DAYTON–Seven area nonprofits in Walla Walla, Milton-Freewater and here will receive Sherwood Trust Spring Impact Awards totaling $80,000, according to CEO Brian Hunt.

Sherwood Trust Impact Grants are designed to support smaller-budget projects of $20,000 or less that advance Sherwood Trust’s mission that everyone in the Walla Walla Valley has a sense of belonging and contributes to a thriving region.

Impact Grants are awarded in the spring and the fall. Up to $120,000 will be available for this year’s Fall Impact Grant cycle, Hunt said. Sherwood Trust Core Grants support larger-budget initiatives and will be announced in June, he said.

Spring Impact Grants support nonprofits in Dayton, Milton-Freewater, College Place and Walla Walla on a range of public-serving initiatives:

• The Port of Columbia will receive $20,000 to support design and engineering for the Port’s Dayton Community Broadband initiative that is working to bring fast, reliable broadband access to greater Dayton. Learn more about the project at https://www.portofcolumbia.org/economic-development/broadband/

• The Milton Freewater Neighborhood Senior Center will receive $20,000 to support its kitchen renovation project. The Senior Center serves meals and provides social opportunities for Milton Freewater seniors.

• Ink-Out in Walla Walla will receive $15,000 to support its tattoo-removal program. Ink-Out currently operates from the The Health Center in Walla Walla. It is open to anyone wishing to remove tattoos, and primarily serves former gang members who want to be rid related permanent markings.

• The Milton Freewater Downtown Alliance will receive $10,000 to support Freewater Square, a community project that is repurposing an underutilized area in Old Town Freewater into a year-round, intergenerational community activity center, business incubator and gathering space. More information is available at https://m-f.town/organizations/milton-freewater-downtown-alliance

• Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho will receive $7,500 to support a mobile health clinic serving Walla Walla area Latinx communities.

• Plus Delta After School Studios will receive $5,000 to support the club’s teen activity program. Plus Delta serves Dayton area school-aged youth with educational programs and activities. Learn more about Plus Delta at https://www.theclubdayton.org

• College Place EAA Young Eagles Chapter 604 will receive $2,500 to support its computer needs. EAA Young Eagles provides area youth ages 8-17 a free opportunity to fly and learn in a general aviation airplane. You can learn more about the program at https://chapters.eaa.org/eaa604/young-eagles

Sherwood Trust is a private, placed-based foundation that supports capacity-building to ensure that everyone in the Walla Walla Valley has a sense of belonging and contributes to a thriving region. Founded in 1991 to continue the legacy of Donald and Virginia Sherwood’s efforts to make the Walla Walla Valley a better place, it has invested more than $32 million to strengthen nonprofits and improve communities here. For more information, visit http://www.sherwoodtrust.org.