With $25,000 in endowment funds, the Lowndes Community Foundation is looking to divide up the funds for various organizations in the area.
LCF is a community affiliate of the CREATE Foundation, which was founded by George McLean and his wife, Anna Keirsey McLean, in 1972.
PK Thomas, director of development with CREATE Foundation, and Tyler Covington, who serves on the board of directors for LCF, spoke to the Rotary Club of Columbus at noon Tuesday at Lion Hills about what the foundation does.
“We cover the 17 most northeastern counties in Mississippi from the Golden Triangle up to Corinth all the way over to Oxford and Marshall County to the west,” Thomas said. “CREATE currently has a little over $148 million in endowments that we manage and help facilitate giving through those endowments. The endowments that we have range from field of interest, which are normally creative and managed by individuals or companies. We also have community affiliates. … We also hold endowment funds for other charitable organizations.”
The CREATE Foundation is based in Tupelo, but of the 17 counties it serves, there are 16 affiliates. Thomas said it is working on getting an affiliate for all counties.
Affiliates serve as the liaison between donors and recipients for funds raised in specific communities because the needs vary across each county, and it is the best way for money to be appropriated based on those needs, Thomas said.
“We really felt like (local affiliates) have been a strong thing for us,” Thomas said. “For a long time people were applying to grants strictly from CREATE, and with our offices being in Tupelo, we’re not in tune with the needs of every community. These community affiliates have really helped people in the local area make a big impact on things that are important to their area because what’s important to Columbus at this time may not be what’s important to Oxford or important to West Point.”
Covington said LCF has $25,000 allotted for grants for this year, and it is up to the various task forces to figure out the best use. Five task forces were formed in 2018, and there are five categories LCF said are priorities for the community — crime and addiction, community involvement, education, leadership and vision and poverty.
The public is invited to working lunch meetings at Lion Hills today, April 19 and May 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. each meeting. There is no cost to attend.
Previous recipients are organizations such as the YMCA, Salvation Army and My Book of Lowndes County. Since 2003, LCF has awarded roughly $175,000 for 42 grants.
Organizations can apply for grants by filling out an application on lowndescommunityfoundation.org, which requires a summary about the proposed project, amount requested in grant funds, expected outcomes and who the project will benefit. Covington said those interested may also ask any of the 25 people on the LCF board about applications. The list of those on the board can be found at the bottom of the homepage of LCF’s website.
“Groups can apply through grants to the board,” Covington said. “There’s a grant committee which decides what groups will most benefit the community, and that’s where we give the grants. … All of the money donated in Lowndes County does stay here. We really just want the community involved and want anyone to come out to the lunches we have.”
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