CFA Awards $653k to Local Nonprofits in Recent Grant Cycles

The Community Foundation of Abilene provided a combined $653,392 in grants to area nonprofit organizations during the 2016 fall discretionary, 2017 spring discretionary, and 2017 Future Fund grant cycles.

There is a certain level of joy that can only be achieved by witnessing the progression of local donations turning into local grants for local causes. Community Foundation of Abilene President/CEO Katie Alford delights in seeing that process unfold each grant cycle.

“The impact that our unrestricted grants have on our local nonprofits and the programs they provide is so exciting to see. These organizations are passionate about what they do, and they work so hard every day to make a difference in Abilene. Getting to be a small part of helping make that happen through our grants is an honor!”

The impact also resonates with Grant Director Michelle Parrish, who works closely with the nonprofits that receive the grants.

“I’m so proud of each grantee, knowing that their hard work makes Abilene a better community for us all. It’s always humbling to see the tremendous efforts being made simply for the good of our friends and neighbors.”

The organizations who received grants in the previous three grant cycles and some information about the projects being funded are listed below.

Fall 2016 Discretionary Grant Cycle Report — $284,350 awarded

• Abilene Community Partners– Emergency assistance and advocacy for abused and neglected children of Taylor County
• Abilene Community Theatre– Support for theater updates
• Abilene Hope Haven – Support for Bridge 2 Home project
• Abilene Youth Sports Authority– Support for the Abilene Youth Sports Center capital project
• Adult Protective Services Partners– Support for direct client services (medication, medical equipment, dental treatment, home repairs) and supplies for Bridge Room to serve the elderly and adults with disabilities
• Advocates for Camp Able– Funding for equipment needs
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star – Support for One-to-One Mentoring Program
• Big Country Court Appointed Special Advocates, Inc.– Capacity building grant to serve more foster children
• Chorus Abilene– Support for Classical Chorus
• FaithWorks of Abilene, Inc.– Support for social worker to provide alumni services
• Friends for Life – Support for Independent Living and Quality of Life programs
• Harmony Family Services, Inc.– Support to partially fund a bed for one year at the Harmony Family Emergency Shelter
• Historic Paramount Theatre– Support for the production of Guys and Dolls, Jr. to an audience of special needs children
• JTC X-Change– Support for “From Boys to Gentlemen” program for at-risk youth in Abilene
• National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature– Support for 2017 exhibitions
• New Horizons (Audrey Grace House) – Provide meals for children living at Audrey Grace House
• Presbyterian Medical Care Mission – Support for Medical Clinic
• REACH for a Difference– Support for Phoebe’s Closet (an exchange closet providing families with children on the autism spectrum with therapeutic devices to borrow at no cost)
• Special Olympics Texas – Big Country– Support for Abilene programming
• St. Mark’s Baby Room– Support for basic baby items
• Texas Ramp Project – Wheelchair ramp building in Abilene for the elderly and disabled
• Texas State Technical College Foundation – Matching scholarship grants for Abilene students
• The Salvation Army of Abilene– Support for the feeding program
• United Methodist Service Center and Food Pantries – To assist families/individuals, specifically the elderly and/or disabled, with rent, utilities and prescriptions

Spring 2017 Discretionary Grant Cycle Report — $295,082 awarded

• Abilene Arts Alliance – Support for the 2017 Children’s Art &Literacy Festival (CALF)
• Abilene Big Country AMBUCS – Funding to purchase adaptive tricycles for special needs children and adults
• Abilene Independent School District Jefferson Center – Funding to purchase and install a new playground for the Jefferson Center
• Abilene Philharmonic Association – Support for the Discover Music program which allows approximately 6400 local elementary students to attend a philharmonic performance
• Alliance for Women and Children – Support for the Re-SPARK the Arts Program in the Alliances’ after-school care
• American Legion Auxiliary Unit 61 – Funds to support “Project Lee-gendary Summer Camp” which provides a constructive summer learning experience for economically disadvantaged students who attend Lee Elementary School
• American Red Cross – Funds to support the disaster response services of the local American Red Cross
• BCFS Abilene Transition Center – Operational support for “Our House,” a group home and transitional living program for at-risk young men
• Cancer Foundation for Life, Inc. – Funds to provide safe and supervised exercise training for local cancer patients
• Cancer Services Network – Support for the Patient Assistance program to provide direct financial assistance to low-income cancer patients with travel, treatment, and other related expenses
• Center for Contemporary Arts – Funding to produce new brochures and to purchase a new computer with necessary software
• Children’s Performing Arts Series – Support for the CPAS 2017-18 Season
• Christian Service Center – Funding for rental assistance in the Standing in the Gap program which provides direct client assistance for emergency needs
• City of Abilene Recreation Division – Funding to provide scholarships to children and families attending the summer and winter Day Camp program
• Communities In Schools of the Big Country – Support for the “XY Zone” a new male-mentoring program offered at Abilene, Cooper, and Wylie High Schools
• Disability Resources, Inc. – Funding to purchase a replacement vehicle for transporting DRI residents
• Eternal Threads – Support to engage local refugee women in meaningful work “plarning” sleeping mats for local homeless shelters
• Hardin-Simmons University – Funds to support the Dream-Catchers Summer Camp for struggling elementary and middle school readers in AISD
• Interested Citizens of Abilene North (ICAN) – Funding to support the Curtis House Cultural Center
• Junior Achievement of Abilene – Support for the JA Work Readiness Initiative
• Kenley School –Support for Kenley summer school and tutoring scholarship funds
• Noah Project– Support to upgrade server and other technology needs
• Regional Victim Crisis Center– Funding to expand capacity to support victim services and violence prevention
• St. John’s Episcopal School– Funding to purchase STEAM curriculum and 3D printer
• The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society– Support for the Co-Pay Assistance program
• YMCA of Abilene – Funding to purchase local math and science curriculum and to create a STEM lab at each YMCA location
• Young People in Recovery – Matching funds to support a new peer-recovery program for young people in Abilene

Future Fund 2017 Grant Cycle Report — $73,960 awarded

• Abilene Cultural Affairs Council/Abilene Arts Alliance – To assist with cost of supplies, printing, costumes, and venue rental associated with the Children’s Art and Literacy Festival
• Abilene Big Country Chapter of AMBUCS – To support the purchase of adapted bicycles and tricycles for special needs children
• Abilene Community Partners– Support for renovations and restocking of the Bluebonnet Room
• Abilene Community Theatre– Improvements to the Center for Theatre Education (Black Box)
• Abilene Independent School District – Funding to provide special incentives for students at the Jefferson Center
• Abilene Performing Arts Company – To cover rental cost of Paramount Theatre for “Musical Theatre Summer Camp”
• Abilene Philharmonic Association– Support for an Instrument Petting Zoo and chamber performance to coincide with the 2017 CALF
• Abilene Zoological Society – To support the DreamNight 2017 event, a special invitation-only experience for families with special needs children to visit the zoo
• Alliance for Women & Children– Support for the A-Teens 2017 Summer Program, providing special instruction and activities in food preparation and nutrition
• Big Brothers Big Sisters) – Support for One-to-One Mentoring programs
• Big Country Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)– Funds to purchase new computers, software, and books for a lending library
• Center for Contemporary Arts– Support for Summer Art Camp 2017
• Children’s Performing Art Series– Support for the 2017-2018 live theater performance series
• City of Abilene Recreation Division – Summer Playground Camp: Scholarship Program
• Connecting Caring Communities – Support for the “Young Leaders of Abilene” summer camp program
• Junior Achievement – Support for “It’s My Future” 8th grade program to all AISD Middle School campuses
• Kenley School –Funds to purchase an enhanced reading and language arts curriculum (Reading Street) for first graders
• National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature – Support for “Eye for Art”, summer art education program, at the Boys & Girls Clubs & YMCA
• Noah Project –Funds to provide summer programming for children residing at Noah Project
• Regional Victim Crisis Center– Support for services to child victims of violence
• The Grace Museum – Summer Art Program at 5 City of Abilene Recreation Centers
• Young Audiences – Support for 3 dance and drama after-school programs on 3 Abilene campuses
• Young Life of Abilene– Support for the Young Life Refugee Campaign

Total Fall Discretionary, Spring Discretionary and Future Fund Grants: $653,392