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Applications open for community grant funding

Christina Lee Knauss //November 2, 2022//

Applications open for community grant funding

Christina Lee Knauss //November 2, 2022//

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Organizations that offer community-based programs and services will soon be able to apply for financial support through a Richland County grant program.

On Tuesday, Richland County Council voted to make $300,000 in community impact grants available. The measure is part of an overall effort to encourage organizations and agencies to offer innovative and needed services that enhance county residents’ quality of life, according to a news release.

Organizations can apply for up to $15,000 for a single year of funding or up to $30,000 over three years.

“The community impact grant program is designed to use scarce public resources most efficiently and responsibly to support a broad range of local community needs such as arts and culture, social and health services, education and recreation,” said Abhijit Deshpande, the county’s director of budget management.

Proposed projects must be a service-type activity outlined in the program’s mission and long-range plans, an activity that provides opportunities for underserved populations in the county, or an activity that offers solutions to resolve or prevent individual, family or community problems.

“Council and county staff see the important work nonprofit organizations do in our community and the impact those efforts have on our residents every day,” said District 10 Councilwoman Cheryl English. “Funding from these grants will help those organizations expand their presence in the community, taking on creative projects that will help them reach even more residents.”

The county’s Community Impact Grant Committee will review applications and evaluate projects.

Eligible organizations can apply online for funding beginning today via Zoomgrant at https://zoomgrants.com/gprop.asp?donorid=2236. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 23.

For technical assistance with applications, contact Matiah Pough, Richland County’s grants manager, at (803) 576-5459 or Pough.Matiah@richlandcountysc.gov.

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