Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

Nonprofits, schools, churches, local governments encouraged to attend

ROLLA— Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) and the Phelps County Community Foundation are hosting an informational meeting for nonprofits, schools, churches and local governments on how to apply for disaster relief grants from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. on May 7 at the Eugene E. Northern building, 400 W. 4^th St., Rolla. 

Over $94,000 in donations have been collected to assist with recovery efforts from the EF-2 that hit Phelps County on March 14, 2025. Per IRS Code, these funds cannot be given to individual persons, but can be distributed to 501©3 nonprofits, schools, churches and local governments. These entities are encouraged to apply for funds to help support recovery assistance through a grant application process. The purpose of the meeting is to inform organizations who intend to apply what the grant application process will be like, discuss what recovery needs need to be addressed and additionally, who can potentially help with meeting those needs in the area. 

For those interested in participating in the meeting, please register at https://doodle.com/sign-up-sheet/participate/a77c7e1b-44a7-4424-b089-ea55d9f96760/select. 

Donations are still be accepted for the Phelps County Disaster Relief Fund at http://cfozarks.org/phelps. These donations are tax deductible. 

For additional information, contact Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) Executive Director Bonnie Prigge at 573-265-2993 or via email at bprigge@meramecregion.org. 

MRCF is an outgrowth of the MRPC and is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) in Springfield. The regional affiliate was formed in 2010. Its 12-member board includes representation from each of the eight Meramec counties and from MRPC. Jared Niederer of Gasconade County serves as chairman of MRCF.

MRPC, in addition to establishing the regional foundation and providing the initial investment to create a grant program, provides staff support to MRCF. 

The Phelps County Community Foundation is the newest affiliate of CFO founded in 2023. It’s 13-member board works to bring together individuals, nonprofits and government entities so the foundation can leverage a broader range of resources, knowledge and expertise to address community needs more comprehensively. Marla Stevenson serves as board chair for the Phelps County Community Foundation. 

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Mary Heywood, representing individuals with disabilities, serves as chair of the board. A professional staff of 25 offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

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