More than $215,000 awarded to area nonprofit organizations through Community Foundation’s competitive grant program

QUINCY — Fifty nonprofit organizations received a total of $215,960.55 in grant funding through the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri’s competitive grant program. A total of 55 grants, awarded from 50 funds held at the Community Foundation, will support a wide range of local, charitable interests. The checks were awarded during a presentation Tuesday morning at the Quincy Museum. 

The grants will support programs, assist with buying equipment and supplies, and contribute to much-needed operational funding for nonprofit organizations providing arts and culture, community betterment, education, health and human services. 

Community Foundation Program Officer Kent Embree said this year’s grants topped the $200,000 mark for the first time.

“What a fantastic year to be celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the Community Foundation,” Embree said in a press release. “We look forward to seeing the difference these agencies make in the communities they serve, not just in the next year but for years to come.”

This year’s grant recipients are:

Through the competitive grant program, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen nonprofit programs to ultimately enhance the quality of life throughout our region. The Community Foundation annually accepts applications for funding from nonprofit organizations in its 12-county region. A grant committee, comprised of board members and volunteers from throughout the region, evaluates each application to determine the awards. 

Earnings from endowment funds make competitive grants possible. Donors work with the Community Foundation to establish permanent charitable funds to support their philanthropic goals and community. The Community Foundation invests and grows those funds, and each year a portion of the fund’s earnings are distributed as grants while the principal remains intact.

“Each of these grants is an expression of a donor’s vision and love for community,” Community Foundation CEO Catherine Bocke Meckes said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to grow charitable funds on behalf of our donors and help fulfill a shared goal of bettering our region. These grants are a testament to the generosity of our communities and the dedication of our nonprofits.”

In addition to Tuesday’s presentation, county endowment fund councils will present grants from county endowment funds. Fund councils in Brown, Hancock and Pike County in Illinois and Lewis and Marion County in Missouri reviewed applications and made recommendations on grants to be awarded to best serve each county’s needs and opportunities. Grants from county endowment funds will be presented at ceremonies in each county.

Since 1997, the Community Foundation has made grants totaling more than $13 million in the 12-county service area of Adams, Brown, Hancock and Pike in Illinois and Clark, Lewis, Marion, Ralls, Pike, Knox, Shelby and Monroe in Missouri.

For more information, call 217-222-1237, email info@mycommunityfoundation.org or go to mycommunityfoundation.org or www.facebook.com/mycommunityfoundation.