Nearly $500K in Grants Available from Truman Heartland Community Foundation

     ​Truman Heartland Community Foundation (THCF) welcomes nonprofit organizations located in or serving citizens of Eastern Jackson County, Missouri, to request funding through their two competitive grant programs. For 2022, approximately $300,000 is available through the Community Grants Program, with an additional $150,000 from the Jelley Family Foundation Endowment for Children's Education Fund.
     THCF recognizes the financial and operational strain that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on area nonprofits. In addition to proposals that focus on programs with long-term positive impacts, applications for general operating support will also be accepted.
     Jelley Family Foundation grant seekers must submit their applications by Monday, March 14, 2022. Community Grant seekers must submit their applications by Monday, March 28, 2022.
     Applicants may apply for the Community Grants program and the Jelley Family Foundation Endowment for Children's Education, but not with the same proposal. Programs are eligible for funding for up to three consecutive years: with a new grant submission each year. After three years of funding have been awarded for the same program, that program becomes ineligible for one year. But applicants are still eligible to submit proposals for different programs.
     Exceptions to this rule will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Complete application guidelines can be downloaded and submitted online at https://www.thcf.org/Grant-Scholarship-Seekers/Grants
     THCF will host a virtual Competitive Grants Application Workshop on Thursday, February 10, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. Nonprofits interested in applying for funding in 2022 are encouraged to attend. Visit the Truman Heartland website to RSVP for the webinar.
     In 2021, through the Competitive Grants Program, Truman Heartland issued grants totaling more than $427,000 to 61 nonprofit organizations. A list of past grant recipients can be found at https://www.thcf.org/Grant-Scholarship-Seekers/Grants-Recipients.
 
Community Grants Program Guidelines:
Programs considered for funding must address one or more of the following issues:         

• Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation;
• Adult or Non-Traditional Education (not Children's Education);
• Community Betterment (improving neighborhoods, youth development and leadership, programs for seniors, transportation, violence prevention, etc.);
• Health and Human Services;
• Wildlife Conservation in Missouri.

 
     501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, units of local government, or public education institutions located in or serving individuals or communities in Eastern Jackson County (defined as East of I-435) are eligible to apply for Community Grants funding for Arts, Culture, and Historic Preservation; Adult or Non-Traditional Education; Community Betterment; and Health and Human Services proposals. Organizations applying for Wildlife Conservation in Missouri funding are not restricted to serving Eastern Jackson County. Applications from across the state of Missouri are encouraged.
 
Jelley Family Foundation Endowment for Children's Education Guidelines:
     Applications for Jelley Family Foundation Endowment for Children's Education must be focused on educational initiatives for children, ranging from early childhood through traditional post-secondary education. Proposals that take an innovative approach to education, focus on at-risk youth, or that are collaborative with other organizations are encouraged.
 
     The Jelley Family Foundation endowment originated when a long-time resident of Blue Springs, Dr. Carl Jelley, entrusted the Truman Heartland Community Foundation with a substantial gift upon his passing to support children's education in Eastern Jackson County. The first grants in his honor to support children's education were made in 2014.
 
     Truman Heartland Community Foundation (THCF) is a public charity committed to improving area communities by promoting and serving private giving for the public good. Founded in 1982, THCF serves the region with assets of more than $85 million and annual grants at nearly $6 million. In addition to donor services, the Community Foundation provides asset development for nonprofit organizations, awards grants to nonprofits, assists organizations in planned giving, and serves as a leader in addressing community issues. For more information, visit www.thcf.org or call 816-836-8189.