Western Kansas Community Foundation
GARDEN CITY – Western Kansas Community Foundation (WKCF) is awarding 18 area nonprofit organizations with core grants totaling $86,072 for its November grant cycle.
The grants serve a wide variety of programs in the Southwest Kansas region. The November grant cycle is the last of three grant cycles offered by WKCF each year. A total of 22 programs applied for core funding through the November grant cycle.
WKCF Program and Marketing Director Stacie Hahn said the grants were awarded “to a handful of new grant applicants across the WKCF service area, in part because of the foundation hosting a couple of grant writing workshops just prior to the last grant cycle. We’re excited to see new nonprofits becoming aware of our grant opportunities and having their programs funded.”
Distributions from the unrestricted funds contribute each year to the grants program at the Western Kansas Community Foundation.
Community grants
1. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Finney and Kearny Counties “One-to-One Mentoring” – $10,000.
2. CES Best “Playground Revitalization Project” – $10,000.
3. Fowler Arts Center “Park of the Arts” – $1,450.
4. Friends of Lee Richardson Zoo “Notched Log Climber” – $7,672.
5. Garden City Ministerial Alliance “Community Cultural Days” – $3,000.
6. Gray County Over 50 Center “Safe Walking Spaces” – $2,100.
7. Great Plains MakerSpace “Laser Replacement”– $2,700.
8. High Plains Restoration Foundation “Animal Housing Relocation” – $2,500.
9. High Plains Theatre “Theatre Sound System” – $4,000.
10. Melven O. Kuder Senior Center “Kitchen & Electrical” – $5,000.
11. Noah’s Ark Preschool “Bathroom & Playground Project” - $5,000.
12. Ogallala Commons “Expanding Internships” – $2,500 toward internships.
13. Peace House Ministries “Counseling Office Interior” – $5,000.
14. Stanton Area Arts Council “Creative Tribe” – $2,400.
15. Seward County Safety Council “Seward County Safety Council” – $1,500.
16. Stevens County Library “Spanish/Bilingual Library Materials” – $4,000 for children’s resources.
17. Sublette Rotary Foundation “Splashpad Project” – $10,000.
18. Stepping Stone Shelter “Kitchen Expansion” – $7,250.
In addition to the core grants, WKCF is awarding one Urgent Needs grant in the amount of $3,000 to the Garden City Fire Department for smoke detectors.
WKCF is also awarding 17 Christmas grants from its remaining grant funds for 2024. This year’s recipients are youth and children serving organizations in WKCF’s 15-county service area.
They will receive $700 each for their childcare, early learning and CASA child advocacy centers. An additional $2,000 grant will be awarded to the Dominican Sisters, Ministry of Presence in Garden City, bringing the total amount in Christmas grants to $13,900.
Christmas Grants
• Finney County Childcare and Early Learning Center
• Little Leaders Daycare
• Turning Point Academy
• USD 214 – Daycare Coalition
• Bluejay Education Foundation – Daycare
• Spirit of the Plains, CASA – for Greeley County
• Spirit of the Plains, CASA – for Hamilton County
• Little Larks Nest, USD 374
• City of Lakin – City Builders Daycare
• USD 482 Preschool
• CASA Children Worth Saving – for Meade County
• Morton County Childcare Coalition
• Spirit of the Plains, CASA – for Scott County
• First Presbyterian Church Child Care Center – Liberal
• Little Eagles Child Care Center, USD 210
• Noah’s Ark Preschool
• Grow & Learn Childcare Center
Staff of Western Kansas Community Foundation always welcomes visiting with donors or those interested in contributing to the unrestricted funds so it can help with more community projects and programs.
The next grant deadline is March 1, 2025 and will open early next year. To learn more about the application process and grant guidelines visit the WKCF website at www.wkcf.org, call at 620-271-9484 or stop by the office at 402 N. Main Street in Downtown Garden City.
