Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I use the Scholarships?

Scholarships awarded by the Grays Harbor Community Foundation can be utilized at any accredited Community College, University, Technical/Trade School, Vocational or other Certification Program. So long as the end result of your program results in a certificate, degree, or diploma recognized by other educational institutions and/or an employer, the scholarship award can be used. These institutions can be located anywhere in the United States and our scholarships have even been used to help students study abroad using credit exchange programs at their University.

How do I know if I’m eligible for a Scholarship?

To be eligible for a Grays Harbor Community Foundation Scholarship, students must be a resident of Grays Harbor County or have graduated from a Grays Harbor County High School. Students must also be planning to attend a post-secondary education institution the following academic year. Returning students and Non-traditional students are welcome to apply, so long as they graduated from a Grays Harbor County High School or currently reside in the county.

How do I apply for more than one scholarship?

Students only need to fill out one application. The Foundation staff will match you to the appropriate scholarship that you are eligible for. The Scholarship Committee, along with the staff, work to match students with the scholarships for which they best match the criteria.

How do I renew my Scholarship?

Once you have received a Grays Harbor Community Foundation Scholarship you are eligible to renew for up to three additional years. To renew you must complete the Renewal Application on our online Scholarship Portal and submit the document before 5 p.m. on March 1st. We also require you to submit an unofficial current transcript.

I was awarded a Scholarship, when do I receive those funds?

Scholarship notification letters go out to applicants in early May by email. If you applied for a Scholarship you should hear no later than May 15^th about the status of your application. If you are the recipient of a Grays Harbor Community Foundation Scholarship, you will receive access to the document titled “Student Agreement Form” along with your notification letter. In that document you will be asked to provide information on the college or university you will be attending in the fall. Checks are mailed out directly to your college or university usually in early August and can take varying amounts of time before they are applied to your student account.

Can I defer a new or renewal if I have to take a break during my schooling?

Yes. You are allowed to defer your scholarship award for one year. If you are awarded a scholarship and do not utilize it for two or more years, you will no longer be eligible to receive the award and will need to fill out a new scholarship application.

What if I change my mind about the college or university I am going to?

If you are the recipient of a Scholarship Award (new or renewal), the information on how to access your Student Agreement Form will be sent out with the notification letter from the Grays Harbor Community Foundation. You will indicate on the Student Agreement Form where you are planning to attend, and your scholarship funds will be sent directly to the college/university.

If you change your mind about which college or university you will be attending, and have already submitted your Student Agreement Form, please contact us to find out if your funds have already been sent to your school. You will be responsible for contacting the school to request the funds be returned to the Grays Harbor Community Foundation, as well as providing us with the new college or university you plan to change to. Please note that changes after funds have been disbursed may cause significant delays in funding being applied to your student account.

How do I apply for a grant?

The first step would be to read through our guidelines and application to make sure you are eligible to receive a grant. If you read through these materials and wish to proceed you must fill out a complete application online and submit it electronically. Check the Application Due Date page for dates based on the application you plan to submit. The link to the online application, instructions and guidelines can be found here. The Foundation’s Grants Committee reviews all the applications and makes their recommendations on awards to the Board of Directors. Once the Board of Directors has accepted the recommendations the staff will notify you of their decision.

How do I know if I’m eligible for a grant?

To be eligible for a grant you must be a charitable organization (i.e. 501c3, 501c9, school district, city, or other charitable entity). The Grants Committee is more likely to make awards for projects that fall within our Guiding Document “Giving Priorities” so it would be in the best interest of your organization to closely tie your projects to one or more of these areas of interest. All grant funded projects must be for public benefit, and not restricted by membership or payment.

What are the deadlines for Grants?

The deadline for all grant materials is no later than 5 p.m. on the date listed for the Grant Award type, as noted on the Applicate Due Date page. We do not accept late applications.

What is the turnaround time on a Grant Application?

The turnaround time on Grant Application submissions is fairly quick. The Grants Committee first reviews all requests and makes a recommendation to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors meets every month. Maximum turnaround time would be 6 weeks, most of the time it is much shorter.

What can I use the Grant Funding for?

Grant Funding can be used to cover gaps in other funding sources, continue or expand a successful program, purchase equipment or upgrade infrastructure and much more. If you are uncertain whether your need can be funded by a Grays Harbor Community Foundation Grant, please feel free to contact our office at info@gh-cf.org or 360-532-1600.

I received a Grant Award-what do I have to do now?

Once you are approved, you will receive a grant agreement form that will need to be signed and returned to the Foundation before funding will be dispersed. You will also need to complete a final project report or update if your project is not yet completed, within 6 months of your award date through our online grant portal in order to receive funding in the future.

What is the minimum/maximum I can request?

The Foundation typically reviews Community Building Grant requests between $5,000 and $30,000. However, any requests outside of that range can be discussed with our office prior to submittal to ensure they are reasonable. Sometimes smaller requests can be accomplished through other avenues and larger requests may need additional information to be considered. Contact us at info@gh-cf.org or 360-532-1600.

My nonprofit has an emergency funding need, what should I do?

Although under normal circumstances the Grays Harbor Community Foundation only entertains requests for funding through our Grants cycles, there are exceptions to every rule. If you feel your organization has an emergency funding need that cannot wait until the next Grants cycle, please contact our office for further discussion.

I want to start my own Nonprofit, what are the first steps?

Please contact the Grays Harbor Community Foundation office and speak with our office. We have many contacts and resources that may be offered which are specific to particular mission and processes.

If I applied for a Grant recently and was denied, can I apply again?

Yes! Most of the grant applications denied by the Grants Committee are not because they don’t believe in the organization or the project/program they are seeking funding for, but the proposal is simply underdeveloped. Our office will be more than happy to work with you and your team on improving the proposal if you wish to resubmit, or even if you do not. We can meet with you to provide feedback from the Grants Committee or offer suggestions on ways to further develop your application so as to satisfy whatever concerns the committee may have had. However, if the reason the application was denied was a lack of fit with our “Giving Priorities” reapplying may prove unsuccessful.

How often can I apply for a Grant?

An organization is welcome to apply for funding for projects or programs once annually. If you are planning on applying for the same project or program on an annual basis, our current policy states that we are more likely to consider applications from organizations for the same project once every three years to avoid being a consistent part of the budget of any one project or program.

Who can make donations to the Grays Harbor Community Foundation?

Anyone that wishes to support the county of Grays Harbor, a nonprofit organization in Grays Harbor, or benefit the residents of Grays Harbor may make a donation.

How can I make a donation?

A donation can be made through sending a check to the Foundation with a note explaining what you would like done with it, i.e. noting the fund you want to support, or the area of interest to support. Larger donations for perpetual benefit should be made after a consultation with the Executive Director so that we can understand your intent and then develop the legally required documentation to provide for the continued support of your wishes. You can also make donations through our online donation page here.

Can I make a donation through my estate or my will?

It is easy to leave a portion of your estate to the Community Foundation for a particular purpose. Contact us to develop an agreement describing your intentions. Then specify in your will that you wish to give X% or X dollars to the Grays Harbor Community Foundation. When notified, the Foundation staff will begin to execute the agreement.

Are my donations tax deductible?

Yes, donations to the Grays Harbor Community Foundation are tax deductible. Please consult with your tax professional for deductibility amounts based on your income.

What can be accepted as a donation?

We accept gifts made through our online portal, or gifts of cash or check sent to our office; we also accept stocks and/or bonds, as well as real property. Please contact our staff to discuss any unique donation scenarios. We do not accept automobiles, boats, recreational vehicles, etc.

What is the “required documentation” needed for a Large or Perpetual Donation?

The documentation for a larger donation for perpetual benefit is an acceptance letter composed of three parts:

• The agreement – defining and describing purpose of the gift
• Funding details – the description of the gift (cash, check, stocks, etc.)
• Fund details – a description of the process for execution of the donors wishes and intentions

Could my gift be declined?

Yes, a gift may be declined if the Board of Directors of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation determine that:

• The intentions of the donor are not in compliance with IRS regulations governing charitable donations or Community Foundations.
• The intentions of the donor are not reasonable and/or beneficial to Grays Harbor County or its residents.
• The gift is not adequate to accomplish the wishes of the donor.

The Executive Director and/or Board of Directors can potentially work with you to find the right home for a gift that is not a good fit for the Grays Harbor Community Foundation. Our goal is to help you be philanthropic and we will do all we can to assist you in that activity.