June 26, 2024
Latest grants promote equity in region
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks has selected the final recipients of the Inclusion & Belonging Grants for the 2023–24 grant cycle. The five recipients, receiving a total of $11,312, are:
- ALAS (Alliance for Leadership, Advancement, and Success): $3,000 to support a mental health summit for Latina women in Greene County on March 8, 2025. “Soy Mujer: Me Cuido, Me Amo” (“I am a woman: I care for myself, I love myself”) will highlight the importance of self-care and empower Latina women through community support and resources.
- Fostering Hope: $2,000 to purchase toiletries and Black hair care products for children in foster care through its Caring Closets program, which aims to alleviate financial stress for families caring for children in need in Carl Junction and Sheldon.
- High Tide Theatrical: $1,500 to present sensory-friendly and accessible performances of three productions in Springfield, creating a safe and accessible space for all individuals to fully enjoy the performances.
- Missouri State University: $3,000 to support “A Girl Like Me Mentorship: Level Up Mentor Program,” which provides resources for mentoring underserved girls in grades 5–12 in southwest Missouri, focusing on STEM, leadership and personal development.
- SET Ranch & Prosperity Club: $1,812 to support a curated exhibition that honors and celebrates Black heritage in Joplin. The exhibition will be on display at the George A. Spiva Center for the Arts in 2025.
Over the past 12 months, the CFO granted $40,000 to 18 agencies through the Inclusion & Belonging Grant Program to ensure equitable participation and engagement in communities across the region. The program is now closed but will reopen in mid-July for the CFO’s 2024–25 grantmaking cycle.
