The Kitsap Community Foundation is a tax-exempt, independent and publicly-supported philanthropic organization, organized and operated primarily as a permanent collection of endowed funds. Income from the investment of these funds provides long-term benefits to Kitsap County and its residents through creative advocacy and grant making activities.

Funding Sources - How You May Help

The Kitsap Community Foundation seeks contributions of permanent endowment from a wide range of donors who are generally indigenous to the area and provides services to assist those donors in fulfilling their philanthropic interests. A community foundation generally encourages donors to make unrestricted gifts in order to build a flexible, permanent endowment.

Using earnings from invested assets, the Kitsap Community Foundation functions primarily as a grant-making institution supporting a broad range of charitable activities that creatively address emerging and changing community needs. It provides leadership on pervasive community problems by serving as a facilitator, convenor, or mediator around significant community issues and provides technical advice to area not-for-profit agencies.

The Kitsap Community Foundation has an independent governing body representing the broad interests of the community, with members serving limited terms without compensation. The Foundation is not controlled or influenced by other organizations, government units, or charities. It adheres to a sense of "community" that overrides interests and objectives of any particular individuals or groups.

Kitsap Community Foundation-managed funds are invested to preserve the value of substantially all of the contributions received as permanent assets of the organization. Annual audits are performed and investment management undergoes periodic review by the governing body to ensure a reasonable rate of return on all funds entrusted to the foundation.

A common governing instrument covers all gifts and funds, including a "variance power" to modify the use of restricted funds if such restrictions become unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment, or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the Kitsap community.