The Oregon Community Foundation has distributed $394,562 in funding to 18 Central Oregon nonprofit organizations through its community grants program, which supports livability.

“The projects receiving support from OCF are as diverse as the Central Oregon communities we serve,” said Oregon Community Foundation board member Vanessa Wilkins, who lives in Central Oregon. “Taken together, these nonprofit partners help build a sense of belonging for all Oregonians, whether that’s through therapy for kids, adaptive outdoor sports or small-town community centers.”

Among the organizations that received grants this winter are the Boys and Girls Club of Bend, Central Oregon Community College, Children’s Forest of Central Oregon, Crook County Foundation, Jefferson County Library District, Oregon Adaptive Sports and Treehouse Therapies Associates.

“We are very grateful to the Oregon Community Foundation for (its) support of our new clinic in Sisters… (Its) commitment to our community is making it possible for us to expand access to pediatric physical, occupational and behavioral health therapy services for children with special needs in Central Oregon,” said Treehouse Therapies Executive Director Allison Cusick.

Each organization plans to use the money for programs that directly benefit the community, making Central Oregon a more vibrant and inclusive place to live, Oregon Community Foundation said in a release. The City of Antelope plans to use its $30,000 award to support the restoration of the Antelope School Community Center.

“The restoration of the Antelope School Community Center is more than just preserving a building; it’s about safeguarding a vital piece of our town’s history and heritage … Already filled with cherished memories, this building will now have the opportunity to inspire and host even more meaningful moments for the community in the years to come,” said Sarah Hartenstein, community center director.

Statewide, Oregon Community Foundation distributed 248 grants for nearly $5.8 million.

Combined with grants awarded by the organization in the spring, it has distributed $11.1 million in grant funding for organizations across Oregon in 2024.

The Oregon Community Foundation has also announced information about its spring 2025 cycle of grant funding. During this round, the foundation will prioritize rural organizations that serve communities of 35,000 people or fewer, and that have operating expenses less than $250,000. The foundation will give preference to culturally specific organizations that aim to create inclusivity.

The full list of grants:

Boys and Girls Club of Bend, to convert the site supervisor role to a year-round position, $20,000

Central Oregon Community College, for the automotive technician training program in Warm Springs, $30,000

Children’s Forest of Central Oregon for Vámonos Outside to expand program staff, $25,000

City of Antelope, to support the restoration of the Antelope School Community Center, $30,000

Crook County Foundation, to expand digital access for Crook County scholarships and food access for low-income households, $15,000

Heart of Oregon Corps, Inc., to expand programming for youth experiencing disabilities, $15,000

Jefferson County Library District, to expand online library accessibility, $14,562

KIDS Center in Bend, to purchase and equip a mobile child abuse evaluation clinic, $25,000

Mosaic Community Health, to establish a pharmacy in the Redmond Health Center, $30,000

Opportunity Foundation of Central Oregon, to renovate a classroom at the Redmond facility, $20,000

Oregon Adaptive Sports, to support the expansion of adaptive snowsports, cycling, and mountain biking programs, $25,000

Oregon Child Abuse Solutions, to develop a new training and workforce development program for Oregon’s Children’s Advocacy Centers, $20,000

Sherman County Soil & Water Conservation District, to expand conservation awareness programming, $25,000

Society of St.Vincent De Paul of La Pine, to build an accessible shower facility, $20,000

The BEAM school in Bend, to expand after school programming for K-5 students, $20,000

Treehouse Therapies Associates, to renovate the Sisters therapy clinic, $20,000

Volunteers in Medicine Clinic of the Cascades, to hire and train a pharmacy technician, $20,000

Wheeler County Community School, to expand afterschool and community education programming, $20,000