STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations in Routt County. Grants will be awarded to programs that promote literacy, reading and writing skills and programs in the languages, sciences and interdisciplinary areas.

Last year, the foundation awarded more than $6,500 in grant funds to local nonprofits, including Integrated Community, Heeling Friends, Yampa Valley High School and Yampatika.

Applications will be accepted through Feb. 15, and recipients will be announced on May 1. The fund will consider applications for grants requesting a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $3,000.

Interested nonprofits can apply online at http://bessieminorswift.org/apply/.

The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation awards grants to organizations that provide direct service to help with the implementation or expansion of literacy programs for children who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading, and also to develop reading and writing skills at all age levels.

The foundation supports programs in the arts, languages and sciences for preschool, primary and secondary school-aged children. The foundation occasionally supports programs for adults as well.

More than $450,000 in grants has been awarded since 2008. The foundation prefers to consider grants for programs instead of grants strictly for technology. The foundation also prefers to award grants to organizations that do not have access to large fundraising budgets and are local in nature.

Grants are made only to nonprofit organizations certified as tax exempt.

The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation was formed by the owners and founder of Swift Communications, which owns and operates the Steamboat Pilot & Today and steamboattoday.com.

Bessie Minor Swift was mother of Philip Swift, the founder of Swift Communications. She was born in Onaga, Kansas, on June 29, 1887, and was raised in Kansas City, Missouri, and then moved to Blackburn, Missouri, where she taught school in a one-room schoolhouse.

Phil Swift said he recalls that the importance of education was reinforced throughout his upbringing, not so much through statements or concrete expectations, but more through the example of his mother’s interest in English, reading, history and music.

Nonprofit organizations in the area are encouraged to apply. Visit bessieminorswift.org for more information.