Oct. 23, 2025
Twelve agencies from across region receive funds for inclusive participation, stop-gap needs
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks has selected the first round of recipients of its Inclusion & Belonging and Rapid Response grants for the 2025–26 grant cycle.
The Inclusion & Belonging Grant Program supports small grant requests to ensure inclusive participation and engagement in local communities. The five recipients, receiving a total of $12,000, are:
- BLASIANetwork: $3,000 to support Courageous Conversations, a series of community-led forums in Joplin that provide a safe space to hold meaningful conversations around challenging but necessary topics.
- Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks: $1,500 to support critical health care access and encourage regular screening mammograms for the Latine community through a Spanish-language radio and social media campaign.
- Drew Lewis Foundation Inc.: $3,000 to support two RISE expansion sites in Springfield that provide culturally responsive pathways out of poverty through education, resources and community connection.
- Ozarks Action Inc.: $1,500 to support adaptive and sensory-friendly learning tools that enhance classroom environments and foster belonging for every child and family it serves across its six-county service area in south central Missouri.
- The Pediatric Place Family First Initiative: $3,000 to provide sensory bags to first responders in Henry County to support individuals with autism and sensory, developmental or emotional needs during traumatic events.
The Rapid Response Grant Program supports nonprofits that lose government funding, are affected by disaster, or require time-sensitive funding for innovation or collaboration. The seven recipients, receiving a total of $18,891, are:
- Better Life in Recovery: $1,500 to distribute free groceries to low-income families and individuals in Springfield.
- Community Diaper Outreach: $3,000 to purchase, store and distribute diapers and wipes for children in Cedar, Vernon and St. Clair counties.
- Hope Counseling Center: $2,391 to install an electric, auto-locking security system at its entrance in Branson.
- Jefferson College Foundation: $3,000 to support expenses for qualified teacher-aide apprentices working as substitute teachers and for mentor stipends at Jefferson College in Hillsboro.
- Mosaic Arts Collective: $3,000 to support set production for “Hairspray,” originally a partnership with Springfield Contemporary Theatre.
- NAMI of Southwest Missouri: $3,000 to replace funding lost from SAMHSA Statewide Network Grants.
- New Beginning Sanctuary: $3,000 to support the unexpected cost of relocating the agency’s Springfield office due to loss of government funding.
Applications for both programs are reviewed on a rolling basis and will be open through spring 2026 or until funds are exhausted. To learn more about the CFO’s grant application process, visit cfozarks.org/applyforgrants.
