Oct. 31, 2024
Grants support inclusive projects in Springfield, Cape Girardeau and Stone County areas
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks has selected the first recipients of its Inclusion & Belonging Grants for the 2024–25 grant cycle. The program supports small grant requests to ensure equitable participation and engagement in communities across the region.
The four recipients, receiving a total of $12,000, are:
- Afrocentric Arts LLC: $3,000 to support its publication, Urban Voices, which serves Black communities in southeast Missouri and southern Illinois through online and print news.
- Hospice Foundation of the Ozarks: $3,000 to support “Bringing Equity to End-of-Life,” a project to expand advance care planning to Hispanic communities in southern Missouri by focusing on cultural and linguistic inclusivity.
- Isabel’s House: $3,000 to train staff on textured hair care, unconscious bias, anti-racism and understanding the effects of systemic racism on families in Springfield and Greene County.
- Western Cherokee Nation: $3,000 to bring awareness of Native American culture to southwest Missouri through its first Powwow in Stone County, held Oct. 12–13.
About $28,000 remains available in the Inclusion & Belonging Grant Program. Agencies may apply for up to $3,000 to support expenses related to:
- Ensuring diverse representation in leadership roles and the community;
- Providing students with equitable opportunity for community engagement and leadership; and
- Hosting events that ensure visible representations of belonging in the Ozarks.
Applications are reviewed and awarded through May 1. To learn more about the CFO’s grant application process, visit cfozarks.org/applyforgrants.
