SEMO Network Against Sexual Violence receives $20K grant from CFO

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is awarding $100,000 to 10 agencies in its third round of monthly COVID-19 Regional Recovery Grants. Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence receives $20,000 as part of the September grant round.

These grants are intended to help sustain valued nonprofit services and programs through the downturn in fundraising and other financial resources during the pandemic. This grantmaking is open to nonprofit agencies across the CFO’s 58-county service area, which also is served by 50 regional affiliate foundations.

The other grants awarded this week, with local affiliate foundations listed in parentheses, include:

• Area Agency on Aging Region X: $10,000 to support the organization’s unexpected expenses during the pandemic (Joplin Regional Community Foundation)

• Ava Lions Foundation: $2,500 to help fund vision needs for children and seniors (Douglas County Community Foundation)

• Couch R-1 School District: $7,500 to support unexpected expenses for the district serving students in eastern Oregon County and western Ripley County (Alton Community Foundation, Ripley County Community Foundation, Ozark Foothills Regional Community Foundation)

• Developmental Center of the Ozarks: $20,000 to support the DCO recovery project

• Diaper Bank of the Ozarks: $5,000 to support the cloth diaper loan program and to move related educational programming virtually

• James River Basin Partnership: $10,000 to support its operations in the wake of cancelled major events

• Life House Center: $15,000 to meet the needs of at-risk children ages 10–17 in Sullivan (Meramec Regional Community Foundation)

• Newburg R-II School District: $8,000 to support its efforts to provide quality remote learning for its students (Meramec Regional Community Foundation)

• Ujima Language and Literacy: $2,000 to support the Ujima Literacy Buddies and Family night programs

These grants follow rounds totaling $200,000 awarded in July and August. This program will close for the year on Oct. 14, with the next round of recipients announced in late October. The program will reopen in early 2021.

Agencies can apply for up to 25 percent of their annual operating budget, with awards capped at $20,000. Agencies can begin the application process at cfozarks.org/applyforgrants. This program is open to 501(c)3 nonprofits and IRS-equivalent organizations like education, faith and civic agencies. The CFO does not make grants directly to individuals.

The COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund was established in March with an initial $1 million commitment by the CFO and its 50 regional affiliate foundations (including Cape Area Community Foundation), Missouri Foundation for Health and the Coover Charitable Foundation. Generous donors have since contributed more than $848,000 to support this grantmaking. The CFO is committing an additional $1 million to COVID-19 discretionary grantmaking in the 2021 fiscal year with support from MFH, the Coover Charitable Foundation and additional donor support.

Since launching the fund, the CFO has granted more than $1.8 million through various discretionary programs. Total COVID-related grantmaking by the CFO, including grants from donor-advised and employee benevolence funds, is more than $2.8 million.

The CFO encourages all who are able to donate to a nonprofit in need or the CFO’s COVID-19 fund. Gifts can be made at cfozarks.org/donate.