YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY

Springfield, MO

Log in Subscribe

Nonprofit officials gather at the Creamery Arts Center on June 20 for the grant presentation.
Provided by Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc.
Nonprofit officials gather at the Creamery Arts Center on June 20 for the grant presentation.

CFO, Musgrave Foundation present $500K in grants

Posted online

Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc., in partnership with the Jeannette L. Musgrave Foundation and U.S. Bank Wealth Management, on Monday presented $500,000 in grants to a dozen organizations.

The Musgrave Multi-Year Impact Grants are earmarked for agencies focusing on improving the lives of children and foster families in the Springfield metropolitan area, according to a news release. CFO assumed the grantmaking responsibilities of the Musgrave Foundation in 2020, and U.S. Bank Wealth Management serves as the foundation's investment manager. This year’s funding awards are split into two CFO programs: Foster Families and Change for Children.

First-year amounts for the Foster Families program went to:
• Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southwest Missouri, $95,759 to add an advocate supervisor to train and supervise CASA volunteers;
• Council of Churches of the Ozarks Inc., $50,000 to develop a new case management program for biological parents whose children are currently in state custody;
• Great Circle, $50,000 to expand a foster care program that provides family support and training for the physical, emotional and social needs of children and youth.
• FosterAdopt Connect, $50,000 to provide advocacy and support for biological parents, as well as mental health support for biological parents, foster families and children in foster care; and
• The Connecting Grounds, $43,600 to support a family connection coordinator and trauma-informed training for additional sites;

If the organizations meet annual grant renewal guidelines, they'll be eligible for grant rewards of more than $680,000 combined over a three-year period, according to the release.

“The foster care system is struggling to meet the needs of children and families across the state and in our region,” CFO President Brian Fogle said in the release. “We have nonprofits doing great work but need more support to extend their ability to meet these needs. These challenges won’t be fixed in a year, which is why this focus area was selected for multiyear grants.”

Second-year amounts for the Change for Children program went to:
• Ozarks Technical Community College Foundation, $50,000 to support a full-time staff leader for the early childhood program through the OTC Study Nursery Partnership;
• The Kitchen Inc., $41,097 to add a case manager at the Rare Breed drop-in center;
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield Inc., $30,000 for its student workforce development program;
• Springfield-Greene County Park Board, $30,000 to provide mental and social/emotional staff training;
• Ozarks Food Harvest Inc., $25,000 for its Weekend Backpack Program;
• Springfield Regional Arts Council Inc., $22,250 to support the Springfield Growing Up in the Arts program; and
• Ujima Language and Literacy, $12,294 to support the organization's family literacy and sustainability programming.

Care to Learn also was part of the Change for Children cohort and recognized at the presentation yesterday, since the nonprofit received $20,000 in 2021 to establish a chapter in Strafford, according to the release. The organization will continue to report on its progress over the three-year timespan of the grant program.

The two grant programs ultimately could provide $1.3 million in funding to the organizations.

Founded in 1983 by Jeannette Musgrave, the foundation focuses on initiatives impacting children and senior services; health care and education; poverty, hunger and homelessness; and arts and community betterment, according to its website.

Comments

No comments on this story |
Please log in to add your comment
Editors' Pick
From the Ground Up: Republic Intermediate School

The Republic School District is on track to open its Intermediate School for fifth- and sixth-grade students for the 2025-26 academic year.

Most Read
Update cookies preferences