Ben B. Cheney Foundation Grant

The Ben B. Cheney Foundation Grant supports community improvement projects in areas where Mr. Cheney's lumber company operated. Focused on one-time project grants, the foundation emphasizes sustainability and local support. Eligible applicants include public charities and government units primarily in Washington, Oregon, and California. The foundation prioritizes projects that invest in long-lasting community needs and demonstrate innovative solutions.

The Ben B. Cheney Foundation makes grants in the communities where Mr. Cheney’s lumber company operated.
Within those communities, the Foundation will respond to a wide variety of requests. The Foundation’s main goal is to support efforts that help to improve the quality of life in those communities.
Type of Grant
The Foundation is open to a wide variety of programs serving the communities where we give. We prefer to focus on project grants rather than ongoing operating support.
A project has three distinguishing features:

• A specific time period with a beginning and an end,Specific accomplishments for the project, and

A specific budget that outlines both what resources the organization needs to achieve the stated accomplishments and where the organization plans to obtain those resources.
Project Grants
Project grants are generally given on a one-time basis. The Foundation will evaluate an organization's plans for sustaining the impact of project grants, especially those for program expansion or starting new programs. That evaluation will include these questions:

• Are there identified sources of support capable of sustaining the program?
• Is the organization committed to a strategy to gain those sources of support?
• Does the project plan include activities towards gaining that sustainability?

While the Foundation understands that fund raising is a part of many organizations' budgets, we feel that this approach allows us to respond to needs that go above and beyond the annual operating budget. As a result, projects for one-time capital or equipment needs often gain priority.
Through this approach the Foundation is able to make grants to a number of first time grantees every year.
Program Areas
The Foundation organizes its grant making into eight categories. They are displayed here for information purposes only. The Foundation does not budget to categories in advance and grant seekers are not required to apply by category.
Charity - Programs providing for basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing.
Civic - Programs improving the quality of life in a community as a whole such as museums and recreation facilities.
Culture - Programs encompassing the arts.
Education - Programs supporting capital projects and scholarships, primarily for six pre-selected colleges and universities with a record of service to Pierce County.
Elderly - Programs serving the social, health, recreational, and other needs of older people.
Health - Programs related to providing health care.
Social Services - Programs serving people with physical or mental disabilities or other special needs.
Youth - Programs helping young people to gain the skills needed to become responsible and productive adults.

Eligibility

General Eligibility

The Foundation generally limits it grants to public charities. That means the Internal Revenue Service has recognized an organization under 501 (c) (3) and also found that it is a public charity under 509 (a) (1) or (2). Organizations that received their public charity status as supporting organizations under 509 (a) (3) should call our office to discuss eligibility.
Units of government may be eligible depending upon the nature of the request.
New programs or associations that operate under the auspices of a fiscal sponsor must have that sponsor apply on their behalf.The Foundation is open to a wide variety of programs serving the communities where we give. Where we fund: Washington
The Foundation's primary giving area is Pierce County. The Foundation will also consider grant requests from communities insouthwest Washington; the Olympic Peninsula (Thurston, Mason, Jefferson, and Clallam counties); and Kitsap County.Oregon
The Foundation's primary giving area is Medford/Jackson County. The Foundation also makes a few grants in Grants Pass/Josephine County. California
The Foundation's giving includes the counties highlighted. The Foundation looks specifically at communities where Mr. Cheney's lumber company operated.

Ineligibility

While the Foundation will respond to a wide variety of projects, there are limitations. The Foundation generally does not make grants to:Support general operating budgets or annual campaignsSponsorships for fund raising eventsProjects which are supplanting tax funded expendituresReligious organizations for sectarian purposesBasic researchEndowment fundsIndividualsProduce books, films or videosConferences, seminars, or attendance at sameIndividual students or student groups raising money for school-related trips