Humboldt Sponsors Announces 2026 Grant Recipients at Eureka Museum Reception

Fifty-five years and $3 million into its mission, Humboldt Sponsors still won't let a dollar go to paperwork.

The Eureka-based nonprofit announced its 2026 grant recipients Monday ahead of the formal presentation Thursday, April 9, at the Morris Graves Museum of Art on F Street. Under the group's rules, every award must benefit Humboldt County children directly, and salaries, stipends, and administrative expenses are categorically excluded, meaning the organizations on this year's list must put the money on the floor where kids can actually use it.

That constraint hasn't slowed demand. The number of individual grants Humboldt Sponsors awards has nearly doubled in three years: from 44 awards totaling $85,422 in 2022 to 77 awards totaling $102,000 in 2025. The average grant has declined accordingly, from roughly $1,940 to about $1,325, reflecting a deliberate shift toward reaching more programs with smaller checks rather than concentrating dollars in fewer hands.

"It is always so exciting to review the grant applications and see the wide variety of programs that are offered for the children and youth of Humboldt County," said Linda Dionne, the 2026 Grants Chairperson.

The awards fund scholarships and camperships for recreational and cultural programming, youth leadership projects, educational materials, and basic needs support. Scouting America Troop 1027 was among the 2025 class: Scouts Nico Groszmann, Tim Groszmann, Robert Pitts, and William Pitts attended last April's reception at Morris Graves alongside troop leaders Lisa Ollivier and Shawna Storts to accept the check in person.

Humboldt Sponsors finances the grant fund almost entirely through community events rather than endowment income. Its "Boots and Bandanas" fundraiser at The Barn by Fernbridge in Ferndale last August netted more than $44,000 after expenses; the prior year's "Starry, Starry Night" event at Septentrio Winery in Arcata cleared more than $52,000. Every dollar raised flows directly into the grant fund.

The cumulative total has now surpassed $3.04 million since 1971. President Kim Cobine attributed the milestone to "our generous Humboldt community" when the organization crossed the three-million-dollar threshold at the April 2025 reception.

With 2026 recipient organizations selected and the grant total trending upward even as per-award amounts shrink, the question heading into Thursday's reception is how far the same pool of community fundraising dollars can stretch. The ceremony at Morris Graves, 636 F Street, is open to the public, where this year's grantees will take the floor to account for what they intend to do with the money.