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Grays Harbor Community Foundation

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Grays Harbor Community Foundation

The Grays Harbor Community Foundation aims to improve the quality of life in communities throughout G

08/26/2026

Looking back on 32 years serving Grays Harbor and the people that got us to where we are today- Jimmy Stewart

James (Jimmy to many) Stewart was born and raised in Aberdeen. His grandparents were among Aberdeen's first settlers. After graduating from Aberdeen High School, Class of 1933, Jim worked in mills, plants and the woods to put himself through Grays Harbor College, the University of Washington followed by the University of Washington School of Law.

He was a decorated U.S. Navy officer and ship captain in both World War II and the Korean War. Jim eventually made his way back home to start his law practice and a family. He served as Montesano School Board Chairman, a St. Joseph's Hospital board member, Grays Harbor Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, and Troop 16 Boy Scout leader. Jim practiced law in Montesano from 1945 into the next century and had interests in the Cedar shake and shingle business and Posey Manufacturing Co. Jim grew and harvested timber and Christmas trees on the family tree farm.

Jim was one of the original Foundation Board members that helped grow and nurture our success. We are lucky enough now to have his son, Bill continue in the family legacy of giving back to Grays Harbor. Bill said his dad would often say that he wanted to give back to the Community from which any success in his life grew.

He added: "In its thirty-two years of overwhelmingly successful philanthropy, his words and hope for the Grays Harbor Community Foundation have proven true."

Long lasting success starts from having the right people In place in the beginning to bring a vision to life. We are grateful to both Jimmy and Bill for helping make Grays Harbor Community Foundation one of the top community foundations in the region.

For more information about the Foundation, visit www.gh-cf.org or contact Executive Director, Eric Potts, at [email protected].

08/24/2026

We are a little over halfway through the year with three more granting cycles to go! Here are some examples of projects that have been funded through our grant programs in 2026. We anticipate awarding another $500,000 plus to deserving Grays Harbor nonprofits and schools before the end of the year!

Apply at www.gh-cf.org and contact Jessica Hoover with questions at www.gh-cf.org.

08/20/2026

Looking back on 32 years serving Grays Harbor and the people that got us to where we are today- Frank Larner

In the spirit of sharing the history of how the Grays Harbor Community Foundation came to be one of the top community foundations in Washington State, we wanted to go all the way back to beginning, to the man with a plan, Frank Larner.

We have spent weeks digging through old boxes of paperwork to come across notes, letters and a beginning vision of what our Foundation could potentially mean to Grays Harbor, and they all have one thing in common- Frank Larner's signature at the bottom.

Frank led as the Chair of the Foundation in an all-volunteer capacity for seven years before we finally hired a paid Executive Director. In those seven years, Frank led the Foundation to $1 Million in assets and the creation of ten funds. His goal was to attract donors to the benefit a community foundation can bring to the table- services to support specific charitable goals and address needs of the community at large.

Frank brought a team together of well-respected leaders in Grays Harbor with a vision that we believe they would all be proud of today, to be the leading source directing charitable support to meet our current and future community needs.

Today, the Grays Harbor Community Foundation holds over 200 funds and over $130 Million in assets. We provide support to our local schools, nonprofits and students with an anticipated giving of over $4 Million this year alone.

Frank Larner spent over 50 years serving Grays Harbor between his roles at the Foundation and other local nonprofits. He was also a partner at Preszler, Larner, Mertz and Co., LLC.

When you go back to the beginning and see how powerful it is when people come together with an idea that actually came to fruition, that is what good leadership is all about. Thirty-two years later, that idea turned out to be a pretty great one. Grays Harbor is better for Frank and his team of people he brought together back in 1994.

When we talk about leaving a lasting legacy, Frank Larner is top of mind. His legacy will continue to serve generations of Harbor residents for many years to come, just as he has hoped it would from the old post it note we uncovered in his handwriting, "Grays Harbor Community Foundation- For Good, For Ever."

For more information about setting up a fund with the Foundation, visit our website at www.gh-cf.org or contact Executive Director, Eric Potts at [email protected]

08/13/2026

Looking back on 32 years serving Grays Harbor and the people that got us to where we are today: Isabelle Lamb

Long before the early 90's when a group of influential Harborites came together with an idea to create a Community Foundation, Isabelle Lamb had already spent decades in Grays Harbor dedicated to education, opportunities for youth and the vitality of business in Grays Harbor.

For many years, her and her husband George led Enterprises International, Inc. and its subsidiaries; traveling the world together doing business. She dedicated her life to her community through philanthropy and public service. She was elected as a Grays Harbor County’s first woman Port Commissioner in 1994, serving until 2004. Often, she was the first or only woman in her endeavors and was a role model and mentor to many, including being the first women to serve on the board for the Grays Harbor Community Foundation.

With Isabelle's leadership, alongside several other influential Grays Harbor individuals, such as Frank Larner. Jim Stewart, Tom Brennan and Ron Caufman, in 1994 the Grays Harbor Community Foundation was formed. By the end of that year, the Foundation had grown to a little over $6,000 in the assets. Fast forward 32 years later, the Foundation has grown to over $130 Million in assets today, because people like Isabelle believed in the power of people coming together to serve your community well.

Isabelle also believed it was important to lead by example and during her lifetime created a Donor Advised Fund that supported many worthy projects over the years, mostly for youth and education. She also created the Lamb Family Scholarship that supports a Hoquiam High School graduate that shows outstanding character as well as academic achievement.

We believe it is important to honor the people that helped get us to where we are today, including board members and donors who led with the belief that Grays Harbor is special, and our residents deserve a thriving community. We will continue to spotlight our community pillars in the coming months as we celebrate our continued growth and success in Grays Harbor.

For more information about setting up a fund with the Foundation, visit our website at www.gh-cf.org or contact Executive Director, Eric Potts at [email protected].

08/03/2026

Are you a Grays Harbor nonprofit or school district with a need of $5,000 or less? Our next quarterly impact grant cycle deadline is approaching, so make sure to get your applications in now!

All Grays Harbor nonprofits and school districts are eligible to apply for one Impact Grant AND one Community Building Grant annually. Visit our website at www.gh-cg.org to apply and contact Jessica Hoover with questions at [email protected].

07/28/2026

A look back at our donors who made where we are today possible: Lyle and Elizabeth Laughead Memorial Scholarship

It is amazing that a rural community Foundation that serves a population of just over 75,000 in Grays Harbor County is one of the top community Foundations in Washington State. holding has $130 Million in assets. This is in thanks to the people over the course of our over 30-year history serving Grays Harbor County that believed in the idea of investing back into the community that has given you so much. Today we continue to thrive thanks to people like Lyle and Elizabeth Laughead.

Lyle Delano Laughead was born on January 11,1930 in Hoquiam to Neil C. and Agnes (Headquest) Laughead. He graduated from Wishkah Valley High School and then attended Grays Harbor College. Lyle was a 1955 graduate of the University of Washington. He married Betty (Elizabeth) Hall in 1978. She passed away in 2000. He began work later that year at the ITT Rayonier Pulp Mill and worked there until his retirement in the 1980’s.

Lyle enjoyed hiking in his younger years. He had been a season Husky football ticket holder since 1960. Reading, listening to music, and doing crossword and Sudoku puzzles were all activities he enjoyed until his passing.

Lyle was a gentle soul who will always be remembered by those who loved him for his gracious and altruistic spirit.

Lyle originally created the Lyle and Elizabeth Laughead Scholarships in memory of his wife, Elizabeth. The scholarships are awarded to students who will attend a four-year college or university. Preference for one of the Laughead Scholarships will be given to graduates of Wishkah High School, if possible, depending on the number of eligible applicants.

A Community Foundation thrives when our people thrive, and thanks to the generosity of the Laugheads, Grays Harbor students are able to achieve their educational dreams each year in honor of their great lives.

To learn more about starting a fund, visit our website at www.gh-cf.org or contact Executive Director, Eric Potts at [email protected].

07/16/2026

It’s a busy week at the Foundation as we are getting ready to send out scholarship checks! Look at all the cool places and programs our local students are off to experience in the fall!

07/07/2026

Last year, ELMA PTA received a grant from the Grays Harbor Community Foundation to replace some old basketball hoops and playground equipment at Elma Elementary School. They recently had them installed and we received this great update from PTA member Ashley Blowers:

"We are incredibly grateful for GHCF's generous support and partnership, which made it possible for Elma Elementary School to install new playground equipment on all of our playgrounds. Having an organization like GHCF that is so dedicated to supporting our community is truly a gift. The Elma PTA can't wait to welcome students back for the 2026–2027 school year and see them enjoying these wonderful new spaces to play, explore, and make memories."

Our next Community Building Grants deadline is October 1st at 5PM. Learn more on our website at www.gh-cf.org or contact Jessica Hoover with questions at [email protected].

06/29/2026

Grays Harbor Community Foundation awards $30,000 in grants

The Grays Harbor Community Foundation is pleased to invest $30,000 into our community through our 2026 3rd Quarter Impact Grants program. Six organizations were awarded with projects ranging from supporting local arts as well as helping to getting local students ready for back to school.

The organizations that were funded through our 2026 3rd Quarter Impact Grants program include:

Back to School Marketplace- Marketplace Event
Coastal Interpretive Center- Interpretive History Storywalk from Whaling to Totem Pole
North Beach Artists Guild- Art Participation and Outreach Program
Special Olympics of Washington- Grays Harbor County Program Support
Elma School District- Track Uniforms and Equipment
Grays Harbor Youth Soccer- Field Safety and Goal Replacement Initiative

Grays Harbor Community Foundation Executive Director, Eric Potts, commented “The Foundation continues to offer several granting opportunities throughout the year for our local nonprofits and school districts to access to bring both necessary and innovative projects to our community. We are cognizant of the ongoing needs in Grays Harbor and are fortunate to have so many donors committed to our community and invested in these local projects.”

You may find out more about our grants program by checking the Foundation website at www.gh-cf.org or contacting our office at 360-532-1600 or by contacting Senior Program Officer, Jessica Hoover at [email protected]. Our Letters of Inquiry are currently open for our October Community Building Grants and our next grants deadline is our 3rd Quarter Impact Grants on September 1st at 5PM.

06/16/2026

Grays Harbor Community Foundation Awards Grant to Master Gardeners of Grays Harbor and Pacific County for Greenhouse Repairs

Back in 2025, the Foundation awarded a grant to Master Gardners of Grays Harbor and Pacific County to replace an aging structure used as a greenhouse located in the Master Gardeners Demonstration garden at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds site.

The Elma Demonstration Garden existing greenhouse was installed in 2001 and had aged out of usefulness for plant growing requiring many repairs and maintenance. The new commercial grade 12' x 12' greenhouse on a concrete pad with heat and light enabled the group to increase their grow season and allow for increased vegetable & fruit starts to share with food banks, senior centers & community members.

Rhonda Kennedy commented: “The experienced, kind and easy to work with staff with GHCF are just incredible. You made the idea of applying and writing for a significant grant (significant to the M.G.'s!) seem very do-able. AND it was. From encouraging me, discussing the proposal, offering options and ideas & then giving feedback & continually being positive toward what we hoped to accomplish, the GHCF feels like a friend sharing their knowledge and finances so generously."

Our next Community Building Grant cycle deadline is October 1st at 5PM for awards up to $35,000. For more information contact Senior Program Officer, Jessica Hoover at [email protected] or visit our website at www.gh-cf.org.

Address

707 J Street
Hoquiam, WA
98550

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13605321600

Website

http://www.gh-cf.org/

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