Dec. 5, 2024
Grants address access barriers in multiple communities across region
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks announced grants totaling $120,000 to 10 nonprofits improving the quality of life for underserved and underrepresented populations in central and southern Missouri.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Grants were presented at the Library Center in Springfield to the following nonprofits:
- American Indian Center of Springfield: $10,000 to support the salary of its cultural liaison, a role providing oversight for operations, classroom management, food pantry support and development of in-depth Native American-friendly curriculum.
- Children’s Center of Southwest Missouri: $6,457 to purchase translation devices, translated materials and culturally diverse comfort items for its centers in Butler, Joplin, Monett and Nevada.
- Drew Lewis Foundation Inc.: $20,000 to support the salary of a bilingual RISE coach to expand the poverty-reduction program’s reach in the Hispanic community in Springfield and southern Missouri.
- EnCompass Academy: $20,675 to train community members from organizations across southern Missouri in trust-based relational intervention to support underserved populations.
- Friends of Abilities First: $11,653 to support certification for an inclusion educator and expanding access to inclusive community spaces in southwest Missouri.
Recipients of the CFO’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Grants gathered on Dec. 5 at the Library Center in Springfield.
- Leadership Springfield: $6,225 to support translating materials into Spanish to increase access for marginalized communities to its Access Class community leadership program.
- Missouri State University: $18,490 to support the Unifying Nixa Voices program, which supports refugees and newcomers learning the English language in Nixa through quality English-language instruction.
- PFLAG Springfield: $6,500 to provide training from the Anti-Oppression Resource & Training Alliance to its board, staff and volunteers of coalition organizations.
- Springfield-Greene County Public Library Foundation: $10,000 to purchase free-vend period products and dispensers for restrooms at all Springfield-Greene County Library District branches.
- The Rolla Mission: $10,000 to support inclusive and trauma-informed crisis counseling services in partnership with Your Village, a local behavioral health service provider, to individuals experiencing homelessness in Phelps County.
“At the CFO, we strive to address the barriers and disparities in access that so many people face every day,” said Winter Kinne, president and CEO of the CFO. “That is our commitment, and the grants we celebrate today are an important part of that effort.”
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Grants are funded by the CFO’s unrestricted assets and field-of-interest funds that support a broad area of interest. The grant committee comprises Virginia Bailey, Joshua Best, Denise Lofton, Ana Ortiz, Summer Trottier and Brooke Widmar.
Related grant opportunity
The Inclusion & Belonging Grant Program supports smaller grant requests for projects that encourage diverse representation in community conversations, engagement and leadership across the region. About $28,000 remains available for requests of up to $3,000. Nonprofits can apply at cfozarks.org/applyforgrants. The program is open throughout the year, with grants awarded on a rolling basis as funds are available.
