Fall 2011 Grant Awards

On November 18, 2011, the Foundation awarded $111,748.32 to Kern County nonprofits focused on improving downtown Bakersfield. This included groups devoted to beautification, the environment, historical preservation, public art and public safety.

Individual Grant Recipients and the monetary awards they received:

• Arts Council of Kern: $10,000

• Bakersfield Art Association: $500 and $2,500

• Bakersfield Museum of Art/Bakersfield Art Foundation: $8,000

• Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra: $1,000

• Boys and Girls Club of Kern County: $5,000

• Boy Scouts of America: $10,000

• Fix Your Pit: $5,000

• Foundation for Christmas Around the World: $1,500

• Fox Theater Foundation: $16,000

• Girl Scouts 100^th Anniversary Gift to Bakersfield Committee: $750

• Greater Bakersfield Green Expo: $2,500

• Independent Living Center of Kern County: $1,269

• Keep Bakersfield Beautiful: $5,000 and $10,450

• Kern County Museum Foundation: $11,053

• Spotlight Theater Foundation: $12,000

• Tree Foundation of Kern: $9,226.32

Spring 2011 Grant Awards

On May 17, 2011, the Foundation awarded $61,693.02 to Tehachapi-area nonprofits working in the arts, historic preservation and the environment.

Individual Grant Recipients and the monetary awards they received:

• American Lung Association in California: $1,500

• The Arts, Science and Technology Education Corp. of Tehachapi: $2,300

• Friends of the Tehachapi Depot/Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum: $5,000

• Have a Heart Humane Society: $3,000

• National Chavez Center/Stonybrook Corp.: $3,000

• Rotary Club of Tehachapi: $2,300

• Tehachapi Community Orchestra: $5,000

• Tehachapi Community Theater Association: $12,000

• Tehachapi Heritage League: $3,497.02

• Tehachapi Mountain Foundation: $10,000

• Tehachapi Mountain Rodeo Foundation: $5,000

• Tehachapi Pops (T-POPS) Orchestra: $3,500

• Tehachapi Wind Museum: $5,596

Previous Grant Awards

November 16, 2010: The Foundation awarded $45,025.90 to Kern County non-profits involved with early childhood literacy.

From CEO (and Foundation Board Member) Richard Beene’s blog, Bakersfield Observed: A blog for and about Bakersfield ... life, media, politics and people.

Thursday, December 2, 2010:

 * ... TBC FOUNDATION:
Seven local non-profits have been selected by The Bakersfield Californian Foundation for monetary grants. Among those receiving funds were the Ready to Start reading program ($15,000); Here's Inner City Life, Bakersfield, a division of Campus Crusade for Christ, Inc. ($5,945.90); Society for Disabled Children ($5,000); Arts Council of Kern ($5,000); Garden Pathways ($5,068); Community Action Partnership of Kern ($6,012), and the Kern County Library, ($3,000).

The Foundation is not part of the newspaper but is run by publisher Ginger Moorhouse and vice president Tracey Cowenhoven. It is operated as a separate entity. This current grant cycle [Fall, 2010] focused on funding non-profit programs involved with early childhood literacy.

The Bakersfield Californian Foundation recently distributed grants totaling more than $81,400 to local nonprofit organizations in support of its mission to promote arts and educational programs throughout the city.

The family foundation, which operates independently of the newspaper, received about 40 grant applications throughout March and notified the recipients after a May 25 meeting of its board members, foundation administrator Kaarin Simpson said.

Foundation President Ginger Moorhouse, who also serves as the publisher and chairman of The Californian, said the privately funded nonprofit entity was established to build on the legacy of her great-grandfather, Alfred Harrell, who championed community philanthropy during his tenure as owner of the newspaper in the early 1900s.

The foundation has supported local groups for more than 25 years.

"It strengthens our community and promotes our quality of life," Moorhouse said."The goal is to make our corner of the world a better place for everyone."

Read full story and view complete list of recipients.

The grant money awarded to the Bakersfield SPCA allowed some 8 - 11 year old kids to get camperships to attend the first years' Kids and Critters Day Camp at the Bakersfield SPCA. Many of the Kids would not have been able to attend otherwise. A week long Day camp offered a basic introduction to Responsible Pet Ownership for Kids, 8 - 11 years of age. They enjoyed many daily activities including feeding the SPCA shelter animals, Socializing shelter dogs, Tips on grooming, first aid for pets and veterinary services. Attached are 3 photos showing the kids getting the food bowls ready to do a Daily feeding, picking out their companion dog for the week and wearing their SPCA Day Camp T-Shirt along with their hand crafted marionette dog puppets. Four weekly sessions were offered this inaugural year with high hopes for more next year.