Amazon Web Services (AWS) announces that applications are now open for the AWS InCommunities Fund, a community grant program that supports local initiatives in Morrow and Umatilla counties.
AWS has committed $300,000 to the fund, which is open to individuals, local community groups, schools, non-profits, and other organizations. This is the second consecutive year AWS is launching a fund to support local projects driving positive change in eastern Oregon as part of its commitment to support communities where it has presence.
To date, AWS InCommunities funds have supported more than 50 projects in eastern Oregon, which have included a creative space for small business development, free English language evening classes for people who speak Spanish, and a garden at a local high school where students can grow their own produce.
Applicants for this year’s fund can apply for grants up to $10,000 to launch a new or expand an existing community project, focused on one of the following themes: science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education, sustainability, economic development, workforce development, inclusion, diversity and equity, homelessness, hunger, health and well-being. Applicants can also apply for funding to introduce one of seven established community programs that have been successful in other communities across the world.
“AWS has a long-standing commitment to support meaningful programs in the communities where our employees live and work,” said David Tanner, director of Data Center Operations for AWS. “Through our AWS InCommunities Fund, we have the unique opportunity to empower residents and inspire the deployment of bold, community-driven ideas that can be transformative and positively impact our neighborhoods.”
Applications for the AWS InCommunities Fund will be accepted until Sept. 1. The AWS InCommunities fund will be managed and administered by non-profit organization ChangeX. ChangeX will review applications, and will assess and score them against funding criteria and the positive impact to the community, especially underserved populations. All successful applicants will complete a 30-day challenge, which includes mentorship and other resources, to kick-start their idea and take their first steps towards making their project a reality.
The AWS InCommunities Fund is just one-way AWS is striving to make a positive difference in eastern Oregon. AWS also supports STEAM education and equity programs for school age children through programs such as AWS Think Big Spaces, which include spaces at the SAGE Center in Boardman, at the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), in Hermiston, and at Umatilla High School. It has also launched initiatives to help provide free tech skills training through no-cost programs such as the AWS Fiber Optic Fusion Splicing Certification Course.
To apply to the AWS InCommunities Fund, and for more information click here to access the ChangeX platform.
