Community Foundation Accepting Applications for Community Enrichment, Pauline Wright, David Loy, Aviation Education, and Schiffman Grants

The Outer Banks Community Foundation is now accepting applications for Community Enrichment Grants, as well as the annual Pauline Wright, David Aycock Loy, Aviation Education, and Schiffman Grants. Applications must be submitted online by Friday, April 28 via the Community Foundation’s website: www.obcf.org.

The Community Enrichment Grant Program is the Community Foundation’s broadest and largest grant program. These awards are open to any nonprofit for any kind of charitable project that benefits the Outer Banks. Areas of interest include: arts & culture; animal welfare; children & youth; education; the environment; disaster relief & prevention; health; historic interpretation & preservation; and other human services.

Most Community Enrichment Grants will support the direct costs of a charitable project or program (e.g., art supplies, medical equipment); however, Community Foundation Enrichment Grants are also awarded for capacity-building projects, with a goal of enhancing a nonprofit’s long-term effectiveness, financial stability, and/or program quality (e.g., computers, strategic planning).

Though Community Enrichment Grants are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed quarterly, the Pauline Wright, David Aycock Loy, Aviation Education, and Schiffman Grants are usually accepted and reviewed just once per year, in the spring.

The David Aycock Loy Fund was established in 2013 by his family to remember a boy who died too young from hemophilia complications. David Aycock Loy Grants are aimed at helping children on the Outer Banks with autism or any kind of intellectual, development, or learning disability. Charitable organizations that serve these children — or their families — are encouraged to apply. The David Aycock Loy Fund has over $1,850 to award this year in grants, but excellent projects may be eligible for additional matching dollars from the Community Enrichment program.

Pauline Wright Grants are aimed at helping adults or children in Dare and/or Currituck Counties with Down syndrome or any other kind of intellectual or developmental disability. The program was made possible by a generous gift from the late Mrs. Wright, who bequeathed her house in Southern Shores to the Community Foundation to award these annual grants, as well as to support the Dare County Arts Council, Currituck County Public Library, and the Currituck Animal Shelter.

Both nonprofits and government agencies are eligible to apply for Pauline Wright Grants, but priority emphasis may be given to programs in schools, and/or job-training and life skills programs for adults. Pauline Wright Grants are available for both Dare County and Currituck County. Each county has a separate fund, each with $7,000 to award this year; projects benefiting both Dare and Currituck could draw from both funds. Excellent projects may also be eligible for additional matching dollars from the Community Enrichment program.

In past years, the Community Foundation awarded Pauline Wright and David Aycock Loy Grants to: Mane & Taill Therapeutic Horsemanship Academy for camp scholarships; Monarch Lighthouse and Beach Clubs for art, kitchen, and fitness equipment; the OBX Chapter of the Autism Society for social understanding workshops; the Town of Nags Head for the accessible playground at Dowdy Park; the local Special Olympics chapter for uniforms and athletic equipment; and the Nags Head and Southern Shores Fire Departments for beach wheelchairs.

The Community Foundation is also accepting applications for its Aviation Education Program. The Aviation Education Fund, which was established by Phil and Mary Woodruff in 2007, has $335 to award this year, but excellent projects may be eligible for matching dollars from the Community Enrichment program.

And a new fund this year is dedicated to all creatures great and small — the Schiffman Fund for Animals. This new program was established in 2016 by Lila Schiffman of Wanchese, known for her compassion for animals and especially her dedicated rehabilitation of squirrels and other wildlife. This year, $250 will be awarded from the Schiffman Fund for projects dedicated to the protection, care, and rehabilitation of animals and wildlife. Again, excellent projects may be eligible for matching dollars from the Community Enrichment program.

“Because our Aviation Education and Schiffman grants are small awards, organizations can apply for these funds with a simple, one-page letter that explains the project, and how they would spend the grant money,” said Lorelei Costa, the Executive Director of the Community Foundation. “If an organization has a larger project in mind, they can apply for matching funds through our online application at www.obcf.org. Larger requests should meet our Community Enrichment Grants criteria.”

Before submitting an application for any grant, prospective applicants should first review the criteria online, and then contact Lorelei Costa at 252-261-8839 to discuss their projects. Then, all grant applications must be completed and submitted through the Community Foundation’s website: www.obcf.org. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 28. Grant decisions will be announced on Thursday, June 1.

 

Photo courtesy of Dare County Special Olympics.