North Bend, OR – The Coquille Tribal Community Fund,
a foundation established by the Coquille Indian Tribe to
support nonprofit organizations in Coos, Curry, Douglas,
Jackson and Lane counties, announced today that the pool
of available funding for their next grantmaking cycle will
be $234,264.00. Applications are presently being sought
from qualified organizations by the October 31, 2003 proposal
deadline.
The Fund emphasizes projects in the areas of education,
health, public safety, arts and culture, problem gaming
treatment/prevention and historic preservation. In January
2003, grants totaling $80,000 were awarded to fifteen different
organizations, including Little Theatre on the Bay, the
City of North Bend Municipal Pool, SWOYA Boys & Girls' Club,
BACAPA and Coos River S.T.E.P.
"The Coquille Tribal Community Fund allows us to
lend substantial support to substantial projects," remarked
Michele Burnette, Chairperson of the Fund's Board
of Trustees. "Having a formalized grant process helps
us identify projects which will achieve the greatest impact
and the strongest long-term results." Burnette added
that this year's funding pool—based on a
percentage of revenues from The Mill Casino • Hotel—has
again increased over previous years. "We would
encourage any group in the region whose goals are in line
with the Fund's priorities to apply," she concluded.
"Support from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund
has extended our reach considerably," said Amy Prouty,
Executive Director of the SMART (Start Making a Reader
Today) program. "We have been fortunate enough to
receive grant funding each year from the Fund—this
past year's grant has allowed us to broaden our service
area into Reedsport. There's a strong commitment
by the Trustees to youth and to education, and we're
seeing the results through the children in our program."
Information
packets for the Coquille Tribal Community Fund are available
by contacting the Fund Administrator at communityfund@themillcasino.com,
or by phone at 541.756.8800 or 800.953.4800, extension
515. A detailed letter of inquiry is required before
a qualified agency is invited to submit a complete application,
so applicants are urged to act promptly to allow themselves
sufficient time for proposal preparation. Grant applications
must be received by no later than October 31, 2003, and
awards are anticipated to be announced in January, 2004.
The Coquille Tribal Community
Fund reflects the commitment of the Coquille Indian Tribe
to take a proactive, positive role in the well-being of
the community. Collectively, the Tribe is the second-largest
employer in Coos County, Oregon, managing not only The
Mill Casino • Hotel but also
business ventures in assisted living, organic cranberry
farming and telecommunications.
