Published: December 22, 2005 10:46 pm         

Community Foundation plays Santa by giving $40,000 in grants to agencies

More than $40,000 was distributed Thursday by Enid Community Foundation to 14 nonprofit agencies for projects ranging from creating a peer-based educational campaign to preventing underage drinking and purchasing a computer.

Grants awarded Thursday went to:

• Gaslight Theatre, $1,040 to purchase a computer.

• Leonardo’s Discovery Warehouse, $1,800 for implementing an emergency/warning system at Adventure Quest outdoor science classroom.

• Main Street Enid, $5,000 to help purchase a community Christmas tree.

• Northern Oklahoma College Foundation, $4,000 to support a series of clinics to teach sports and sportsmanship skills.

• Our Daily Bread, $5,000 to help fund the cost of building a garage to house a van and for storage.

• PEGASYS, $515.81 to help sponsor Media Day 2005, an annual event by the public-access television station.

• PreventionWorkz, $3,000 to be used in a partnership with the foundation to create a peer-based educational campaign on preventing underage drinking.

• RSVP, $2,400 to purchase a new telephone system.

• Rural Health Projects, $6,000 to provide science funding for Enid and Garfield County teachers to attend a teacher academy for Exploring the Health Professions curriculum.

• Sandra Beasley Indepen-dent Living Center, $5,000 to fund barrier removal by building ramps and widening doors.

• Wheatland RC&D, $1,100 for environmental educational programs.

• Denny Price Family YMCA, $1,500 to purchase age-related nursery equipment.

• YWCA, $3,250 to provide funding for the annual Girl Power rally.

• Youth and Family Services, $7,000 to help low-income students with group, individual and family counseling services.

The total of grants awarded was $46,605.81.

Since its inception, the foundation has awarded $217,036.39 in grants, which includes designated funds, grants and donor-advised fund distributions.

Enid Community Foundation is Enid’s nonprofit public charity that works with donors and nonprofit organizations to attract and manage endowments funds to benefit the community.

ECF fosters community programs and partners with community groups that address specific opportunities, such as Northwest Coalition for Nursing Education and Enid Public School Foundation.

Mary Stallings, executive director, said a basic goal of the foundation is to improve the community, not just distribute funds.

“Our staff takes a proactive approach in assisting organizations to identify emerging issues and developing programs that meet those issues,” Stallings said.

Enid Community Founda-tion is a member of Council of Foundations. Any 501 (c) 3 nonprofit group may apply to Enid Community Foundation for a grant.

The foundation is accepting grant applications on a monthly basis for the 2006 fiscal year, and letters of intent are due by July 31.

ECF also holds a number of endowed funds that provide capital to individual nonprofit organizations to do projects they would not be able to do otherwise.

“When a donor creates a charitable fund, the donor has the opportunity to benefit the community forever with a permanent endowment,” Stallings said.

Gifts are invested and earn interest to address community needs.

Ken Rapp, YMCA executive director, said his organization received $48,000 from an endowed fund established to honor the late Denny Price. At least $2,500 of that is earmarked for Christian emphasis at the YMCA, he said, and the rest this year will be used to help retire debt.

Leonardo’s received $20,896 from an endowed fund, and Enid Public School Foundation received $25,281.