The Washington County Riverboat Foundation has set parameters for their first grant cycle of 2022.

The pandemic and its temporary closure of the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, from which the foundation receives its funds, caused some changes for the foundation’s typical grant cycle. Instead of a large cycle held in both the fall and spring, in addition to their municipal grants and a mini-grant cycle, in 2021 they held a spring small grant cycle in which they gave grants of up to $5,000, and a fall large grant cycle that gave five awards for a total of $1.35 million. They also awarded a couple surprise grants during the year, and finished giving their $3.5 million pledge to the YMCA of Washington County a few years earlier than previously planned.

During their first meeting of the year Thursday the foundation board discussed feedback received about last year’s grant cycles, and approved to schedule a spring application period to open on February 1st and close on March 10th. Board President Shawn Ellingson said this year they will have both the spring and fall grant cycles open to applications of any size rather than just large or small. As always, there is no match required from the applicants, and no specific quantity set for the number of grants or dollars to be given. The board also discussed that they would like to invite some of these applicants to present in person to them later this spring as they did for the last cycle, and Executive Director Patty Koller says the grants will be announced during their May meeting rather than hosting a party.