More than two dozen arts and culture organizations in Clallam and Jefferson counties, including the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, Port Townsend Film Festival and Jefferson County Historical Society, will receive unrestricted funding through a statewide grant program that distributed $10 million.
The Community Accelerator Grant, administered by Seattle-based ArtsFund and funded by Allen Family Philanthropies, awarded grants ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 to 930 organizations across Washington. For the first time in the program’s three-year history, awardees represent all 39 counties.
Twenty-six organizations in Clallam and Jefferson counties received an average of $13,318 each.
The funding is designed to be flexible, allowing nonprofits to put the money toward their most pressing needs, including programming, salaries and facility expenses.
Arts center
At the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, communications director Rachel Storck said the funding will go directly toward program operations and staff capacity — investments she says ripple out into the community.
“Last year we connected more than 8,000 people to the arts, supported over 400 artists in exhibiting and selling work, welcomed more than 30,000 visits to the sculpture park, and engaged thousands of students through free field trips and education programs,” Storck said. “This grant will enable us to continue offering those opportunities at free or affordable rates for people who might not otherwise have access.”
Storck added that with nearly 60 percent of the local school district population living at or below the poverty line, prioritizing free youth programming has become central to the center’s mission.
“We just want to express our deep gratitude for this grant,” she said. “It really means a lot to our small nonprofit and directly impacts what we’re able to accomplish.”
“This community-driven model now supports nearly a thousand organizations and the impact of their creative work, helping to make our local communities more vibrant and healthy,” said Lara Littlefield, executive director of Allen Family Philanthropies.
Since its pilot in 2023, the Community Accelerator Grant has awarded a total of $30 million to Washington’s arts and culture sector. According to ArtsFund, nearly three-quarters of this year’s grantees operate on annual budgets less than $500,000 — a sign of the need for low-barrier funding among smaller organizations, particularly in rural areas.
Michael Greer, president and CEO of ArtsFund, said unrestricted grants allow nonprofits to focus on their missions without being constrained by narrow funding rules.
“Having access to well-resourced arts organizations in every community impacts livability for all Washingtonians — from economic opportunities to social cohesion and connection,” Greer said. “We are proud to support Washington arts and culture organizations and the multi-faceted impacts they make in their region.”
The program’s reach has grown each year. In 2023, 671 groups received funding, followed by 811 in 2024. This year’s 930 recipients represent the largest slate yet, with 19 percent being first-time grantees.
Arts and culture organizations report that for every $1 they receive through the program, they expect to generate an additional $2.70 in revenue — a potential $27 million impact from this year’s round of funding.
The investment comes as Washington’s creative sector continues to play a major role in the state economy, contributing $79 billion annually to the gross domestic product. Yet, public arts funding in the state still falls 57 percent behind the national average, according to ArtsFund’s Livability Impact Study of the Arts.
Storck noted that, in addition to using the grant funds to sustain programming, the fine arts center is launching its September membership drive and preparing for its annual fundraiser, an art auction and cocktail party scheduled for Sept. 12.
A full list of 2025 grant recipients is available at ArtsFund.org.
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Reporting intern Allora Walls is a student at Peninsula College. She can be reached by email at allora.walls@peninsuladailynews.com.
