| Grant Deadline Set for January 15th |
| Willmar, Minn. – The Willmar Area Community Foundation (WACF) announced today the opening of their annual grant round. The WACF seeks to fund programs that focus on three different areas this year: addressing the achievement gap for youth, increasing community connections and welcoming diverse populations, and supporting productive aging. Eligible organizations must be a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, school, or government entity who serve residents of Kandiyohi County. The WACF General Grant Round will be open for applications from November 15th, 2018 to January 15th, 2019. For additional information and the online application, visit www.communitygiving.org/grants and select “WACF General Grants”. This year, the Foundation is working to target projects and programs that support the ‘Opportunity Gap’ movement. The ‘Opportunity Gap’ refers to the vast and growing differences in opportunities available to children and families nationwide described by Dr. Robert Putnam in his bestselling book “Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis.” Sara Carlson, executive director of the Willmar Area Community Foundation stated, “With the opening of our grant round, we are excited for the new opportunities and programs that community organizations develop that make our communities vibrant and vital places today and for generations to come. The Foundation is looking to deepen our commitment to addressing the ‘Opportunity Gap’ for all our kids. We look forward to what our community partners can fuel, create and implement in the years to come so that no matter where a child lives, what their family income was, or what their ethnicity was, the children would have an equal opportunity to reach their full potential.” Last year, the WACF grant supported programs such as growth of a multi-cultural library and membership opportunities for the children’s museum at The Village, Inc., implementing community drumming circles through the Willmar Community Center, assisting in the growth of Family Promise which helps families who are experiencing homelessness, and connecting senior citizens with technology through a one-on-one mentorship with high school students at Spicer – Dethlefs Community Center. The Willmar Area Community Foundation (WACF), attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local Willmar area. Since 1998, WACF has grown to over $18 million in assets and awarded $7.7 million in grants to local nonprofits. The WACF is governed by a local board of directors and is a partner of CommunityGiving which is a collaborative of many community foundations united under a single framework to create efficiencies that maximize the impact of our donors. Collectively, CommunityGiving administers nearly 800 funds totaling more than $140 million. Learn more at CommunityGiving.org/Willmar. |