Applications Now Being Taken for Jacksonville Children’s Foundation Grants

By Jeremy Coumbes on August 30, 2022 at 10:30am

Non-profit groups in Morgan County that are centered around helping children’s causes can apply for grant funding in the coming weeks.

The Jacksonville Children’s Foundation is now accepting applications for grant funding through late September. Midwest Youth Services Executive Director, Ann Baker says this annual program aims to help children’s organizations right here in the local area.

She says non-profit child-centered organizations can apply for grant funding which will be discussed during the foundation’s annual meeting coming up in October.

Baker says the Jacksonville Children’s Foundation has a history of supporting diverse children’s projects throughout Morgan County. “We’ve done a lot with Minnie Barr Park. Our organization was designed and developed in memory of Minnie and Oscar Barr who were the founders of the program.

With that, we’re done everything from playground equipment, and daycare safety enhancement to school district needs if there is a specific need for a department. For sports events, we just recently worked with the hockey organization to resurface part of their court. That was a huge project. Honestly, the sky’s the limit. As long as it is a worthwhile cause for kids that benefits kids within the Morgan County area, we are on board to listen to their proposal.”

Organizations must be non-profit 401c3 status to apply for grant funding. Grant must be completed online at jacksonvillechildrensfoundation.org by Friday, September 23rd, and a representative of the group will also need to present the grant request in person at the annual meeting on October 3rd.

Baker says the Jacksonville Children’s Foundation Board of Directors encourages anyone who has a child-centered project to apply. “We really enjoy doing this work and being able to hear all of the great things that are being built and accomplished throughout the community.

And while we provide the funding for these projects, it could not be done without somebody with the idea or the willingness to make that happen. So we would just encourage anyone who has an idea or a project to turn that in and we will listen to them and hopefully make it happen.”

Baker says after the Annual Meeting, the JCF Board will review grant requests at the November/December meeting and both the requesting organization and the public will be informed of awarded grants in December with the checks being distributed in January 2023.

Representatives from any qualifying organization that would be interested in serving on the Board of Directors should email jvillechildrensfoundation@gmail.com by September 23rd, then voting for new members of the Board of Directors will occur at the Annual Meeting.

For information regarding the list of current Board members and Guidelines for Obtaining Funds go to http://www.jacksonvillechildrensfoundation.org and if any organization needs special accommodations, they can contact the Jacksonville Children’s Foundation Corresponding Secretary, Rebecca Fletcher at 217-491-0741.