It's that time of year! BCF's Community Grants Cycle (CGC) is open for Island residents to support causes that matter most to them. This year, 65 of the 68 applicants were approved, resulting in over $600,000 in requests—which is the largest number of applications and funding requests BCF has ever received.

Proposals include supporting mental health services and counseling for vulnerable populations, expanding creative education for youth through arts and cultural activities, and providing childcare tuition assistance for low-income families. Every request fulfills a community need within the sectors of arts and culture, animal welfare, education, environment, recreation, health, housing, and human services.

Community Grants Cycle Process

Now is the time for our community to come together and support these worthy applications through BainbridgeGives.org. You can be confident that the proposals you support have been thoroughly vetted and approved by 53 dedicated volunteers from our community.

We hope you'll join us!

In our 2022 Annual Report, we focused on the "why" behind all that we do. In each section, you'll find a detailed description of our work and the impact we believe it has on our community. Please join us in celebrating our nonprofits and learning more about how we help support the essential work that keeps us all enjoying a high quality of life on Bainbridge Island.

If you haven't received a copy in the mail, and would like one, please email Dana Binnendijk at dana@bainbridgecf.org. You can also access the report on our website here, or you can swing by our office at 299 Madison Avenue to pick up some copies. We love visitors.

We hope to see you soon!

BCF's State of the Sector Report: In Progress

In previous versions of the State of the Sector report, BCF took results of the Annual Nonprofit Survey and conducted deeper analysis based on the findings. This year, BCF researched a variety of frameworks—many that used the World Health Organization as a foundation—and conducted focus groups to help define the characteristics of a sustainable and supportive community. BCF has organized its Nonprofit Survey and forthcoming State of the Sector report around the following framework:

During BCF's Sector Gathering discussions in February, two more characteristics were identified as missing from this framework. They will be added to the research in this report, and will become part of the framework next year:

• Economic Opportunity: Ability to find employment that matches the cost of living in this community
• Access to Justice: Fair and equal access to justice and legal services

In the report, each of these ten characteristics will be explored using local, state, and national data. Stay tuned to learn more about this forthcoming report.

Program Design Course at BCF

David Harrison, BCF Board Member and University of Washington Senior Lecturer Emeritus, is teaching a four-unit mini-course on Nonprofit Program Design. The mini-course, which is taking place at BCF from 3-6PM in the first four Mondays in May, is derived from the graduate level course that Harrison taught for several years at the U.W. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance.

BCF is offering this course to nonprofit professionals for free, where they are focusing on every aspect of how to strengthen existing programs or develop new programs in a way that will best serve our community.

BCF and Northern Trust were pleased to host professional advisors from more than half a dozen firms on Wednesday, May 3 to learn about Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) and planned giving opportunities at BCF. The group started at Northern Trust offices for a reception and then ventured over to the Seattle Art Museum for a private tour of the exhibits. Thanks to everyone involved, it was so great to connect over food and art!

As we all emerge from a busy tax season, your attention may be turning to estate and financial planning. Like us, you may also be watching and wondering how the Internal Revenue Service's increased budget may affect your charitable giving plans. IRS upgrades will likely mean more in terms of attention, oversight, and audits.

Bainbridge Community Foundation is an ideal partner for your charitable giving ambitions, and will be able to provide the precise tax documentation and compliance that the IRS expects. By offering donors fully-vetted grantee organizations, plus gift execution, documentation and compliance services, those who have established DAFs, Area of Interest Funds, or Designated Funds at BCF can rest more easily knowing that their philanthropy is being handled as intended and will be able to withstand questioning.

Please contact your financial advisor for more information, and we look forward to working with you.