Community Foundation Awards $59,000 in Grants; Next Deadline is July 28
This summer the Outer Banks Community Foundation awarded almost $59,000 in grants to 13 local nonprofit organizations. From feeding the hungry to preserving local history, the grants will assist in a wide range of charitable needs, benefiting hundreds across the Outer Banks.
Nine nonprofits received Community Enrichment Grants, which are given on a competitive basis to organizations that apply for funds. The Beach Food Pantry received a $5,000 grant to purchase a new, industrial-size refrigerator for fresh produce, meat, eggs, and other nutritious foods. Outer Banks Sporting Events also received a $5,000 grant for a website upgrade in an effort to increase visibility and raise more money for local charities.
The largest Community Enrichment Grant was awarded to the Chicamacomico Historical Association in Rodanthe in the amount of $25,000. The funds will be used to repair and restore the cedar shingle siding and roofing on the 1911 Station in an effort to preserve and protect the legacy of the men and women who guarded our coast from 1874 to 1954.
Mano al Hermano, aka “My hand to my brother,” received a $3,172 grant for a new outreach program to assist more immigrant members of our community. The Outer Banks Chamber also received a grant to provide scholarships to nonprofit personnel who wish to attend the Leadership OBX program later this fall.
Receiving over $16,000 in support from the Pauline Wright and David Aycock Loy Endowments, MANE & TAILL Therapeutic Horsemanship Academy and Special Olympics of Dare County both received grants this summer for their programs providing athletic opportunities to children and adults with disabilities.
First Flight Society received an aviation education grant this summer, and the Outer Banks SPCA received an inaugural grant from the new Schiffman Fund for Animals for their animal enrichment program.
The Community Foundation also awarded several donor-advised fund grants this summer. Donor-advised funds are managed on behalf of individuals and families, who recommend the grants that are awarded. This summer the Hester Family Legacy Fund supported Monday Night Alive, and the Bingham Family Fund awarded grants to the Beach Food Pantry and the Lower Currituck Food Pantry. The Preston Family Fund awarded grants this summer to GEM Adult Day Services in memory of Mabel S. Preston, to Special Olympics in memory of Reverend Norman G. Preston, Jr., and to Hatteras Island Rescue Squad in honor of Evelyn B. Preston.
The Outer Banks Community Foundation is now accepting applications for its next cycle of Community Enrichment Grants. Eligible projects must directly benefit all or a portion of the Community Foundation’s service area, which includes all of Dare County, and all Outer Banks communities, from Corolla to Ocracoke Island. Community Enrichment Grants support all charitable causes, including arts and culture, animal welfare, children/youth, disaster relief and prevention, education, the environment, health, historic interpretation and preservation, and other human services.
Prospective applicants are urged to review the grant guidelines online at www.obcf.org/grants, and then call the Community Foundation to discuss their ideas. The application deadline is July 28, 2017.
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The Outer Banks Community Foundation is a public charity that connects people who care with causes that matter. The Community Foundation manages $15 million in 150 charitable funds for individuals and agencies, awards grants to local nonprofits, administers 50 scholarship programs, and provides tailored services to help donors pursue their charitable interests. Since its inception in 1982, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $8 million in grants and scholarships to local nonprofits and students.
Photo Caption: The Outer Banks Community Foundation awarded $59,000 in grants earlier this summer to local nonprofits. From left to right, the staff and board include: Greg Honeycutt, Leslie Reed, Ray White, Shirley Hamblet, Teresa Osborne, Nancy Sugg, Bruce Austin, Lorelei Costa, Chris Seawell, Scott Brown, Clark Twiddy, Loretta Michael, and Nancy Caviness. Photograph by Biff Jennings, Shooters at the Beach.
