The Golden Belt Community Foundation recently completed its first competitive grant cycle of 2013, awarding $16,180.90 to charitable organizations in Barton, Pawnee, Rush, and Stafford counties.
Twenty-four applications were received with agencies requesting over $41,000 in funding. Programs or projects must demonstrate need and show how the program will benefit the communities of the Golden Belt area. Projects establishing new or fostering existing collaborations are favored.
Since 2002, over $1.7 million has been reinvested into charitable projects and agencies of the Golden Belt. The recipients for spring 2013 are:
Grants made possible through the Kansas Health Foundation Youth Fund:
• $334 – Pawnee Heights High School to purchase nets and equipment for the physical education program.
• $152 – USD 495 – Phinney Elementary School toward the purchase of a portable bluetooth sound system.
• $2,718 –  Barton County 4-H Council to purchase supplies for the new rifle bore project which allows kids to qualify for state and national competitions in hunting skills. This grant also was made possible by Sheryl Cheely.
• $2,000 – Quivira Council, Boy Scouts of America to purchase start up equipment and supplies for the Scoutreach program at Riley Elementary School in Great Bend.
• $1,100 – Great Bend Public Library to help create a Tree House theme in the children’s department. The Don Miller Memorial Endowment Fund also provided a special grant toward this project.
• $500 – Holy Family School to purchase manipulatives and games to strengthen kindergartners’ fine motor skills.
• $421 – USD 350 – St. John for the purchase of a six DVD set of a parenting series.
• $1,000 – Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo to purchase educational materials and equipment for the Native Habitat Garden for elementary school tours.
• $500 – Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland toward the purchase of materials for the Fascinating Flowers program in partnership with the Kansas Wetlands Education Center.
• $805.90 – Macksville City Library to assist with purchasing electronic reading devices and accessories.
Grants made possible through Health and Human Services Endowment, Amos Bayer Endowment, and Don Miller Memorial Endowment Fund
• $1,250 – Stafford County Hospital to purchases a camera, television, and start up medical supplies for a TeleMedicine Wound Care Clinic.
Grants made possible by Barton County Endowment and Amos Bayer Endowment
• $1,000 – St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center to assist with providing flu vaccines for the community.
Grants made possible through the Albert Gumbir Charitable Fund:
• $1,250 – Daniel R. Trickey Memorial Life Giving Center to provide a television for educational programs, a new key pad lock on the main door, and to assist with purchasing paint and supplies.
Grants made possible through the Jerry and Linda Marmie Donor Advised Fund:
• $2,650 – Dominican Sisters of Peace for Heartland Farms youth, Peace Camp, in providing training, room, board, scholarships, food, and material.
Grants made possible by the Jason and Jayme Mayers Donor Advised Fund:
• $500 – Holy Family School to purchase a FOSS Solids and Liquids Kit for use in the current science curriculum, solids and liquids unit for children, in both the 1st and 2nd grade classrooms.
At $10.8 million in total assets and over 130 funds under management, the Golden Belt Community Foundation has been connecting people who care to causes that matter since 1996. For more information about the Golden Belt Community Foundation, call 620-792-3000 or visit their website at www.goldenbeltcf.org.