Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Marshfield Area Community Foundation, in partnership with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, recently announced the completion of a $5,000 dollar-for-dollar match to benefit the Marshfield community. Chip & Teresa McGeehan, owners of McDonald’s in Marshfield, made a $5,000 contribution to the Hidden Waters Nature Park Fund, an endowment fund providing long-term sustainable funding for the upkeep and maintenance of a local Marshfield park. This $5,000 gift earned the fund a $5,000 matching grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozark’s Stewardship Ozarks Initiative.

The three-year, $1 million Stewardship Ozarks Initiative is an effort to strengthen regional organizations that are committed to conservation efforts in the Missouri Ozarks. It focuses directly on the sustainability of conservation and environmental nonprofit groups, providing challenge grants to strengthen or establish endowment funds for environmental stewardship. This initiative is supported by a major gift from Johnny Morris on behalf of Wonders of Wildlife, as well as by leadership contributions from Gregg and Nancy Galbraith, Larry and Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, Todd and Betty Parnell, and the Upper White River Basin Foundation. Additional support comes from Sally Baird, Community Foundation of the Ozarks Philanthropy Initiative, Susie Henry, and Dr. Tom and Dr. Kim Prater.

The Marshfield Area Community Foundation (MACF) is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. It is comprised of 22 funds with assets totaling approximately $365,000. In fiscal year 2009, the Marshfield Area Community Foundation granted more than $33,000 back to the community. To learn more about the MACF, please visit their website here.

PICTURE: From left to right: Dan Beckner, Hidden Waters Nature Park founder, Winter Skelton (CFO), and Barbara Herren (Marshfield Area Community Foundation board member) accept a check from Chip McGeehan.

The Marshfield Area Community Foundation met their goal of raising $30,300 as part of the Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks. This money was matched dollar-for-dollar through the Cooper Campaign. Gary Funk, president of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, presented a check for $30,300 to Rob Foster, President of the Marshfield Area Community Foundation, for the matching funds on Saturday, October 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Marshfield Area Community Foundation’s “Boots, Bands and Bar-BQ” fundraiser.

The Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks is a dollar for dollar challenge grant in partnership with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks that is part of an overall regional effort to enhance community grantmaking endowments, establish administrative/operations endowments, and promote appropriate and best practices by community foundation board of directors. This initiative is made possible through the generosity of the Harry Cooper Supply Company.

Metropolitan National Bank has made three $1,000 donations to the Marshfield Area Community Foundation, the Nixa Community Foundation, and the Table Rock Lake Community Foundation. This gift qualifies for a $1,000 matching grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks. This dollar for dollar challenge grant is part of an overall regional effort to enhance community grantmaking endowments, establish administrative/operations endowments, and promote appropriate and best practices by community foundation board of directors. Metropolitan National Bank has branches in Kimberling City, Marshfield and Nixa.

“Metropolitan National Bank appreciates what community foundations do for small communities. We have always been very interested in community activities, and we’re very aware of all the good things they do,” said Judy Pratt, VP and Branch Manager of the Nixa branch and Nixa Community Foundation treasurer. (more…)