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Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 05/20/2015 - COUNTY CREATES YOUTH SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HOPESOURCE
ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Kittitas County Commissioners have created a new fund to provide scholarships for local youth participating in sports programs. The new fund is available to residents county-wide. Funds can be accessed by contacting HopeSource and filling out an application to determine eligibility. In 2014, County Commissioners began levying a 1% sales tax on retail rental cars as authorized by RCW 82.14.049. The law allows funds collected to be used for a variety of purposes including building and maintaining public sports stadiums, financing debts for public stadiums, and youth or amateur sport activities or facilities. However, as part of the action levying the tax, the Board of County Commissioners limited the allowed uses of any revenue to youth or amateur sports activities and facilities within Kittitas County. In January of this year, Commissioner Paul Jewell held a meeting with local youth sports leagues officials to discuss potential uses of the funds by the County. “We invited local community members who represent a variety of sport leagues in the County and we got good representation,” said Commissioner Jewell about the meeting. “We presented the financial information showing the revenue coming in and the total funding available and discussed alternative uses for the funds. By far, the greatest need expressed was a scholarship fund to provide opportunities for kids whose families can’t afford the cost of participating. So I took that input back to the rest of the Board and we all agreed.” Funds are available for Kittitas County youth up to age 18 for participation in youth sports activities. Recipients must be County residents and must be enrolled in an organized, not-for-profit youth sports program open to all participants. Families applying for support must meet income eligibility requirements at 150% of the federal poverty level or below. The maximum amount allowed per request is 75% of the cost of the request, not to exceed $75.00. A scholarship may be provided twice a year per child within a family, with a maximum allowance of $150.00 per family per year. Funds may be used for participation fees and/or related equipment if the equipment is necessary for participation in the organized sports activity. The Kittitas County Youth Sport Scholarship Program is to be administered through a contract with HopeSource. The contract allows HopeSource to collect an administrative fee of 9% from the fund for running the program. Funds are to be budgeted by the County annually and allocated quarterly to assure funding availability year-round. County residents interested in applying for a scholarship from this program can contact HopeSource at 700 E. Mountain View Avenue, Suite 501, in Ellensburg or 110 Pennsylvania Avenue, in Cle Elum or by calling 509-925-1448 or 509-674-2375.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Paul Jewell, Kittitas County Commissioner phone 509.962.7508John Raymond, HopeSource phone 509.925.1448