CAMDEN — Nonprofits serving Ouachita or Calhoun Counties can now go to arcf.org/givingtree to apply online for Youth Advisory Council (YAC) Grants through the Ouachita Valley Community Foundation, an affiliate of Arkansas Community Foundation, according to a news release.
Applications must be submitted online by February 15.
“These grants generally range from $500 to $2,500,” said OVCF Executive Director Stephanie Wyatt. "While these grants are available for a wide variety of charitable causes, this year we’re excited to announce a special focus on grade-level reading programs.”
Nonprofits can visit arcf.org/givingtree to view grant submission guidelines and begin the application process.
This year, in addition to its usual YAC Grants process focusing on youth needs, the Community Foundation also invites proposals with a special emphasis on early literacy and grade-level reading, the release states.
Applicants who fit into this focus area should apply through a special application form available at arcf.org/apply. Look for the application form titled “Grade Level Reading.”
Proposals for the OVCF Grade-Level Reading grants should be aimed at increasing local students’ early literacy through one or more of the five focus areas of the Arkansas Campaign for Grade-Level Reading:
• Parent and community engagement,
• School readiness,
• Classroom instruction,
• Chronic absence prevention and intervention, or
• Summer learning loss prevention.
Any IRS 501(c)(3) public charity, public school, government agency or hospital in Ouachita or Calhoun Counties is eligible to apply.
Other applicants may be considered if the project has a clear charitable purpose for the public benefit.
Grants are not made to individuals.
Campaign for Grade Level Reading Applications will be reviewed by a grant-making committee from the Ouachita County Community Foundation. YAC Grant Applications will be reviewed by youth in Ouachita County that participate in the YAC program with Ouachita Valley Community Foundation.
“Through local Giving Tree grants, our state’s nonprofit organizations find support as they implement great ideas to improve their communities,” said Heather Larkin, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “Giving Tree grants are selected by local people in each of our affiliate areas and awarded to local organizations.”
Funding for the Giving Tree program comes from hundreds of Arkansas donors who support the work of the Community Foundation. For more information about our Giving Tree Society, visit arcf.org/localgiving.
Arkansas Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that fosters smart giving to improve communities. The Community Foundation offers tools to help Arkansans protect, grow and direct their charitable dollars as they learn more about community needs. By making grants and sharing knowledge, the Community Foundation supports charitable programs that work for Arkansas and partners to create new initiatives that address the gaps.
Since 1976, the Community Foundation has provided more than $179 million in grants and partnered with thousands of Arkansans to help them improve our neighborhoods, our towns and our entire state. Contributions to the Community Foundation, its funds and any of its 28 affiliates are fully tax deductible.