Centralia Community Foundation

About Centralia Community Foundation

A $92,000 program-support grant to Historic Fox Theatre Restorations stands out in Centralia Community Foundation’s recent giving. That gift shows how the foundation pairs place-based community investment with projects that shape local identity, while also backing education, career pathways, and emergency response. Its public charity structure and $104,000 in annual grants place it in a modest-giving profile, but the activity described here reaches across schools, neighborhood projects, and community supports. The foundation’s grantmaking is organized around initiatives rather than a long list of open-ended awards. In schools, it supports district-linked work such as college and career counselors, classroom resources, and student services. In community relief, it has used a designated fund for rapid-response purchases and local aid during COVID-19. It also funds career-readiness efforts that connect residents to training and workforce pathways, along with early learning work for pre-K access and kindergarten readiness. Another recent award, $12,000 to United Way of Lewis County for program support, reflects the foundation’s attention to nearby community organizations serving Centralia and the surrounding area. Across these efforts, the common thread is local investment tied to specific projects, partnerships, and measurable community needs.

What Centralia Community Foundation Funds

Education is a core theme. Through its Schools of Excellence and related education initiatives, Centralia Community Foundation supports K-12 outcomes with teaching quality, curriculum supports, student services, and classroom resources. The foundation has also backed college and career readiness tools such as Naviance, Chromebooks, and counseling support for Centralia students. Workforce development is another clear focus. The Career Pathways Initiative funds career training and partnerships that connect residents to vocational education and job pathways, especially in Centralia and Lewis County. Early learning appears as a separate line of work. The Early Learning Initiative is aimed at expanding pre-K access and kindergarten readiness through partnerships that offer free or sliding-scale early learning for families. Community relief is part of the portfolio as well. The COVID-19 Relief Fund supported rapid-response purchases, including sanitizer for schools and testing technology for a hospital.

How Centralia Community Foundation Gives