Rochester Area Foundation awarded $107,250 in grants to 19 community nonprofits in the spring cycle of 2019 of the Better Communities Grants. Each year, Rochester Area Foundation awards grants in two competitive cycles, which are supported by the Better Communities Fund and donor funds held at the Foundation.
“I am so pleased that Rochester Area Foundation was able to invest over $107,000 in our communities and the nonprofits that serve them,” said Jennifer Woodford, President of Rochester Area Foundation. “With the support of our donors, we have awarded grants supporting youth programs ranging from ballroom dance, to life skills, to math club, as well as programs aimed at alleviating our communities’ child care shortage, easing food insecurity, and engaging diverse cultural communities.”
Jeremy Emmi, Community Impact Officer at Rochester Area Foundation added, “Our Grant Distribution Committee works incredibly hard at reviewing grant applications, completing site visits, and pooling resources with donors to maximize funding for these grants. The grant process highlights the collaborative nature and generosity in the Rochester area.”
The following are the grants awarded for Spring Cycle of the 2019 Better Communities Grants:
- APEX Recovery High School and Rochester Alternative Learning Center, Rochester Public Schools received $7,000 to support the Café Connect project, providing a safe, sober space to build healthy relationships, develop life skills, and connect with community resources.
- Bolder Options received $3,000 to provide one-on-one mentoring to at-risk youth and to support evening and weekend activities, working toward goals related to academic success.
- Camp Victory Ministries received $2,050 to support a STEM-oriented camp for K-6 children in robotic design through purchase of computers and LEGO EV3 sets to pique interest in STEM careers
- Channel One Regional Food Bank received $6,250 to combat childhood hunger through its backpacks, school pantries, and school snacks programs.
- Community Health Service received $6,000 to provide comprehensive, equitable health care to farmworkers, support a primary medical facility in Rochester, and implement a worker safety program, encouraging some of our most vulnerable community members to live healthier lives.
- Elder Network received $6,000 to expand its Friendly Visitor, Peer Support, Respite Care, and Companion Care programs, that are designed to provide a break for caregivers and maintain seniors’ health.
- Family Service Rochester received $3,500 to support the Rochester Nonprofit Consortium, developing shared services to increase nonprofit organizations’ operational efficiencies, allowing nonprofits to more effectively serve our communities.
- Friends of Whitewater State Park received $2,750 to support Whitewater State Park’s Centennial Anniversary special monthly activities and events, introducing more people to outdoor recreation.
- Heart of Dance received $7,200 to provide ballroom dance instruction to 5th grade students that is designed to teach appreciation for artistic expression, respect, poise, and self-confidence.
- Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project received $3,250 to enable the Birds Sing Differently Here theatre production to perform in Rochester in summer 2019 and to encourage the community to find commonalities in all of our shared stories.
- Legal Assistance of Olmsted County received $9,500 to support legal clinics at the Rochester Women’s Shelter and Olmsted County Law Library, giving legal and financial advice and counseling to increase financial security.
- Next Chapter Ministries received $7,750 for operational support of technology, marketing services, and staff trainings, serving those generationally impacted by the cycle of crime, and to change the culture of crime in Rochester.
- Page Education Foundation received $4,750 to provide scholarships to students at University of Minnesota-Rochester’s Health CORE program, and provide academic and social support to deserving students.
- Rochester Area YMCA received $11,500 to support its Early Learning Childcare Center, through purchase of large motor equipment (playscapes and motor skill structures), encouraging a culture of fitness for our children.
- Rochester Math Club received $6,000 to organize its weekly math enrichment programs for youth, host national and international math competitions in Rochester, and provide guest seminars.
- Rochester Salvation Army received $4,000 to purchase a new sterilization center for the Good Samaritan Dental Clinic, increasing access to quality dental care for those community members in need.
- Semcac received $3,500 to address the food and nutrition needs of low-income families in rural and small communities in Greater Rochester through food purchases.
- Somalia Rebuild Organization received $5,250 to provide educational programming for Somali youth, supplemented with mentorship from professionals, to promote positive life decisions.
- The Diversity Council received $8,000 to support the Pathways to Equity project through listening sessions, trainings, and establishing structures and liaisons that connect to identified communities.
To learn more about our Better Communities Grants, click here.