The Kinsman Foundation supports:

Historic Preservation

We identified our primary interest in this area as architectural preservation — the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction of historic buildings, structures, and related sites. Most of the projects we fund involve buildings that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing resource in a historic district.

We will continue to consider grants for historic preservation activities, including those beyond architectural preservation, as a secondary interest. Historic Preservation grants are budgeted for approximately 40% of our total grants.

Applications for Historic Preservation grants over $5,000 must be submitted by August 1st of each year to qualify. These grants are decided in September and are scheduled for distribution in November. Inquiries for grants of less than $5,000 are processed throughout the year, and there is no application deadline. Small grant applications will generally require 6-8 weeks to review.

Wildlife Rehabilitation

Native wildlife rehabilitation is the focus of this interest, and is almost exclusively limited to nonprofits managed by state- and federally-licensed wildlife rehabilitators. These programs offer urgent care of injured and orphaned wildlife native to Oregon and Washington.  We do not intend these grants to include policy, research, preservation or protection of wildlife habitat.

A small portion of our native wildlife budget is reserved for wildlife appreciation projects or programs that offer the general public opportunities to observe and appreciate the natural world. These activities will:

• promote individuals’ stewardship of native wildlife and its natural habitat

• enable people to understand and minimize their impact on the Earth

• promote responsible enjoyment of wildlife in recreational settings.

Wildlife Rehabilitation grants are budgeted for approximately 15% of our total grants. Applications for Wildlife Rehabilitation grants larger than $5,000 must be submitted by August 1st of each year to qualify. These grants are scheduled for distribution in November. Inquiries for grants of less than $5,000 are processed throughout the year, and there is no application deadline. Small grant applications will generally require 6-8 weeks to review.

First-time applicants to the Small Grants Program are rarely awarded more than $5,000.

Betty Kinsman Fund

This Fund is a part of our general grantmaking activities, and celebrates Betty’s affection for literary arts, theater, and photography. Because we are a small foundation, we see our role as supporting smaller organizations and companies, and in larger urban areas, alternate or secondary ones.

The characteristics we evaluate for these activities, performances, projects and programs include:

• celebrating the excellence of an individual artist

• promoting one of the arts disciplines listed above

• offering an artistic experience directed to the general public

• exhibiting professional quality

• including a public presentation of artistic work

• emphasizing innovation or excellence in presentation

The Fund does not expect to make grants for:

• physical improvements to performance or exhibition spaces

• fairs and festivals

• arts education

• activities directed to specialty audiences

• hobbies or personal enrichment activities

• commercial museums or galleries

Our Betty Kinsman Fund grants support theatre, literary and photographic arts grantees. Although all proposals will be considered, we do not anticipate awarding grants to new or previous grantees in other disciplines*.

The Betty Kinsman Fund is expected to distribute approximately 35% of our total grants. Applications for grants from The Betty Kinsman Fund must be completed by February 15 of each year to qualify. These grants are awarded in April for distribution after June.