Boiler Bay Beacon
LINCOLN COUNTY — Pacific Power Foundation has awarded $343,800 in Education and STEM grants to 93 nonprofit organizations across Oregon, Washington and California, including BB360’s programs based in Lincoln County.
The grants, announced Monday, support projects focused on career readiness, literacy, skill development, and hands-on learning opportunities for students and teachers.
“When we invest in organizations that provide STEM and education opportunities, we’re investing in the future of our communities,” said Ryan Flynn, director of the Pacific Power Foundation and president of Pacific Power. “These programs provide meaningful hands-on experiences that can change a student’s trajectory.”
BB360 operates the longtime BB Camp on Devil’s Lake near Otis and Lincoln City day-camp programs and is listed among the Lincoln County grant recipients. The group’s activities have previously received foundation support for efforts to combat summer learning loss through outdoor education, crafts, sports and leadership programming.
BB360 also runs a significant year-round food program that has distributed free meals to Lincoln County children and families, along with expanded day-camp and community offerings following the opening of a new Day Camp Center in 2025.
Pacific Power Foundation (the charitable arm of PacifiCorp, which does business as Pacific Power in Oregon) has distributed more than $80 million to nonprofits since 1988. The current Education and STEM cycle is one of several annual funding opportunities; the next Arts and Culture cycle opens with applications due by September 15.
Pacific Power, which serves roughly 667,000 Oregon customers, is currently seeking a $170.7 million rate increase (about 8.6 percent overall) from the Oregon Public Utility Commission to cover system upgrades and costs tied to more than $2 billion in settlements from the 2020 Labor Day wildfires. Those costs include a $575 million federal settlement paid earlier this year for damages related to several wildfires, including the Echo Mountain Complex Fire that heavily impacted Otis and surrounding areas of Lincoln County.
The foundation’s community grants operate separately from the utility’s rate requests.
Local organizations interested in future foundation funding can find details at PacificPower.net/Foundation.
