Avista Corporation : Avista Foundation awards more than $40,000 to organizations in Idaho and Washington

Jan. 16, 2012: Concluding its 10th year of support for non-profit organizations within the Avista service territory, the Avista Foundationmade grants totaling $40,810 at its fourth quarter 2011 meeting. Grant recipients in Idaho are Framing Our Community, Elk City; Heart of the Arts, Inc. for the 1912 CenterMoscow; and the Washington, Idaho & Montana Railway History Preservation Groupfor the Potlatch Depot. In Washington, grants were awarded to Reach for the Future, Spokane; and the Hydro Research Foundation(Washington, D.C.) for the Hydro Fellows Program, Pullman.

Avista Foundation's grants are often a part of an overall fund-raising effort. In describing one of the grant awards, Mike Tatko, Avista's Lewis-Clark Valley-area regional business manager, said "The work of organizations like The Salvation Army is an important safety net for people in need in our community. We hope this grant from the Avista Foundation will be a catalyst for others to give their support to the Salvation Army's Lewiston capital campaign."

Fourth Quarter 2011 Avista Foundation Grants

Organization	Amount	Purpose
The Salvation Army of Lewiston	$10,000	Building renovation to serve low income clients
WA, ID, & MT Railway History Preservation	$10,000	Support renovation and preservation of the historic Potlatch Depot
Heart of the Arts	$5,810	Upgrades to the 1912 Center for senior and community uses
Framing Our Community, Inc.	$5,000	Regional economic and work force training initiative
Reach for the Future	$5,000	Educational materials for after-school program for at risk, low income students
Hydro Research Fdn.	$5,000	Fellowships at Washington State University in the field of hydropower

About the Avista Foundation

The Avista Foundation, established in 2002, focuses its giving on grants that strengthen communities and enhance the quality of life for people served by Avista Utilities in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, southern Oregon and Sanders County, Montana. The foundation focuses its giving in the areas of:

· education - K-12 education particularly in the fields of science, math and  technology; and higher education including scholarships,

· vulnerable and limited income populations - providing assistance to those on limited incomes and support for initiatives to reduce poverty,

· economic and cultural vitality - supporting projects that help communities and citizens to grow and prosper.