Community Foundation awards nearly $17K in recent grants.

Community Foundation awards nearly $17K in recent grants.

SHELBY — The Board of Trustees of the Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) recently approved grant awards to a variety of community organizations in support of projects throughout Oceana County. A total of $16,919 was awarded as a result of CFOC’s competitive application process that is overseen by a subcommittee of its trustees.  

Highlights of CFOC’s fall grant round include support for:

• • Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Lakeshore – $1,750 to provide one-to-one mentoring for children facing adversity, matching Shelby High School students with elementary students.
  • Caritas Food Pantry – $400 to purchase a locking cleaning supply cabinet, to meet Feeding America food distribution guidelines.
  • Fountain Hill Center for Counseling – $2,100 to strengthen and expand current court-related service programs, including CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program and Family Support Services program, for families facing dissolution and general population parenting education classes.
  • Goodwill Industries of West Michigan – $2,000 to help fund staff and volunteers for the Oceana Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, including service learning opportunities for college students to gain workplace skills.
  • Ludington & Scottville Area Chambers – $3,750 to support the development of a regional recreational trail plan, as match for a Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development Grant.
  • Ronald McDonald House of Western MI – $2,000 to provide room, board and support services at no cost to Oceana families, who are seeking critical medical or mental health care for children (birth to 21 years) in Grand Rapids.
  • Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association – $1,000 to supply materials to rework and stabilize the deck in front of the Little Sable Lighthouse, used for concerts and for historical interpretation materials.
  • Shelby Public Schools/Thomas Read Elementary – $2,919 to provide K-5 students practice with coding and music, by combining STEM and Music in a project based specials classroom.

• United Way of the Lakeshore – $1,000 to support the development of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Oceana, to help increase literacy proficiency of recipients (birth to 5 years).

Grant Resources

CFOC is currently comprised of 134 funds, totaling $11.7 million in assets.  The individuals and organizations creating most of them are actively involved in deciding which nonprofits are supported, but some fund creators entrust the CFOC board to manage the contributions as part of CFOC’s competitive application process.  Other grant resources come from CFOC’s Community Investment Fund, to which anyone can contribute. This Fund’s purpose is to support critical, unmet needs that suddenly arise or to respond to community projects and opportunities as they develop.

“We truly want and need to do more, but are limited by the small size of our Community Investment Fund. The Foundation’s goal is to double the size of this endowment fund to $500,000, which would generate an additional $10,000 annually to meet grant requests. That will make a big difference in our grant allocations,” said Grant Committee Chair Garry McKeen.

The Foundation has a special opportunity to match gifts up to $25,000 earmarked to either the Community Investment Fund or Administrative Fund – or both – until December 31. “We are working hard to provide a new level of service to Oceana citizens. Each and every gift makes a difference – don’t miss your opportunity to have your gift doubled,” said Board Chair Randy Wagner.

SPRING/FALL GRANT ROUNDS

Area nonprofits can apply for grants from CFOC in the spring and fall of each year.  For the next grant round applications are due March 30, 2018.  Nonprofit organizations interested in seeking grant support from the Community Foundation are encouraged to visit www.oceana- foundation.org/grants to learn more.

The Community Foundation for Oceana County exists to enhance the lives of the people of Oceana by leading, promoting and channeling philanthropy that connects resources with local needs.  For more information about the Foundation, call Executive Director Tammy Carey at 231.861.8335, log onto www.oceana-foundation.org, or follow the Facebook page.