Submitted by Puget Sound Energy
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our local communities, the Puget Sound Energy Foundation has revised its standard grant program to allow more organizations to apply with a broader range of qualifying funding requests. This has been a challenging time for Puget Sound Energy customers and communities, and the PSE Foundation is seeking to provide more flexible support for organizations that are stepping up to help.
“We know this is a great time of need for the communities we serve and the organizations that support them,” said PSE Foundation Chairman and President Andy Wappler. “We are living our value to do what’s right and helping how we can.”
The PSE Foundation, which is a nonprofit entity operating independently of PSE but helps the communities PSE services, will provide grants totaling $400,000 before the end of this year in response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonprofit and public charity organizations located within PSE’s 16 county service and operation areas (Chelan, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Garfield, Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Pierce, Snohomish, Skagit, Thurston, and Whatcom counties) can apply for a grant to be selected through a competitive process; deadlines are Aug. 31 and Oct. 1 with funding awarded in October and December respectively. Applicants applying prior to the Aug. 31 deadline will automatically be considered in both rounds of funding.
The program will be seeking to fund programs and/or services to ensure community members have access to shelter, food, or personal protection equipment (PPE). Funding will also be considered for organizations that provide these critical services or programs to community members so they can continue to keep doors open by funding deep cleaning expenses, equipment, PPE or other mandated health and safety requirements.
Together, the PSE Foundation and PSE have already contributed more than $1.3 million towards mitigating impacts of COVID-19 across PSE’s service area communities.
The Puget Sound Energy Foundation is dedicated to keeping our communities safe and prepared where PSE serves and operates. The PSE Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates independently of Puget Sound Energy. None of the funds will ever come from PSE’s utility customers.
