VCCF Passes the $224K Mark With 2019 Grants

The dollar figures $224,412 and $33,389 don’t have much in common but to the Valley County Community Foundation, they are very significant. The $33,389 granted this year is the largest annual amount given since the first grants in 2000. That figure brought the total amount of grants given to $224,412.

“These grants mean a lot to efforts in Valley County,” said Doris Leader who chairs the board of directors. “Many projects are completed, enhanced, or totally funded with VCCF dollars.”

VCCF awards grants to projects or programs that are for charitable purposes and serve the people of Valley County. This year’s six grants are typical of the 141 grants given over the years. They are:

$10,000 to the City of Glasgow to pay for a site survey and the base map for the new swimming pool;

$5,400 to the Opheim School to renovate two existing classrooms into one physical fitness training room;

$1,182 to the Opheim School to purchase two amplifiers, two microphones, and two instrument cables for the sound system at the music department;

$2,500 to the Glasgow High School Cross Country Team to buy an electronic timing system used at meets;

$3,000 to Two Rivers Economic Growth to purchase and place directional signs to the Smith Bike Park just off Highway 2 East in Glasgow;

$11,307 to Glasgow Reds baseball to replace the breaker boxes on the lights in Legion Field.

The impact of each grant is unique and frequently benefits far beyond the group presenting the application, Leader emphasized. For example, requests from the two high schools provide uses for the communities at large. The improved sound system in Opheim will be used for community-wide events such as performances, graduation, and the Veterans’ Day program. Also at the Opheim School, the fitness training room is open to all community members who request access and receive safety training. The GHS Cross Country team plans to rent the timing system, with an operator, to other race events held in the area. This will amount to a substantial savings for local event sponsors, whose costs to rent similar systems are as high as $2,000.

With a 501 (c) (3) tax status VCCF, is a non-profit organization and awards grants to organizations of the same tax status, along with educational institutions and government entities. Applications for annual grant awards are due in March.

Information on VCCF grants and scholarships is available on its website, http://www.valleycountycf.net.