LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The deadline for filing grant applications with the Lake County Wine Auction is fast approaching.

All applications must be in the organizations hands no later than Saturday, March 1.

The board of directors of the Lake County Wine Alliance invites nonprofit organizations, agencies and programs from all over Lake County to apply for a share of the proceeds from the 2014 Lake County Wine Auction, which will be held Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Cole Creek Equestrian Center in Kelseyville.

Applications must be postmarked or submitted via email. Applications for funding may be obtained from the Wine Alliance Web site, www.winealliance.org , where a downloadable application can be found under the “beneficiaries” tab.

Applicants also may contact Judy Luchsinger, chair of the beneficiaries committee, at 707-263-3280, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The Lake County Wine Alliance may be contacted by phone at 866-279-9463, or mail, P.O. Box 530, Kelseyville, CA 95451.

The charter of the Wine Alliance directs its efforts to foster the arts, benefit health services and support the community, so applicants should be prepared to show how their programs fit into one or more of these categories.

The Wine Alliance is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization made up of Lake County wineries, wine grape growers, business and community supporters who annually present the wine auction as a fundraising charity benefit.

Event proceeds include ticket sales, donations from sponsorships, live and silent auction income, purchases of reserve wines at the event, and sales of special edition, fine art posters by Lake County artist John R. Clarke. Since 2000, the Lake County Wine Auction donations have totaled $1,081,302.

The auction’s success over the years would not have been possible without the help of its valued sponsors.

For their support in 2013, the Wine Alliance thanked Mendo Lake Credit Union, Calpine, Six Sigma Ranch, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Kathy Fowler Chevrolet, Bella Vista Farming, John C. Clarke, Shannon Ridge Winery, The Savings Bank of Mendocino, Umpqua Bank, Ceago Vineyard and Winery, Kelseyville Pharmacy, Brassfield Estate Vineyard & Winery, The Lake County Winegrape Commission.

Members of the Wine Alliance board are Kaj Ahlmann, Lower Lake, president; Judy Luchsinger, Lakeport, vice president; Sharron Zoller, Kelseyville, secretary; Rob Roumiguiere, Kelseyville, treasurer; and Marie Beery, Kelseyville, and Bill Groody, Kelseyville, directors.