Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – The Craighead County Community Foundation has awarded four Strategic Impact Grants totaling $253,545 to area nonprofit organizations in celebration of the affiliate’s 25th anniversary with Arkansas Community Foundation.

The grants are designed to create transformational change within nonprofit organizations by strengthening operations, expanding programs and services, and increasing long-term impact throughout Craighead County. The foundation received 35 applications for the competitive funding opportunity.

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The goal of the Strategic Impact Grants is to significantly increase the impact of nonprofit organizations in the community, especially those addressing Aspire Arkansas indicators. Unlike traditional program funding, Strategic Impact Grants are intended to transform an organization’s operations, strategy, programs, and services through investments that create sustainable improvements and position nonprofits for future growth and success.

“The Strategic Impact Grant was developed to fund projects that will truly transform a nonprofit,” said Melissa Ayers, executive director of the Craighead County Community Foundation. “Projects being funded will result in long-term change in the organization, helping them work more efficiently, build more effective programs, increase their impact on issues facing our community, and position them for future growth and success.”

Grant recipients include:

Jonesboro Church Health Center received $95,000 to implement the CareConnect project, including a secure cloud-based electronic medical records system, workflow redesign, technology upgrades, and a medical scribe pilot program. The project will strengthen continuity of care by connecting patient records with the region’s two major hospital provider networks while modernizing clinic operations for the nearly 4,000 patient visits provided annually.

Family Crisis Center, Inc. received $29,400 to support a Strategic Planning and Organizational Readiness Initiative. Funding will provide consultant-led services focused on strategic planning, fundraising development, donor engagement analysis, leadership development, and board capacity building to prepare the organization for long-term sustainability and future growth.

Provision 88 Food Ministries received $98,145 to support facility improvements and program expansion. Funding will provide critical building repairs, technology upgrades, replacement of aging food bank database computers, and a pilot expansion of operating hours through the Working Families Feeding Program. Provision 88 serves more than 700 families each month and is one of the largest food pantries in the area.

CASA of the 2nd Judicial District Arkansas received $31,000 to enhance volunteer recruitment, training, and organizational capacity. Funding will support new technology for virtual and hybrid volunteer training, secure cloud-based records management, updated recruitment materials, a sustainable volunteer recruitment strategy, and organizational assessment services to support future growth.

Arkansas Community Foundation, a statewide nonprofit organization, provides resources, insight and inspiration to build stronger Arkansas communities – communities where our kids will want to raise their kids. The Community Foundation is the largest grantmaker in the state in the number of grants made each year.

Since 1976, the Foundation has awarded more than half a billion in grants to nonprofits. Serving local communities through a 29-affiliate network along with statewide initiatives, the Foundation staff works directly with donors, professional advisors and nonprofits to help strengthen Arkansas communities through strategic philanthropy and focusing on local needs.

Its assets rank among the top 60 community foundations in the United States with more than $800 million in charitable assets under management.

Founded in 2001, the Craighead County Community Foundation exists to create a higher quality of life for residents throughout Craighead County. Through the generosity of fundholders and philanthropists, CCCF has awarded more than $1.2 million since inception and manages over $16 million in assets across 114 funds.

Focus areas of grants are determined by data reporting through Aspire Arkansas, helping direct funding toward the community’s most pressing needs.

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