
Nixa Community Foundation
A trusted resource for philanthropy serving the community of Nixa. Established in 1993, the Nixa Community Foundation is the first affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
A trusted resource for philanthropy serving the community of Nixa. Established in 1993, the Nixa Community Foundation is the first affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
Since our founding as the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ first regional affiliate on Nov. 18, 1993, the Nixa Community Foundation has distributed more than $5 million back to the community. We now hold assets totaling $2,477,492 as of June 30, 2023.
Jimmy Liles, President
April 24, 2025 — Nixa Community Foundation received a $4,000 Affiliate Action Grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. The grant will support the installation of benches along the Eoff Family Century Farm Park trail system to increase visibility of the NCF, encourage community involvement and enhance the park's recreational amenities. This project will contribute to the park's ongoing development and promote environmental stewardship and public engagement.
The grant was part of the CFO’s annual recognition of affiliates and affiliate leaders, presented April 10 prior to the Rural Philanthropy Summit. The summit, cohosted by the CFO and Philanthropy Missouri, was held April 11 at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in Lake Ozark. For a full list of honorees and grant recipients, visit cfozarks.org/affiliates2025.
This is the first year for the Affiliate Action Grants, presented to CFO affiliates that proposed innovative ways to improve their communities.
“We believe that place-based philanthropy can be transformative for a community, but it requires passionate leaders to make that transformation possible,” said Alice Wingo, vice president of affiliates for the CFO. “We are grateful that these forward-thinking leaders volunteer so much of their time and energy to improve the quality of life for everyone in their communities.”
The legacy of the Nixa Community Foundation comes through in years, but also in lives. Since its founding in 1993, the work of the CFO’s first regional affiliate has grown through the time and energy of locals, some with longstanding connections to the area, who chose to invest in a new idea. That success helped pave the way for the way for a list that now includes more than 50 local affiliate foundations in communities across central and southern Missouri.
In Nixa, three decades of seeds have grown into layers of support for one of the fastest-growing communities in the Ozarks. Distributions have also increased: In 2019, the NCF hit an all-time high of more than $71,000 back into the community in just one year.
“Since our inception, we’ve donated over $3.7 million to the community,” says Paul Johns, a longtime board member. “You’ve got to have some impact with that over the years. All of that was in small increments, but when you spread it out, you get more help to more people, more kids. It’s just awesome.”
The Legacy Society comprises donors who have made a planned gift to the Nixa Community Foundation. Click here to join or learn more information.
*Deceased