Bainbridge Community Foundation (Bainbridge Island, WA)
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Our mission is to encourage, inspire and provide meaningful ways for people to improve and sustain our community.
How we began
In 2001, a group of caring and concerned Bainbridge Island leaders came together to create a lasting community endowment, aiming to improve the quality of life in our community. Initially known as the Bainbridge Island Community Endowment, the Bainbridge Community Foundation helps people with philanthropic interests support the growing needs of nonprofit organizations that serve Bainbridge Island residents.
As of 12/31/2014, BCF has a balance sheet of over $10.8 million comprised of 30 Donor Advised Funds, 2 Designated Funds, 5 Scholarship Funds, 2 Area of Interest Funds, 3 Nonprofit Agency Funds and two BCF Funds for long term reserves and our endowment.
Our goal is to raise funds through significant gifts from donors and to make grants from these funds to support the long-term needs of Bainbridge Island.
Jim Hopper, Executive Director
Jim Hopper, Executive Director
Debbie Kuffel, Program & Finance Officer
Brigette Yates, Development Officer
Dana Binnendijk, Community Impact Officer
Jessica Henshaw, Office Administrator
BCF recognizes that one goal most organizations share is to perform their work more efficiently and effectively. This capacity building grant cycle is part of a program to assess if focused grant making can help achieve that goal. Improvements in the areas of administration, governance, planning, and fundraising are most desired. Therefore, this grant cycle will be focused on building an organization’s internal capacity in these areas in order to strengthen and support our local nonprofit sector.
Capacity building is distinguishable from direct program services, general operating support or capital expenses in that they typically seek to increase the knowledge, skill level and/or efficiency of a nonprofit board and/or staff. Capacity building services are typically provided by an individual outside of the organization that has the expertise and the ability to focus on one aspect of an organization’s management.
These include but are not limited to:
• Board / Staff training
• Strategic planning
• Analysis of programs, technology and fundraising
• Program evaluation
Please note that this grant making program is not for hiring or adding staff (or staff hours) to increase your organization's capacity. It does not fund travel or capital expenses.That type of request is better suited to BCF's annual Community Grants Cycle.
Applications are accepted from 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations located in Washington State serving the greater Bainbridge Island community (Those that work, live, or visit Bainbridge Island).
Grantmaker accepts unsolicited applications.
Grant
| Cycle name |
Applications opened |
Applications closed |
Notification by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CB | October 16 | November 13 | December 21 |
| Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Draft 2024 Capacity Building Overview.docx |
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Thank you for your interest in applying for funding through the 2025 Community Grants Cycle. It has three phases: 1) Application submittal, 2) Review, and 3) Funding Support (BainbridgeGives.org) for approved applications.
Applications will be considered from organizations meeting the following requirements:
• A 501(c)(3) nonprofit as determined by the Internal Revenue Service
• Serve greater Bainbridge Island (people that live, work, or visit B.I.) and are headquartered/based in WA State
• The grant period is July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
• Requests between $1,000 and $13,000 will be considered
In an effort to increase accessibility, if your organization does not have easily accessible internet and/or needs assistance with completing the application, please contact BCF at 206.842.0433 or email grants@bainbridgecf.org no later than March 11.
Last year during the 2024 Community Grants Cycle (CGC), BCF awarded 74 grants a record $786,041. Since the inception of this grantmaking program in 2005, $5,302,661 in local grants have been awarded!
Please note that this grant cycle does NOT Fund: Grants to individuals, research, endowments, in-kind or product donation, memberships, loans, or vehicles. Grants will not be awarded to any religious organization where the funds could be used in whole or in part to further any religious activity or outreach, and must be used solely for secular purposes.
The applicant will also affirm in their application that they do not discriminate on any basis for any of its activities or operations and are an equal opportunity employer.
BCF is accredited by the Community Foundations National Standards Board (CFNSB). We are confirmed in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Council on Foundations, a distinction that conveys a rigorous commitment to transparency, excellence, stewardship and leadership in philanthropy.
As a community foundation, we are generalists and help sustain all sectors of the nonprofit community and are made for the following CAUSES:
>> Animal Welfare
>> Arts, Culture, Humanities
>> Education
>> Environment
>> Health and Human Services (including Housing)
>> Public / Society Benefit
>> Recreation
Grants are awarded for the following funding TYPES:
>> Program (Specific program or project)
>> Capital (Equipment / facility repairs, etc. Estimates must be included with application)
>> Direct (Access to Programming, Support/Access for under-served population)
>> Operating (General operating support)
BCF does not currently fund religious activities or outreach, research, in-kind or product donations, loans, memberships, scholarships, or vehicles.
Applications are accepted from 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations based in Washington State serving the greater Bainbridge Island community (Those that work, live, or visit Bainbridge Island).
2025 Community Grants Cycle (CGC) Timeline:
>> Tuesday, February 25 (12:00 Noon) to Friday, March 21 (5PM) CGC application window
>> March 31 – April 19 (3 Weeks) Site visits will be scheduled by our evaluators to meet with the applicants. Please try to have board chair and executive director participate if possible
>> April 5 – May 12 Application evaluation and review
>> May 13 – June 13 BainbridgeGives.org online grant catalog / fundraising for the approved applications
>> June17 BCF Board of Trustees makes final grant decisions
>> June 18 Organizations notified of funding decisions
>> June 23 –July 6 Internal BCF Grant Administration
>> July 7 – July 18 Approved applications will log in to Common Grant Application and open your 2025 CGC grant application and accept the grant agreement
>> July 7 onward, CGC Grant checks will be mailed once grant agreement is completed via Common Grant Application
>> August 31, 2025 Due date to submit FINAL REPORT from the 2024 Community Grants Cycle (last year's grant award)
>> August 31, 2026 Due date to submit FINAL REPORT from the 2025 Community Grants Cycle (this grant cycle)
Final Report Policy: A final report is a required component of the grant. Nonprofits not submitting their final reports in a timely manner will be deemed ineligible to apply for funding during the following year’s grant cycle. Please contact BCF if there are any questions regarding eligibility.
Grantmaker accepts unsolicited applications.
Grant
| Cycle name |
Applications opened |
Applications closed |
Notification by |
Funding by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC | February 25 | March 21 | June 30 | July 25 |
| Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| 2025 BCF Community Grants Cycle Application Overview.pdf | 2025 BCF Community Grants Cycle Overview -- Please Read |
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Bainbridge Community Foundation’s Community Response Fund provides limited financial resources to nonprofit organizations for urgent unanticipated health and human service needs on Bainbridge Island, especially during times of economic hardship or human or natural disaster. The Covid-19 pandemic is one of those times.
We are all aware that needs are changing almost on a daily basis. In an effort to remain nimble and to provide support to our nonprofit partners.
The Community Response Fund is an area-of-interest fund established by the Bainbridge Community Foundation in 2009. The fund began as an idea from a group of nonprofit staff and community leaders. The purpose of the fund is to assist local non-profit human service agencies that experience an unexpected temporary funding need that impacts their ability to provide critical community services. As such, it provides a safety net for the agencies that provide a safety net for our greater Bainbridge Island community.
The grants committee will review applications. Checks will be sent out as quickly as possible.
Please notify debbie@bainbridgecf.org when you've completed the Community Response Fund Application so there is no delay in reviewing your request.
Thank you.
Funding requests are only accepted from 501(C)(3) nonprofit organizations that have previously received funding at least once through either the Community Grants Cycle or Capacity Building Grants Cycle since 2016. ONLY PRIOR GRANTEES FROM EITHER BCF'S COMMUNITY GRANTS CYCLE OR CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS CYCLES ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.
Organization MUST be based in Washington State and serve Bainbridge Island / Kitsap County. Contact BCF at Grants@BainbridgeCF.org if you have any questions prior to making an application.
Grantmaker accepts unsolicited applications.
Grant
| Cycle name |
Applications opened |
Applications closed |
Notification by |
Funding by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous | Continuous | Continuous | Continuous | Continuous |
| Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| CRF Application Guidelines.pdf | BCF Community Response Fund Guidelines |
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