Oct. 24, 2022
Latest round replenishes funds for six previous grant recipients
In the latest grants from the Let’s Get to Work Fund for the 2022–23 grantmaking cycle, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks is granting $60,000 to six agencies:
- City of Springfield Department of Workforce Development: $20,000 to assist job seekers in the Missouri Job Center’s Ozark Region, which serves Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, Stone, Taney and Webster counties;
- Community Outreach Ministries: $10,000 to assist individuals in Polk County with a focus on its Pathways program;
- Flourish CDC: $5,000 to assist individuals in Springfield participating in its Coach House or Life Change Plan programs;
- Help Give Hope: $10,000 for its Used Car Program to assist families in Greene, northern Christian and western Webster counties;
- Live 2 Give Hope: $10,000 to assist individuals in Laclede, Camden, Miller, Morgan, Moniteau, Dallas, Texas, Pulaski and Wright counties, with a focus on those in the foster care community; and
- West Central Missouri Community Action Agency: $5,000 to assist individuals in Hickory County.
All six agencies have previously received grants from the Let’s Get to Work Fund. Since opening the fund in late 2021, the CFO has granted $680,000 from the Let’s Get to Work Fund to reduce transportation-related barriers to employment thanks to gifts from David and Stacey O’Reilly, the O’Reilly Charity Golf Classic Fund, Bass Pro Shops, the Jeannette L. Musgrave Foundation, Thompson Sales Co., an anonymous donor and other generous donors, as well as $250,000 from the CFO’s reserves.
Grant dollars will be used exclusively to support individuals with transportation needs such as car repairs, new tires, gasoline cards, licensing fees or taxes, transportation services such as bus passes, ride-sharing services, taxis, purchase or repair of bikes/e-bikes, or vehicle purchase down payments.
Individuals cannot apply to the CFO directly, but can work with nonprofit agencies supported by the Let’s Get to Work Fund to receive assistance for transportation-related needs. Businesses can access funds through the Springfield Business Development Corporation, a nonprofit subsidiary of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information, visit cfozarks.org/transportation.
To apply for a grant from the Let’s Get to Work Fund, agencies must be within the 14-county area of southwest Missouri where the service areas of the CFO and United Way of the Ozarks overlap: Barry, Christian, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Laclede, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney, Texas, Webster and Wright counties. Agencies can begin the application process at cfozarks.org/applyforgrants. Grants will be made as funds remain available. Donors can help extend this program by donating to the Let’s Get to Work Fund at cfozarks.org/donate.
