Grantmaking
Grants mark Year 3 of Rural Ozarks Health Initiative program
The CFO, in partnership with Missouri Foundation for Health, distributed $10,000 each to ten regional affiliate foundations in March. The grants mark Year 3 of the Rural Ozarks Health Initiative, which has distributed $750,000 to more than 30 rural communities. Over the next few months, these 10 regional affiliate foundations will redistribute the funds for health-related projects in their communities:
- Benton County Community Foundation will manage a community grant round for the Benton County area with a focus on three major needs: preventative care, health education and healthy living.
- Dallas County Community Foundation will support free health exams and tests for eligible women through the Dallas County Health Department in order to educate and prevent the spread of HPV, the leading cause of cervical cancer.
- Douglas County Community Foundation will support a community grantmaking round for health-related projects and solicit applications from local health providers and educators.
- Eldon Community Foundation will support the Healthy Eldon Plan, which aims to develop an integrated pedestrian and bicycle network.
- Community Foundation of the Hermann Area Inc. will support improvement of mental health care for students in Gasconade County R-1 School, with a $5,000 match from Wyatt’s Fund.
- Houston Community Foundation will support the completion of the Village Trail system with the City of Houston in order to enhance walking and biking opportunities for its citizens and the general public.
- Jacks Fork Community Foundation will support Good Samaritan Care Clinic, in partnership with the Missouri Dental Association, to provide dental extractions for 500–600 patients who are currently on the clinic’s wait list.
- Community Foundation of Rogersville will develop a new community grant round to award the entire $10,000 to a project to meet the mental health needs of school-age children.
- Stockton Community Foundation will support a community grantmaking round for health-related projects in Cedar County in collaboration with El Dorado Springs Community Foundation.
- Willow Springs Community Foundation will support the Kinship program of the Willow Springs R-IV School District, which supports dental, vision, and medical services for students.
“We look forward to these projects building on the success of the first two years of community-based grants across the region to support key health and wellness priorities,” CFO President Brian Fogle said. “This has been an outstanding partnership with the Missouri Foundation for Health to get its resources working on the ground through our Affiliate network, which is comprised of local leaders who are well positioned to identify specific needs in their communities.”
