Springdale, AR - The Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation announced 77 grants totaling $88,497 from two different funds. Grants from the Unrestricted Fund will help 59 nonprofit agencies in Benton, Carroll, Madison, and Washington counties. In addition, NWACF approved 18 grant recommendations from the Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Auxiliary Fund, a donor-advised fund within the foundation.

NWACF Board of Directors made individual contributions totalling $50,000 to fund this first round of unrestricted grants to nonprofit agencies in the four-county region. Originally, the board had anticipated making approximately 50 grants for $1,000 each during this cycle. However, almost 200 grant applications were received.

"It was very apparent to the entire board how great the needs were in our region. We felt it was more important to address these needs than to hold fast to a particular dollar amount. After careful we review, we ended up making 59 grants totaling $58,157," explained Adrian Luttrell, Chair of NWACF board of directors.

NWACF considered applications in the following six areas of funding:

• Arts and Culture – access to the arts and support to cultural resources.
• Family and Community Service – support services to vulnerable populations with special focus on children, families, and the elderly.
• Economic Development – promotion of job development and effective economic growth of the region.
• Youth Programs and Education – development of successful students.
• Natural Resources and Conservation – protection of our environment and promotion of effective use of our natural resources.
• Animal Welfare – protection for domestic animals and protection of animal health.

The following organizations were awarded unrestricted grants of approximately $1,000 by NWACF Board of Directors:

A Center for Early Childhood, Inc., Centerton.

To allow five staff to complete the Child Development Accreditation credentials.

Alzheimer's Association, Inc.-Bella Vista Branch, Bella Vista.

For the Safe Return program start up costs.

American Red Cross, Northwest Arkansas Chapter, Fayetteville.

To purchase furniture for the main training classroom in Fayetteville.

Arts Center of the Ozarks, Springdale.

To purchase two new computers.

Beaver Lake Literacy Council, Bentonville.

To purchase instructional materials.

Bella Vista Courtesy Van, Inc., Bella Vista.

For general operating support.

Benton County Women's Shelter, Bentonville.

To replace lead-based paint in the shelter.

Berryville Middle School, Berryville.

For Monarch Butterfly Watch program materials.

Botanical Garden Society of the Ozarks, Inc., Fayetteville.

For engineering services to design the workshop building.

Boys/Girls Club of Siloam Springs, Siloam Springs.

To provide the SMART program for girls in the 2003 fall semester.

Carroll & Madison Library System, Berryville.

For the purchase of twelve sets of computer literacy videotapes.

Children's Safety Center, Springdale.

To pay for printing of fundraising materials.

Circle of Life Hospice, Springdale.

To create a support network for male caregivers.

Community Clinic - St. Francis House, Springdale.

To buy instruments for four new dental stations.

Community Development Corp of Bentonville/Bella Vista, Bentonville.

To purchase a new washer and dryer for Havenwood transitional living apartments.

Council on Aging, Inc. - Community Adult Center, Fayetteville.

To purchase one computer station for use by senior citizens.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (C.A.S.A.), Springdale.

For general operating support.

Credit Counseling of Arkansas-Fayetteville Branch, Fayetteville.

To provide counseling to fifty low-income Hispanic families.

Dogwood Literacy Council, Inc., Siloam Springs.

For general operating support.

Drug Free Rogers Lowell, Rogers.

To provide training to three cancer survivors who will educate the public about smoking.

EOA of Washington County - Head Start, Springdale.

To help build The Outdoor Science and Math Discovery Center.

EOA of Washington County, Springdale.

For professional development training and to initiate a fundraising program.

Eureka Springs Fire Department, Eureka Springs.

To purchase protective clothing for wild land/brush fires.

Family Network, Springdale.

To initiate a youth survival skills program aimed at preventing teen pregnancy.

Fayetteville Boys and Girls Club, Fayetteville.

To purchase supplies for the branch at Jefferson Elementary School.

FORGE (Financing Ozarks Rural Growth & Economy), Huntsville.

For home emergency repairs for 40 families in Carroll and Madison counties.

Forum Alabam Rural Fire Department, Huntsville.

To purchase two self-contained breathing apparatus.

Genesis House - Siloam Springs, Siloam Springs.

To remodel the day shelter for the homeless.

Gentry Public Library, Gentry.

To automate the library catalog.

GLORIA, Inc., Rogers.

General operating support for the crisis phone line serving Hispanic women.

Huntsville School District-Watson Intermediate School, Huntsville.

For a portable sound system.

KIDCARE, Springdale.

For transportation costs to bring children to after-school programs.

Lifeline of NW Arkansas, Bentonville.

To network computers and allow automated medication alerts to senior citizens.

Lincoln Public Library, Lincoln.

For Accelerated Reader books.

Madison County Pet Shelter, Huntsville.

For spaying and neutering of animals.

Nature Conservancy, Fayetteville.

To research habitat of endangered bat species.

New Beginnings Pregnancy Services, Inc., Siloam Springs.

For educational materials for teenage parenting classes.

Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter, Bentonville.

To help complete the planning process for a larger facility to serve abused and neglected children.

Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC), Bentonville.

For library research software.

Northwest Arkansas Crisis Intervention Center, Springdale.

To produce and print Spanish-language brochures.

Northwest Arkansas for Nurses, Springdale.

To conduct a feasibility study on coordination of curricula across the five nursing schools.

Northwest Arkansas Free Health Center, Fayetteville.

To conduct a board-training workshop on expanding service capacity in the clinic.

Northwest Arkansas Head Start Human Services, Inc., Rogers.

To purchase two computers for the classroom.

Northwest Arkansas Rape Crisis, Inc., Springdale.

To conduct a workshop on treatment for male victims of sexual assault.

Our Farm, Inc., Rogers.

To establish an Active Parenting of Teens program for parents of boys residing in the shelter.

Ozark Guidance, Inc., Springdale.

To provide transportation for the children's summer program in Carroll and Madison counties.

Ozark Literacy Council, Fayetteville.

To provide "pre-literacy" classes to non-English speaking students.

Poplar House Clinic, Rogers.

To purchase supplies necessary to gather evidence in rape cases.

Rocky Creek Horses Help Therapeutic Riding Center, Bentonville.

To offset costs incurred when families are not able to pay for disabled childrenÕs services.

Rogers Public Schools - ESL Language Academy, Rogers.

For health education teaching aids to be used with ESL students.

Rogers Public Schools - Kirksey Middle School, Rogers.

For transportation to the Middle School Migrant Summer School which serves students from all Rogers middle schools.

Rogers Public Schools - Sophomore Campus, Rogers.

To purchase forensic kits for use in science classes.

Samaritan House Community Center, Rogers.

To provide hot meals during the summer months for 50 qualified children.

Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital Foundation, Siloam Springs.

For the Emergency Prescription Fund which serves uninsured patients.

Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Washington County, Springdale.

For three community networking events designed to introduce students to career options.

Springdale Police Department, Springdale.

For the Cyanovac I investigative fuming chamber which is used to preserve fingerprints.

United Cerebral Palsy of Arkansas, Springdale.

To purchase specialized physical therapy equipment for children with motor disorders.

Village House, Inc., Bella Vista.

To subsidize adult day care fees for AlzheimerÕs patients.

Youth Bridge, Inc., Fayetteville.

To purchase supplies for the in-house school which serves residents of the home.

Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Auxiliary Fund also awarded grants this week. This donor-advised fund provides grants from money raised by the Auxiliary based in Springdale. Grants from the funds include:

Area Agency on Aging of Western AR, Inc., $5,000, Washington County.

To provide in-home services, such as meal preparation or household chores, or for the purchase of glasses, hearing aids or medication.

Arkansas Support Network-Bentonville, $2,500, Bentonville.

To provide "welcome packages" of cleaning supplies, clothes, and food to 25 disabled people who are moving to supported-living homes.

Benton County Sunshine School, $1,000, Bentonville.

To replace two computers in the classroom serving developmentally disabled children.

Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas, $1,500, Springdale.

To defray background check expenses for new mentors.

Kids for Health, $1,000, Springdale.

To purchase a new video series which meets the requirements of the state framework for health education.

Kingston Rural Volunteer Fire Department, $3,000, Kingston.

To purchase an automatic external defibrillator for use in medical emergencies.

Life Styles, Inc., $1,000, Fayetteville.

For software and adaptive equipment used to teach daily living skills to people with developmental disabilities.

Madison County Search & Rescue, $1,000, Huntsville.

To purchase a new generator for the command post vehicle used in emergency situations.

Mental Health Association in NW AR, $1,000, Fayetteville.

To purchase books on ÒbullyingÓ for high schools in Benton, Carroll, Madison, and Washington counties.

OHC - Carroll County Senior Activity Center, $3,000, Berryville.

To expand the number of seniors who receive meals delivered to their homes in Carroll County.

OHC - Senior Center-Huntsville, $2,000, Huntsville.

To purchase a gas deep fryer for the kitchen which prepares meals for seniors.

Project for Victims of Family Violence, Inc., $1,000, Fayetteville.

To conduct parenting education programs and field trips for residents and their children in the battered women's shelter.

Richardson Center, Inc., $1,740, Springdale.

For program materials and therapeutic equipment to use with disabled children in the Fayetteville facility.

Seven Hills Homeless Shelter, Inc., $1,000, Fayetteville.

To purchase six UV lights for their facility to help prevent the spread of tuberculosis.

Siloam Springs Children's Center, $2,000, Siloam Springs.

To cover expenses associated with opening another classroom for toddlers.

Springdale School District-Harp Elementary School, $1,000, Springdale.

To pay for a certified teacher and interpreter for the Homework Helper program.

Springdale School District-Southwest Junior High School, $600, Springdale.

To purchase the supplies students will need in the Building Bridges program which fosters intercultural understanding.

Washington County, $1,000, Fayetteville.

To pay for the Aggression Replacement Training instructor and the social work intern at the Juvenile Detention Center.

The majority of these applications were submitted to the NWACF Unrestricted Fund. With 53 funds in place, NWACF is able to show applications to many potential donors, matching community needs to donor interests.

Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation was founded in 1999. The Foundation provides services to individuals, companies, and nonprofit agencies interested in building charitable programs in Benton, Washington, Carroll, and Madison Counties. During its three-year history, the Foundation has created an endowment of more than $4.6 million with more than 50 funds and has given out over $1.5 million in grants.