for the fiscal year and receive a Sherwood Trust matching grant. Community Council has completed three community studies in the four years since the organization was founded on the following topics:

  • Enhancing the Educational Attainment of our Region’s Children
  • Optimizing Resources; Value-added Agriculture
  • Reducing Gang Membership Through Prevention

Links to the study reports can be found here. A new study on Effective Communication between Citizens and Government will begin this fall. Visit Community Council’s website at www.communitycouncil.org to learn more about the work Community Council is doing and the process used to study issues.

Walla Walla Public Schools’ Farm to School Program was awarded $6,200.00 to help establish a program that will bring more local farm fresh produce to school lunches and will expand the school garden programs and curriculum. This effort led by Beth Thiel has already been able to bring local farm fresh asparagus to Sharpstein and Blue Ridge this spring. Click this link to read an article in the Union Bulletin about the program.

The First Fruits Fund was established in 2008 with a generous grant from the Vista Hermosa Foundation.  Since that time, the Fund has made 69 grants exceeding $567,000.

The stated goal of the First Fruits Fund is to “encourage collaborative and innovative approaches to building self-sufficiency for the most under-served in our communities, including improved access to such basic needs as housing, food, education and livable wages.”  Founders believe that the most impactful way to achieve that goal is to support community-based initiatives that empower people themselves to identify their needs and collectively own the process of change.

Now Accepting Proposals

Blue Mountain Community Foundation welcomes you to its 2012-13 Grant Year. It is our goal to make the grant application process easy for the grant seeker and also greener for our environment, requiring much less paperwork. Please read the Guidelines for Grant Applications carefully before submitting an application to determine if your organization is eligible and if the Foundation’s funding timeline suits the needs of your program.

Applying is easy!

Submit the following items to Blue Mountain Community Foundation by JULY 2, 2012:

  • An original and nine copies of the completed Grant Application form.
  • Ten copies of a one-page description of the program/project or idea on your organization’s letterhead.
  • One copy of your organization’s IRS Letter of Determination.

Do not use a binder. Staple each application and program/project description sheet together in the upper-left hand corner. Upon review of your submission, BMCF may request additional information, including but not limited to financial statements, project budgets and a list of members of your governing board.

DON’T BE LATE!

All grant applications must be postmarked or received in the BMCF office at 8 South 2nd Avenue, Suite 618, Walla Walla, WA 99362, by JULY 2, 2012

Grant awards will be announced at the Foundation’s annual meeting in October, 2012.  Declined proposals will be notified in writing by or before the annual meeting.

First Fruits Fund Grants of Spring 2012: 11 totaling $118,000!

The following eleven grants represents Blue Mountain Community Foundation‘s recent awards from its First Fruits Fund.

The 2012 First Fruits Grantees:
11. Community Health Assessment Task Force (CHAT) – $500
10. College Spark Program  - $5,000
9.Walla Walla Symphony, Rock n’Roll Camp – $5,000
8. Trilogy Recovery Community – $7,500
7. Children’s Home Society Family Support – $10,000
6. Friends of Children of Walla Walla, Children’s Resilience Initiative – $10,000
5. Columbia School District General Support – $10,000
4. Blue Mountain Action Council Skill Steps – $10,000
3. Student Health Options – $10,000
2. Lincoln High School – $20,000
1. Commitment to Community – $30,000
TOTAL: $118,000

 

The First Fruits Fund was established in 2008 with a generous grant from the Vista Hermosa Foundation.  Since that time, the Fund has made 66 grants exceeding $550,000.

The stated goal of the First Fruits Fund is to “encourage collaborative and innovative approaches to building self-sufficiency for the most under-served in our communities, including improved access to such basic needs as housing, food, education and livable wages.”  Founders believe that the most impactful way to achieve that goal is to support community-based initiatives that empower people themselves to identify their needs and collectively own the process of change.