Inclusion & Belonging Grant Program

The Inclusion & Belonging Grant Program by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks aims to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in local communities. With $90,000 available, grants up to $3,000 support nonprofits, government entities, and schools in ensuring representation and engaging diverse voices in leadership. Applications are accepted anytime until funds are exhausted, fostering equitable opportunities for community involvement and event visibility in the Ozarks.

NOTE: Grant proposals are accepted on a rolling basis; however the application will close upon expenditure of the grant funds for the fiscal year, no later than May 6, 2027.
Background
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is committed to achieving positive impact with regard to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the CFO service area.
The Inclusion and Belonging Fund supports small grant requests to ensure equitable participation and engagement in local communities. Agencies may apply at any time to support expenses related to ensuring diverse voices are represented in leadership roles and the community and students are provided equitable opportunity for community engagement and leadership. Agencies may also apply for event expenses that ensure visible representations of belonging in the Ozarks.
A total of $40,000 is available in the Inclusion and Belonging Fund, with awards capped at $3,000 per agency per year.

Eligibility

Lead applicant agencies must be nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations, government entities, school districts, or tax exempt faith based organizations. In awarding grants, the CFO will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status. As part of the grant process, all grantees will be required to affirm that, in providing services funded in whole or in part by a CFO grant, the grantee will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status either in its employment practices or in its policies and procedures concerning access to services.Eligible Regions:Barry CountyBarton CountyBates CountyBenton CountyBollinger CountyButler CountyCamden CountyCape Girardeau CountyCarter CountyCedar CountyChristian CountyCrawford CountyDade CountyDallas CountyDent CountyDouglas CountyDunklin CountyFranklin CountyGasconade CountyGreene CountyHenry CountyHickory CountyHowell CountyIron CountyJasper CountyJefferson CountyJohnson CountyLaclede CountyLawrence CountyMadison CountyMaries CountyMcDonald CountyMiller CountyMississippi CountyMorgan CountyNew Madrid CountyNewton CountyOregon CountyOsage CountyOzark CountyPemiscot CountyPerry CountyPettis CountyPhelps CountyPolk CountyPulaski CountyReynolds CountyRipley CountySaline CountyScott CountyShannon CountySt. Clair CountySt. Francois CountySte. Genevieve CountyStoddard CountyStone CountyTaney CountyTexas CountyVernon CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWebster CountyWright County