NKY Funders’ Grants is back with more funding and additional partners for its second year, to bring over $110,000 in total funds to nonprofits that serve Northern Kentucky.
Grayson
“We are thrilled to bring this growing collaboration back to Northern Kentucky,” said Nancy Grayson, President of Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky. “By working together, we truly maximize our impact in the region for the common wealth, and the common good. For this year’s competition, Horizon Community Funds is proud to support organizations who work to improve the health and wellness of our community.”
The 2019 program brings together several regional foundations, listed below with their 2019 focus areas:
•Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky (Health and Wellness)
•The Butler Foundation (Reducing Barriers to Employment)
•The Charles H. Dater Foundation (K-12 Programming)
•The R.C. Durr Foundation (Popular Vote)
•Greater Cincinnati Foundation (Addiction Services)
•Scripps Howard Foundation (Early Childhood Literacy)
•The Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation (Arts, Culture, and Humanities)
•United Way of Greater Cincinnati (Early Childhood)
“By collaborating, funders can focus attention on some of our community’s opportunity areas — and the non-profits making strides to address them,” said Barbara Schaefer, Executive Director of The Butler Foundation. “The Butler Foundation invests in long-term poverty solutions, and this year our Funders’ Grant awards will go to programs that connect ready people with living-wage jobs.”
“Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) is pleased to join the NKY Funders’ Grants as it continues to invest in Northern Kentucky and in a whole region where everyone can thrive. We will focus these grants on addiction services, recognizing the challenges that substance and alcohol abuse present to individuals and families and how it impacts our community,” said Rickell Smith, Director of Community Strategies at GCF. “GCF is committed to investing in solutions that improve the lives of those directly impacted.”
The funders have updated the program to include increased first- and second-place prizes in each focus area and for the popular vote, and a prize for semifinalists that do not proceed to final round. Additionally, they have expanded the timeline to allow more time for the process.
“United Way of Greater Cincinnati unites communities to change lives,” said Amanda Greenwell, Director, United Way of Greater Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky. “We all share common needs that must be met in order to thrive as individuals and families: Basic Needs, Financial Stability, Quality Educational Experiences and Physical and Mental Health. Our intention is to break the cycle of poverty for families in Greater Cincinnati.”
“Our lives, our families, and our communities are enhanced, improved, and inspired by arts, culture, and humanities,” said Ruth V. Klette, Trustee at The Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation. “Art is the conscious creation of something of beauty, meaning, and usefulness. By using knowledge, skill and imagination, art expresses feeling and evokes emotional responses and revitalizes our soul.”
NKY Funders’ Grants is an ongoing program that convenes foundations and funders around mini-grant competitions for nonprofits that serve Northern Kentucky. The timeline for the 2019 NKY Funders’ Grants is below, and more information can be found at www.horizonfunds.org/nky-funders-grants.
Important dates for the 2019 NKY Funders’ Grants:
– June 25, 9:30-11:30 a.m.: Informational meeting for potential applicants at the Covington branch of the Kenton County Public Library
– July 1: Applications open online
– July 31: Deadline for applications
– Early September: Semifinalists announced
– September 10, 5:00-8:00 p.m.: Semifinalist training at Life Learning Center in Covington
– September 24, 5:00-9:00 p.m.: Semifinalist pitches at the RiverCenter Media Center in Covington
– Early October: Finalists announced
– October 29, 5:00-7:30 p.m.: Final pitch competition at the St. Elizabeth Training & Education Center in Erlanger
“Children and youth are our most vulnerable citizens, and a healthy, vibrant community of youth leads to health and vibrancy of our entire community,” said Beth Broomall, Grants Coordinator at The Charles H. Dater Foundation. “We are their voice, their support, and their protection. The Dater Foundation is sincerely grateful for the work being done in our community to build up our children & youth for success.”
“The Northern Kentucky Funders’ grants enable the Scripps Howard Foundation to further of our mission to create a better-informed world through journalism education and childhood literacy,” said Liz Carter, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation. “Access to books from an early age is proven to be an important predictor of a child’s success through their school years and beyond. Literacy is a powerful antidote to poverty.”
The community is welcome to attend the final mini-pitch competition, to be held October 29 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the St. Elizabeth Technology and Education Center in Erlanger.
Tickets will be available in late July.
Each partner will select two finalists in each focus area to pitch their project or program to the audience at the October 29 event. Based on pitches made at the event, partners will select a first-place winner to receive $7,500, and a second-place winner to receive $5,000 in each focus area.
A popular vote at the event will determine an additional $7,500 first-place award and $5,000 second-place award for two of the ten finalists.
“The NKY Funder’s Grants Mini Grant Competition was a blast last year, and this year there is even more money up for grabs,” said Jean Mize, Assistant to the President at the R.C. Durr Foundation. “I can’t wait to hear the new pitches as each nonprofit vies for grant money! This time around, the R.C. Durr Foundation is sponsoring the Popular Vote, and it is always intriguing to see if the audience agrees with the judges’ choices as to who told the best story. Please mark your calendars and join us in voting for your favorite on Tuesday, October 29.”
Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky
