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CFES.org > News And Events > Press Releases > Community Needs Grants top 100000

Community Needs Grants top $100,000
March 14, 2008

A record $105,533 in community needs and related grants has been awarded to nonprofit organizations in the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore at the Foundation’s most recent board meeting in February.

This level of grants exceeds all previous amounts for any community needs grants cycle in the 24 years since the Foundation was established in 1984. A total of 33 nonprofits from Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties received the grants through a competitive evaluation process.

Awards were made from funds for Community Needs Grants, Technical Mini Grants, Field of Interest Grants, and a Chairman’s Fund Grant. The deadline for the next cycle of Community Needs Program grant applications is April 1, 2008.

“We are very pleased to see so many worthwhile nonprofit organizations receive funding through these grant programs,” said Spicer Bell, Foundation President. “Needs throughout the region continue to grow and we are grateful for the support of so many donors who make it possible for the Foundation to respond with this record level of grantmaking.”

Organizations receiving grants in the current award cycle include:

COMMUNITY NEEDS GRANTS

A total of $75,598 in Community Needs Grants was awarded to 14 nonprofits. These grants offer the most flexibility to the Community Foundation to meet changing needs and are awarded through a competitive grant process.

Atlantic General Hospital ( Worcester) – Awarded $5,849 for the purchase of equipment for Advanced Cardiac Life Support training.

Deaf Independent Living Association (Wicomico) –Awarded $5,476 for a support group for parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children.

Bay Shore Services, Inc. (Lower Eastern Shore) –Awarded $7,500 to purchase a dental ex-ray machine, mobile dental cart and hand pieces to provide restorative and preventative dental care to economically disadvantaged children and people with disabilities.

McCready Memorial Hospital ( Somerset) – Awarded $7,111 to support the purchase of equipment to enhance services for obese patients.

Easter Seals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore ( Lower Eastern Shore) – Awarded $2,500 to purchase equipment, educational resources and supplies for an Oral Motor Strengthening and Feeding program.

Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (Wicomico) – Awarded $6,000 to support training for an independent living program for seniors who are blind or visually impaired.

Coastal Hospice, Inc. ( Lower Eastern Shore) –Awarded $6,676 for the development of a palliative care (non-terminal within six months) team in a nursing home and bereavement support.

Dove Pointe ( Lower Eastern Shore) –Awarded $7,439 to purchase equipment for a new interactive and educational day care environment for children with special needs.

Habitat for Humanity (Wicomico) –Awarded $2,000 for the development of a strategic plan for the organization.

Assateague Coastal Trust ( Lower Eastern Shore) –Awarded $3,359 to develop and maintain an interactive web-based platform for the organization’s COASTKEEPER program, project materials and volunteer training.

Delmarva Low-Impact Tourism, Inc. / DLITE ( Lower Eastern Shore) –Awarded $4,500 to support cost associated with the promotion and marketing of the Smith Island Water Trail.

General Levin Winder Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (Worcester) –Awarded $4,648 for the renovation of a Victorian ladies’ parlor at the Costen House.

Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council ( Lower Eastern Shore) – Awarded $7,500 to support “Digitizing Delmarva Heritage and Traditions,” a project to digitally capture Delmarva traditions for the purpose of preserving, protecting and promoting the region’s rich social, cultural and historical legacy.

Eastern Shore Reading Council ( Lower Eastern Shore) –Awarded $5,040 to support “Books for Babies,” an effort to give each baby born on the Eastern Shore an early start with literacy.

FIELD OF INTEREST GRANTS

A total of $15,500 has been awarded through five of the Community Foundation’s Field of Interest (FOI) funds. These funds provide grants to particular geographic or program areas. The three Field of Interest funds generating grants in this cycle were: the Somerset County Fund; the Jim Barrett Worcester County Fund; and the VFW Post 194 Fund.

Somerset County Fund

Seton Center Catholic Charities (Somerset) –Awarded $5,000 to provide funding for low income families for assistance for energy, food, emergency services and medical prescriptions for uninsured and under-insured families.

Friends of Teackle Mansion ( Somerset) –Awarded $2,500 to support the first annual “Salute to Somerset” event on May 10, 2008.

Barrett Worcester County Fund

Worcester County G.O.L.D. ( Worcester) –Awarded $5,000 to help support seniors and disabled adults to live with dignity and maximize independence in their homes and community.

Friends of Worcester Commission for Women (Worcester) –Awarded $2,500 to expand the purchase and distribution of books in Worcester County public schools from the McGuffy Book Worm Club. The grant allows for kindergarten students to be included in this program for the first time.

VFW Post 194 Fund

Wicomico High School (Wicomico) –Awarded $500 to support costs of a two-day trip to New York City for the Transition One class of 22 special needs students.

TECHNICAL MINI GRANTS

A total of $13,935 in Technical Mini Grants has been awarded to 15 local nonprofit organizations. Technical Mini Grants are designed to provide up to $1,000 for individual nonprofit agencies to purchase equipment, advance training opportunities, and for other resources that may enhance their respective missions.

Organizations receiving Technical Mini Grants include:

Crisfield Heritage Foundation ( Somerset County) –Awarded $1,000 to create a new website to effectively promote the organization and the area it serves.

Atlantic General Hospital (Worcester County) –Awarded $1,000 to purchase equipment that allows direct communication between healthcare providers and patients with underlying medical conditions that impair or prohibit verbal communication.

American Red Cross ( Lower Eastern Shore) –Awarded $1,000 to purchase a new telephone system for staff and volunteer use.

Assateague Coastal Trust ( Worcester County) –Awarded $630 to purchase two training DVDs, pay two annual membership dues and participate in a fundraising training.

Art League of Ocean City ( Worcester County) –Awarded $1,000 to purchase an LCD projector for use by staff and volunteers in promoting the arts.

Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program ( Worcester County) –Awarded $1,000 to purchase a copier, digital camera and website development.

Westside Historical Society ( Wicomico County) –Awarded $925 to purchase an LCD projector and projection screen.

Agape Project, Inc. ( Worcester County) –Awarded $1,000 to purchase two new computer workstations for the office.

Accohannock Indian Tribe ( Somerset County) –Awarded $380 to purchase a copier, paper shredder and fax machine.

Maryland Coastal Bays Program ( Worcester County) –Awarded $1,000 for staff training in the development and implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software.

Nanticoke Watershed Alliance ( Wicomico County) –Awarded $1,000 for staff training in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Art Institute and Gallery ( Wicomico County) –Awarded $1,000 to purchase and install audio equipment.

Furnace Town ( Worcester County) –Awarded $1,000 to support a point of sale and online store technology upgrade.

Urban Salisbury ( Wicomico County) –Awarded $1,000 to support website development.

Lower Eastern Shore Sustainable Organic Network ( Wicomico County) –Awarded $1,000 to support the cost of a consultant to a strategic planning session.

CHAIRMAN’S FUND GRANT

Grants from the Chairman’s Fund are made at the discretion of the CFES Board Chairman and President in response to urgent, but modest financial needs.

Worcester Career and Technology Center ( Worcester County) –Awarded $500 to provide support for the first annual “Arts and Technology Heritage Festival” to be held on May 1, 2008.

The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore is the largest non-governmental source of support for nonprofit organizations in the Maryland lower shore counties of Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester. In fiscal 2007 the Foundation made a total of 995 grants to the community representing $3.2 million.

For more information about the Community Foundation visit the Foundation’s web site at www.cfes.org, or phone 410-742-9911.