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Dec. 16, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Bonnie Prigge, Luci Flaim 573-265-2993
MRCF board reviews grant making guidelines
Board establishes capacity building fund
ST. JAMES – The Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) defined goals for grant making and the application process at its Dec. 7 meeting at the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC).
Board President Laura Antolak noted MRCF has approximately $1,400 available for grant making purposes.
“What we want to do is try to maximize that money,” Antolak said.
Antolak discussed sample grant application forms provided by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) including a cover letter, application and follow-up report.
“I think we want to make the grant as generic as possible – so a not-for-profit, a school or a church can apply,” Antolak said.
The board discussed a grant making cycle to begin within the next few months. Grants would then be awarded in the spring to several recipients.
The group noted the grants should be used to address local needs that would enhance and build stronger communities.
Next, board members approved a motion to establish MRCF’s own capacity building fund. The existing capacity building fund was named after the foundation, but owned by Meramec RegionalPlanning Commission. The board approved a motion for Antolak to resign an agreement between MRCF, MRPC and CFO to renew MRPC’s capacity building fund under its name.
Luci Flaim, MRPC community development specialist, noted the capacity building fund is necessary for future sustaining membership drives.
Board members discussed scheduling meetings throughout the Meramec Region to continue educating groups and individuals on the foundation and its activities. Members also reported on their individual presentations throughout the region’s communities.
Flaim explained Milford Winter of Owensville left a bequest of more than $900,000 to the Owensville Park Board. The park board decided to invest a portion of this fund in association with the Owensville Area Community Foundation through MRCF, Flaim said.
The next meeting for MRCF will be at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 4 at MRPC at 4 Industrial Drive in St. James.
MRCF is an outgrowth of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission and is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, Springfield. MRCF was established in May 2010 and serves Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties outside of existing CFO affiliate areas.
For more information on MRCF, contact Flaim at (573) 265-2993 or by email at lflaim@meramecregion.org.
The Meramec Regional Community Foundation board members. Back row from left: Bonnie Prigge, MRPC; Dr. Donald Claycomb, Osage County; Jim Grebing, MRPC; Vicki Nelson, Maries County; Wayne Morgan,Pulaski County; Doug Dunlap, Gasconade County; and David Dittman, Dent County. Front row from left: Leo Dickey, Washington County; Laura Antolak, MRCF chairman, and Mardy Leathers, MRCF secretary/treasurer, Crawford County. Not pictured: Wayne Parry, MRCF vice chairman, Phelps County.
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