Camas-Washougal Community Chest Solicits 2025 Grant Applications

Continuing their 78 years of support to the community, the Camas-Washougal Community Chest is soliciting 2025 grant applications from non-profit 501 (c) (3) organizations serving the Camas and Washougal area. Grant applications must be received or postmarked no later than December 15, 2024. Grant awards will be announced in March 2025. Initial payments will be made at the time of the award.

Larger grants will be funded in 2 to 4 installments, with final payments made in November 2025.

On October 1, 2024, the CWCC launched its Campaign 25 and hopes to raise at least $126,000 to fund grants during 2025. The Camas Washougal Rotary Foundation, in partnership with CWCC, is considering funding additional grants.

The Camas Lions Foundation has committed to fund at least $1,000 toward 2025 grants. The Camas-Washougal Community Chest has supported local non-profit organizations since 1946. The Community Chest relies on contributions from individuals and businesses and makes productive use of those funds by being a 100% volunteer organization. This means that more than 97% of the donated funds goes directly back to our community. CWCC urges Camas and Washougal residents and businesses to donate now to help fund 2025 grants. Donation information is available at: http://www.CamasWashougalCommunityChest.org.

In addition to being a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, grant applicants must demonstrate that their project or program benefits residents of Camas and Washougal and meets one or more of the following needs:

• Education
• Youth activities
• Aid to people with special needs
• Natural resource conservation
• Health and welfare programs
• Crisis and emergency services
• Other similar charitable or civic objectives

Grant applications and detailed instructions for applying are available on-line at the website listed above. For further information please contact Camas-Washougal Community Chest Board President Dave Pinkernell at [email protected].

During 2024, CWCC, the Camas Washougal Rotary Foundation and the Camas Lions Foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $134,000 and delivering an estimated 40,000 individual services to local people. The 2024grantees included such diverse non-profit organizations as the Inter-Faith Treasure House, Akin (East County Family Resource Center in Washougal), Family Promise of Clark County, Washougal Songcraft Festival, JD Currie Youth Camp, and Janus Youth Programs. Projects and programs included such diverse activities as emergency rent and utility assistance, purchase of food and service supplies for local emergency food programs, helping homeless families find permanent shelter, restore a youth camp’s outhouse, sampling water quality in Lacamas, Round and Fallen Leaf lakes, and help to support at risk 9- to 17-year-old runaway children.