Springdale, AR - The Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation awarded seven grants for $33,000 to six area non-profits from funds established in the Foundation by the Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Auxiliary. The Auxiliary Grants Committee reviews grant applicants and organizations and recommends funding which is later approved by the Foundation Board of Directors.
The following six grants for $33,000 were recommended by the Northwest Medical center Auxiliary Fund and approved:
Community Clinic at St. Francis House - $15,000 for general operating expenses.
NWA ChildrenŐs Shelter - $5,000 towards renovation and expansion.
KIDCARE - $5,000 for general operating expenses.
Ozark Guidance/Habberton House - $2,000 to purchase gifts for children and youth spending the holidays in the residential treatment program.
Southwest Junior High School HARMONY Boosters - $1,000 for expenses associated with the all-girlŐs choir performance trip to New York City.
Springdale Shop With A Cop - $5,000 to provide gifts for 50 children who would otherwise not receive anything at Christmas.
KIDCARE offers an after-school program for "latch-key" children for 3-5 hours during the school year and full-time during the summer. The pilot program was begun in January 2001 with a grant from CommunityCare Foundation and $21,000 from a recommended grant by the Auxiliary and later approved by Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation.
The Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Auxiliary Fund is An Advised Fund and was created after the sale of the Northwest Medical Center of Washington County was sold and became for-profit organization. The Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Auxiliary decided in 1999 to place its money in the Community Foundation to benefit nonprofit agencies in this region.
The Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation helps nonprofit agencies through such grants and last spring completed a successful agency endowment match program to agencies to have their endowments managed by NWACF. It was founded in 1998 as the Community Foundation of Bentonville/Bella Vista and was expanded to include Washington, Benton, Madison and Carroll Counties. NWACF now numbers 49 funds with almost $5 million dollars in endowment since holding its first board meeting in January, 2000.
