Puget Sound Energy Foundation to Award Nearly $130,000 in Charitable Grants to More Than 30 Local Organizations

The Puget Sound Energy Foundation today announced grants totaling almost $130,000 to be given to more than 30 local charitable organizations throughout Washington. Ranging in size from $1,000 to $25,000, the grants are awarded based on a competitive review process to qualifying 501(c) (3) charitable organizations in Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE’s) 11-county service and broader operations area. "The Puget Sound Energy Foundation is thrilled to support vital, innovative community programs with our second year’s first half grants,” said Phil Bussey, chairman of the Puget Sound Energy Foundation and senior vice president of Corporate Affairs for PSE. "The grant awardees, these wonderful programs and organizations, make such a positive difference in our communities and our region. We feel honored to be able to help them with these timely resources.” With this new round of grants, the Puget Sound Energy Foundation will have contributed more than $1 million to community organizations since its first year of funding in 2007. The current grants represent the fourth round of funding from the foundation with priority being given to programs that respond to the needs of vulnerable populations, encourage energy conservation and environmental stewardship, and promote workforce development at universities and community and technical colleges. The initial 2008 Puget Sound Energy Foundation grant recipients are: Jefferson County: Centrum Foundation King County: Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue Clover Park Technical College Foundation College Success Foundation Corporate Council for the Arts EarthCorps Enumclaw Plateau Historical Society Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation for Private Enterprise Education Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery Green River Community College Foundation KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio Lake Washington Schools Foundation Overlake Service League Partnership for Learning Seattle Parks Foundation Shoreline Public Schools Foundation Washington’s National Park Fund Kitsap County: Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap County Kittitas County: People for People Pierce County: Pacific Lutheran University Skagit County: Skagit County Community Action Agency Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival Committee Snohomish County: Olympic Ballet Theatre Thurston County: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Thurston County Capital Playhouse HorsePower! Therapeutic Riding Program Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council Plug In Olympia Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia Whatcom County: NorthWest Therapeutic Riding Center Across multiple counties: The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust Puget Sound Blood Center and Program The Puget Sound Energy Foundation was created with a $15 million endowment from a portion of the 2006 sale of InfrastruX Group, a former utility construction services subsidiary. None of the foundation’s funds come from PSE’s utility customers. An additional $5 million will be added to the endowment by the investors behind a proposed merger with PSE, at closing if the merger is approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. The Puget Sound Energy Foundation has two funding rounds per year with grant proposal deadlines of April 1 and Oct. 1. Requests for programmatic and capital support for the Oct. 1 funding round are currently being taken. Those interested can apply online via the Puget Sound Energy Foundation Web site: www.psefoundation.org. For additional information on PSE’s community investment and programs visit www.PSE.com. About the Puget Sound Energy Foundation Puget Energy, the parent company of Puget Sound Energy (PSE), created the Puget Sound Energy Foundation in 2006 to continue its legacy of leadership and support of worthy, community-based programs. The foundation makes charitable contributions to qualifying 501© (3) nonprofits to help support a broad range of community programs, with a special focus on initiatives that promote economic and environmental sustainability within PSE's service territory and in other areas where the utility produces or purchase energy in the Pacific Northwest. None of the Puget Sound Energy Foundation funds come from utility customers. Visit PSEFoundation.org for more information. About Puget Sound Energy Washington state’s oldest and largest energy utility, with a 6,000-square-mile service area stretching across 11 counties, PSE serves more than 1 million electric customers and nearly 737,000 natural gas customers, primarily in Western Washington. PSE meets the energy needs of its growing customer base through incremental, cost-effective energy efficiency, procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing great customer service to deliver energy that is safe, reliable, reasonably priced, and environmentally responsible. For more information, visit www.PSE.com.