Leading Locally: Meramec Regional Community Foundation

Affiliate profiles

Creating community good together

Finding collective solutions for common good is the goal of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission — an approach that extends to fundraising through the Meramec Regional Community Foundation.

Founded in 2010 as an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, the MRCF serves as the philanthropic arm of the MRPC and source of support for eight counties in mid-Missouri: Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington.

Since its inception, the MRCF has distributed more than $1.6 million to support the region. It also holds assets totaling $4,481,021 as of June 2023.

“It just kind of felt like that was something that we needed to do — to give our region, our counties and their constituents, a vehicle to make philanthropic contributions,” says Bonnie Prigge, executive director of MRPC and an at-large member of the MRCF board of directors. “Something that was easy, that they could take advantage of; they didn’t have to worry about setting up their own foundation.”

The region is wide — “Sitting here in St. James, it’s about an hour and 15 minutes to the edges of our region,” Prigge says — but the needs are common. That reality allows the MRCF to address top-level needs based around what regional needs have been identified.

In the years since the foundation’s start, several other affiliate foundations have started to serve more concentrated areas within the MRCF’s footprint. Prigge shares that the approach isn’t competition, but simply allows the chance to serve needs in ways that most make sense.

“If there’s a donor that comes forward from one of those counties or cities that has its own foundation, we’re going to make sure that this is where they want to be, make sure that they know that they have a local foundation as well,” she says. “But if what they want to do is more of a regional approach, then we can help them with that.

“A rising tide floats all boats. I think that by working together, that we’re all creating a greater awareness of the opportunity, as well as the needs that are in our region.”

That approach ties in with annual grant rounds. An example came in late 2022, when community grants were distributed to three nonprofits serving unsheltered individuals; children with developmental disabilities and delays; and families that need tools and education to help overcome the challenges that have kept them in poverty.

A new focus began in 2023, when the foundation opted to concentrate on low-income families with children and on economic development efforts.

“We’re focusing on programs that serve low-income families, whether it’s food or books or clothing — just whatever that may be,” Prigge adds of the new focus, which will grow the foundation’s distribution through two $750 grants. Previously, the foundation has allocated $17,400 to 64 community projects throughout the region.

Another example of the foundation’s work is its scholarships to help local students.

“That’s always a great feeling — just knowing that it does make a difference,” says Prigge. “With one of our scholarship funds, we do an interview each year with those students, and it’s rewarding when they talk about how big of a difference it’s made.”