Faith in Action receives funding from Belmont GIVES!!!
THANK YOU to the BELMONT COUNTY ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE!
More than $50,000 was given to 12 nonprofits and groups to aid in their efforts in Belmont County through the Belmont County Enrichment Fund.
The Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley and Give Belmont County presented checks totaling $50,204 to the organizations during a grant reception on Tuesday morning at the Ebbert Farms Event Center in St. Clairsville. The funds are provided through the Belmont County Enrichment Fund, a competitive grant opportunity for organizations in the county that serve the community. Representatives from all 12 groups were present.
Debbie Stanton, program officer for the CFOV, said organizers received over $300,000 in grant applications from nonprofits and government entities such as libraries and fire departments to help support the work they do in the community. She said the committee reviews the applications and selects the top projects that best suit the fund’s focus areas, which include youth, senior citizens, education and basic human needs.
“It fills gaps that are otherwise unmet, and it enhances those organizations to be able to do more services in the community or contribute to their infrastructure to do what they do,” she said.
Lova Ebbert, committee member of Give Belmont County, said the reception allows the groups the chance to share the good they are going to do with the funds.
“What makes the Belmont County Enrichment Fund unique is that every dollar has to be given to Belmont County,” she said.
Ebbert said the annual awards started in 2013 by a group of landowners as a way to give back proceeds garnered from natural gas drilling lease deal payments. Anyone is welcome to donate to the fund, she said. For the upcoming year, she said EQT has offered to match any royalty owner’s donation from $100-$10,000.
“There are hundreds of royalty owners in Belmont County. If every royalty owner gave $100, it would be matched. I can’t begin to imagine all the good that could be done and the support we could give to all these local nonprofits,” she said.
Those interested in donating toward the fund can call Ebbert at 740-695-5619.
This year’s grant recipients included:
• $3,000 to Bridgeport Volunteer Fire and Emergency Department for thermal imaging camera.
• $5,000 to Tri-County Help Center for Peg’s House: More than a Home.
• $5,000 to Calvary Presbyterian Church for the Little Kidz Kloset.
• $5,000 to Thoburn United Methodist Church St. Clairsville Council of Churches Food Pantry for food pantry support.
• $3,154 to Southeast Inc. for the BCAP Sensory Room.
• $3,500 to Faith in Action Caregivers Inc. for its Volunteer Match Program.
• $4,500 to Bethesda Senior Citizens Inc. for general operating expenses.
• $1,400 to Belmont County General Health District for Youth Yoga.
• $1,650 to Belmont County Historical Society for an emergency exit sign, lighting and extinguisher.
• $5,000 to Wheeling Health Right Inc. for health care services in Belmont County.
• $3,000 to Ohio University Foundation on behalf of Ohio University Eastern for the Lentz Tavern Site Restoration project.
• $10,000 to the Union Local School District for the Union Local Viewsonic Board Initiative.
Debbie Stanton from CFOV said the funds will be available again next year with applications open in January. She said the timeline will change in 2024 with grants being awarded in the spring instead of the fall. For more information about Give Belmont County and grants available through the Belmont County Enrichment Fund, call the CFOV at 304-242-3144 or visit www.cfov.org.