May 26, 2022
Five agencies each receive a $30,000 grant in latest round
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Let’s Get to Work Fund has received $150,000 from an anonymous donor with a passion for improving the economic outcomes of residents in the Ozarks. The gift will support $30,000 grants to five agencies:
- Community Partnership of the Ozarks: To assist individuals — including employees of nonprofit agencies — in Barry, Christian, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Laclede, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney, Texas, Webster and Wright counties;
- Drew Lewis Foundation: To assist individuals and RISE program participants in Christian, Greene, Lawrence, Barry, Dent, Newton, Vernon and Miller counties;
- Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation: To assist individuals in Barry, Christian, Dallas, Greene, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney and Webster counties;
- Springfield Business Development Corporation: To assist current employees or job seekers of businesses located in the United Way of the Ozarks’ 14-county service area; and
- United Way of the Ozarks: To assist job seekers in the Missouri Job Center’s Ozark Region, which serves Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, Stone, Taney and Webster counties, in partnership with City of Springfield’s Department of Workforce Development.
To date, the CFO has granted $515,000 from the Let’s Get to Work Fund to reduce transportation-related barriers to employment thanks to gifts by David and Stacey O’Reilly, the O’Reilly Charity Golf Classic Fund, Bass Pro Shops, the Jeannette L. Musgrave Foundation, an anonymous donor and other generous donors, along with $250,000 from the CFO’s reserves. Limited funds remain for additional grantmaking. Donors can help extend this program by donating to the Let’s Get to Work Fund at cfozarks.org/donate.
Grant dollars will be used exclusively to support individuals with transportation needs such as car repairs, new tires, gasoline cards, licensing fees or taxes, transportation services such as bus passes, ride-sharing services, taxis, purchase or repair of bikes/e-bikes, or vehicle purchase down payments.
Individuals cannot apply to the CFO directly, but can work with agencies supported by the Let’s Get to Work Fund to receive assistance for transportation-related needs. Businesses can access funds through the Springfield Business Development Corporation, a nonprofit subsidiary of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information, visit cfozarks.org/transportation.
