Grant applications available for first round of casino money

Special to The Jefferson Herald

Grant applications for 2016 funding from Grow Greene County and the Greene County Community Foundation are now available at growgreenecounty.org.

Grow Greene County will accept grant applications for $35,000 or more, while the Community Foundation will accept applications for less than $35,000.

The due date for applications to either group is Feb. 11.

Grow Greene County expects to grant about $200,000 in its first competitive grant cycle.

“This competitive grant total is separate from non-competitive grants to be allocated to Greene County municipalities and school districts, counties contiguous to Greene County, and other recipients. That total is about $500,000,” said Grow Greene County president Norm Fandel.

Fandel emphasized that the grants represent only half a year of operations from Wild Rose Jefferson, which opened in July.  

Next year’s totals will come from the proceeds of the full 2016 year.

The Community Foundation has received gaming proceeds from the state as a non-gaming county and has awarded grants totaling $900,000 to nonprofit organizations the past 10 years.
With the opening of Wild Rose Jefferson, Grow Greene County agreed to continue funding the Community Foundation for at least the same level. The Community Foundation anticipates having at least $100,000 to award in the 2016 grant cycle.

“We have reduced the amount of matching funds required this year, which should make it easier for nonprofit organizations to qualify for Community Foundation grants. We really encourage organizations around the county to submit a grant application this year,” said Linda Hedges, co-chair of the Community Foundation’s grant-making committee.

The Community Foundation will fund up to 75 percent of a project.

Grow Greene County, with its own grants, specifies only that it will not fund 100 percent of a project.

Community Foundation grant application forms are available at the county’s public libraries and at the Investment Center office at Home State Bank in Jefferson, in addition to the Grow Greene County website.

A grant writing workshop is planned for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Greene County Extension office for those who have questions about the Community Foundation grant process.

Community Foundation board members will score applications on Feb. 20, and grants will be awarded and available March 28.