The diversity of organizations benefiting from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation’s latest round of grants represent the educational, technological, and social areas it strives to impact.

A total of $11,830,000 has been awarded to 77 nonprofit organizations from the fall 2007 application period. The Foundation funded 46 in Washington, 20 in Oregon, two in Montana, three in Idaho, five in Alaska and one region-wide grant.

The recipients, announced last week, include the Lopez Community Land Trust (LCLT). It is receiving $100,000 for its fourth affordable housing project, “Sustainable Community Homes,” currently under construction outside of Lopez Village. It will have 11 homes, two rental units, and an office/resource center.

“The money is going towards the green and sustainable aspects of the project, those things that tend to cost a little more but in the long run help create a more gentle footprint on the planet and save resources over time,” said LCLT Executive Director Sandy Bishop.

“The project is designed to address the gap between what many of the workers who live on Lopez earn and the high cost of housing,” said Marie Kurose, Senior Program Officer for the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

“Paul Allen is a neighbor on Lopez and this is a very generous grant. We are really appreciative of our friends and neighbors on Lopez who support us,” commented Bishop. LCLT also received a $50,000 grant in 2000 for the housing project Innisfree.

The Foundation’s vision is to build healthy communities through nurturing the arts, engaging children in learning, addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, and advancing scientific/technological discovery. According to its website, “In more than two decades of charitable giving, we have learned that in order to make the greatest impact in these four areas, we must employ a variety of strategies. Through direct grants, technical assistance, and knowledge dissemination, the Foundation works with nonprofit organizations to build their infrastructures, extend their reach, and bring effective programs to scale — often through private and public partnerships designed to foster systemic change.”

“Mr. Allen’s lifetime giving exceeds 900 million dollars now, and he gives back in a lot of ways,” said Susan Coliton, vice president of the Foundation. “He has established new non-profits like the Experience Music Project and the Institute for Brain Science, he provides private gifts to non-profits, he donates through his company Vulcan, Inc. and through his foundation.”

The Foundation provides grants to the five-state Pacific Northwest region – Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska – giving around 200 grants per year that total between $25-30 million. There are four program areas: arts and culture, education, health and human services, and science and technology.

The Foundation first gave to a non-profit in the San Juans in 1997, awarding one to the San Juan Nature Institute. Within the past 10 years, it has continued to support the county’s organizations, donating to the Lopez Island Family Resource Center and the Orcas Funhouse in 2007. “It’s typical of some of the grants we do; we try to help organizations internally to expand their programs and serve the community. We’re very interested in the way children learn from a young age, and the Funhouse seemed to capture the imagination of children of all ages,” said Peter Berlimer, Program Director for the Foundation. To date, the Foundation has awarded $1.7 million in grants to San Juan County.

“Mr. Allen has always been interested in giving back to the community in which he lives, where he grew up, and where he has his businesses. It’s about strengthening the quality of life and making these communities as vital as they can be. It’s very much about the region and about his personal experiences here,” said Coliton.

The Foundation seeks a variety of qualities in applicants. “We look for projects that are aligned with our program goals. They need to have a track record and expertise, they need to be financially stable, and have thorough planning for the project,” said Coliton.

“We also look for organizations with strong community support, who do work that is valued by the community,” added Berlimer.

The Foundation has two grant cycles per year; it’s a two-step application process, and the next deadline for a letter of inquiry is July 7. Visit www.pgafamilyfoundation.org for additional information. The website also has a complete list of grants awarded.