Kitsap Community Foundation recently awarded grants through its annual competitive grant process and scholarships from five scholarship funds.

Seven local students were awarded scholarships for the 2013-2014 academic year ranging from $800 to $1,000 in amount.

“With higher-education costs rising at a significant rate, it’s rewarding to be able to provide scholarships to deserving students,” said Kol Medina, the foundation’s executive director.

Scholarships were awarded to the following deserving recipients:

Charles and Dorothy Martell Family Music Scholarship:  Benjamin Jensen, $900. Fred and Marvel Hill Scholarship:  Victor Morgan, $800. Marie A Barker Teaching Scholarship:  Ashley Grimes, $1,000. Nova Group Scholarship:  Adam Burchett, $1,000. Kitsap Children’s Musical Theatre (KCMT) Scholarship:  Katharine Mae Beddoe, Meghan Ottomano, Sheridan Rose Prince, $1,000 each.

In addition to the scholarships, the Foundation gave out a number of grants to local organizations.

Twenty-two of Kitsap County’s nonprofit organizations were pleased to learn they were recipients of grants awarded by the Kitsap Community Foundation. Medina explained that he and the Foundation’s Board of Directors are deeply honored to be able to provide this much-needed funding to local nonprofits.

According to Medina, the Foundation received 106 grant applications, more than twice as many  as the previous year.  Medina said, “Over $460,000 was requested but we were only able to fund about $80,000 worth of grants.  It’s difficult to have to turn down so many deserving grant applications.”

Kitsap Community Foundation is working to build an endowment that does and will support Kitsap County nonprofits forever.  The mission of the Foundation is to improve the community’s quality of life by connecting people who care with causes that matter.

More information is available by calling 360-698-3622 or visiting their website at

www.kitsapfoundation.org.