Faced with fewer dollars to disburse this year, Community Foundation of the Ozarks has awarded matching community response grants to 10 nonprofits whose missions coincide with "red flag" issues afflicting the region.
With investments down 16 percent at CFO as of June 30, foundation officials opted to forgo their traditional strategy - three rounds of grants throughout the year - for the response grant initiative, said Doug Thornsberry, a CFO board member who co-chaired the panel that distributed $325,000 in grants.
"I think it's a natural response to the environment in which we all find ourselves today," he said.
Thornsberry said nonprofits in the Springfield-Greene County area were invited in September to apply for the grants, which ranged between $25,000 and $40,000. He said preference was given to those that tackle three persistent social challenges in the Ozarks: access to health care, child abuse and neglect, and hunger and housing.
Those issues were deemed red flags - or weaknesses - in a recently released community focus report - a cooperative effort by CFO, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Junior League of Springfield, United Way of the Ozarks and the Springfield-Greene County Library District. The biannual report also highlights community strengths, or blue ribbons.
In years past, Thornsberry said, CFO has awarded between $600,000 and $700,000 to nonprofits. Historically, CFO grants have funded one-time equipment purchases or startup expenses associated with new programs or services, he said.
Altogether, 15 nonprofits applied for grants totaling $575,000. Recipients are:
• Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, $25,000;
• The Kitchen Clinic, $40,000;
• Ronald McDonald House, $40,000 for Tooth Truck mobile dental care;
• Child Advocacy Center, $30,000;
• Family Violence Center, $25,000;
• Isabel's House, $30,000;
• The Victim Center, $30,000;
• Boys & Girls Town, $25,000 for emergency foster care;
• Council of Churches of the Ozarks, $40,000 for Crosslines program; and
• Ozarks Food Harvest, $40,000.
Grant recipients have until April 30 to raise the matching funds.
