The Oregon Community Foundation has announced grant awards of nearly $500,000 to Southern Oregon nonprofit organizations for basic needs, education and the arts.

The grants were part of a total of more than $6.6 million awarded statewide.

As a community foundation, OCF works with individuals, families and businesses to create charitable funds to support community causes. Since 1973, OCF has distributed more than $500 million in grants and scholarships to organizations in Oregon.

Grants to Southern Oregon in the most recent announcement include the following:

• Boys and Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley (Grants Pass) — $35,000 to provide continued programming to participating youths.
• Center for Nonprofit Legal Services (Medford) — $25,000 to provide legal representation and advocacy to veterans and their families in Jackson County.
• Community Works (Medford) — $25,000 to upgrade the phone and database systems, improving services to individuals who use the help lines.
• Crater Lake National Park Trust (Crater Lake) — $20,000 for operating support for the Classroom at Crater Lake education program.
• Friends of the Children of the Klamath Basin (Klamath Falls) — $10,000 to create post-graduation plans for students and to support them in their transition to independent living.
• Josephine Community Libraries (Grants Pass) — $25,000 for a library technology project.
• Junior Achievement of the Columbia Empire (Klamath Falls) — $10,000 to sustain current programs.
• Rogue Community College (Grants Pass) — $20,000 to support pre-college programs for low-income women students to help them prepare for and adjust to the college experience
• Rogue Valley Art Association (Medford) — $5,000 to support a development director position.
• Rogue Valley Family YMCA (Medford) — $10,000 for a financial-assistance program to subsidize services to low-income youths.
• Rogue Valley Symphony Association (Ashland) — $5,000 to support music-education programs and community performances.
• Southern Oregon Land Conservancy (Ashland) — $10,000 to support conservation coordinator and development director positions.
• Upper Rogue Community Center, Inc. (Shady Cove) — $25,000 to upgrade and expand the community center.