MCCF Announces 2024 Spring Grant Winners

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The Muskingum County Community Foundation provides funding to many local nonprofits for programs and projects that help to better the community. 

MCCF Director of Programs Beth Fox talked about the 2024 Spring Grant Competition and its role in funding the little things that can make a difference here in Muskingum County. 

“Spring Grant Competition is an opportunity for our county’s nonprofit organizations to submit applications,” Fox said. “In the spring we go strictly for programming and projects. So we’re looking for those opportunities that our nonprofits are hosting throughout the next, upcoming year. Things that involve the community. Anywhere from residents from Gratiot all the way to Fultonham. And we really try to take that into consideration.”

The grant application review committee looks for established programs and projects that will make the most significant impact, in the most significant way, for the largest number of people. Fox mentioned two application submissions that were awarded funding.   

“The first one was the Y Arts Festival, we’re again helping with that,” Fox said. “The Y City Arts Festival. And as we know that brings in people from all over the nation. So that’s a really huge event for our county. It does a lot to promote who we are and what we do so we’re really excited about that one. Another one would be the Grace Community Cupboard. Grace Methodist Church is opening their doors twice a month to help out families with some of those non essential needs, such as, like, you know… body wash, deodorant.”

MCCF funds the Spring Grant Competition through their Groundhog Day fundraising event that happens each year. The fundraiser is an auction of donated items. Fox noted the more successful that event is, the more positive impact the Spring Grant competition can make throughout the community. This year, more than $70,000 was awarded amongst 18 organizations as 36 grant applications were submitted asking for a total of $170,000.

The following organizations were awarded to fund their programs and projects:

•Adamsville Boy Scout Troop 122 – $5,000 for supporting two Eagle Scout projects.

•The Animal Shelter Society, Inc. – $5,000 for Catapalooza 2024.

•ArtCOZ – $5,000 for the 2024 Y-Bridge Arts Festival.

•The Carr Center – $2,287.24 for First Aid, CPR and AED training classes.

•Dresden Community Association – $2,500 for the Main Street Visual Appeal Project.

•ForeverDads – $5,000 for the Finding Fathers for Success program.

•Grace Church Downtown Zanesville – $5,000 for the Grace Community Cupboard program.

•The iBelieve Foundation – $2,500 for the 2024 Youth Leadership Workshop.

•Kiwanis Club of Zanesville – $5,000 for the purchase and installation of wheelchair ramps.

•Muskingum County Agricultural Society – $3,000 for the Firefighter Show to be presented at the 2023 Muskingum County Fair.

•Muskingum County History – $3,000 for the Muskingum 250: Trailblazers and Founders Plaque Program.

•Muskingum Valley Council Boy Scouts of America – $5,000 for the Muskingum County Cub Scout Day Camp.

•Muskingum Valley Garden Society – $2,500 for the downtown Zanesville beautification project.

•Ronald McDonald House – $2,500 for the Helping Hands: Muskingum County initiative.

•Tri-Valley Band Boosters – $5,000 for the summer band camp.

•Zanesville Concert Association – $5,000 for the 2024-2025 85th season.

•Zanesville Memorial Concert Band – $5,000 for the 2024 season.

•Zane’s Trace Commemoration – $2,000 for the Zane’s Trace 2024 Commemoration celebration.