ABOVE: Projects like this sign on the side of the Fairmont Opera House have been made possible in part due to the Martin County Area Foundation’s Grant Program, which has its application window open for non-profits from March 1 until the end of May.

MARTIN COUNTY – The Martin County Area Foundation (MCAF) will be opening its grant window on March 1 for 501(c)(3) nonprofits to submit requests for funds.

MCAF has been doing this since 1994, when it was called the Fairmont Area Foundation and distributed $6,000. Now, MCAF is able to grant $80,000 to $100,000 a year thanks to the growth of initial funds.

“It was the Mickelson Media Foundation,” MCAF Chair Beth Neist said. “They said, ‘We’re going to match your funds. For every $2 you raise, we’re going to match $1.’ There was quite a lot of funds being raised.”

So much has been generated from that initial investment, including investments made over the 30-plus years since it started, and interest on those investments, that Neist said there’s a potential for them to grant $120,000 this year. By doing so, Neist said they are here to help Martin County grow and change its needs.

“It’s an incredible feeling when we can make a smaller community, that might have limited funds, grow in an area that maybe wouldn’t have worked if they didn’t have the funds to do it,” she said.

Previous projects have included assisting the Red Rock Center with computers, the city of Truman with picnic tables, Trimont with its town center and with the mural that currently resides on a Fairmont Opera House wall.

ABOVE: Finding funding needs, like the one for a park in Trimont pictured here, is top priority for the Martin County Area Foundation as they open their grant application window for non-profits on March 1 and keep it open until the end of May.

The foundation focuses on five core pillars for grants: arts and humanities, community and civic affairs, social and economic growth, environment and youth. Otherwise, Niest said applying for a grant is relatively simple.

“You just explain who you are, explain what you want and when and where you’re going to do it,” she said. “Send it in and say, ‘Okay, we’ve started a little bit of fundraising. We’re going to do this, and we would like X amount of dollars for this project that was X amount of dollars. Could you please help us?'”

By having the window open from the beginning of March to the end of May, MCAF Vice Chair Dustin Tino said it has shown itself to be the right time for non-profits.

“We felt it was a good time to be able to meet the needs, not too early, not too late, just in that sweet spot,” he said.

“People are thinking about what they’re going to do next year and maybe for the summer,” Neist added.

She had been on the board for six years before stepping away, but returned this year and said she is honored and privileged to be able to assist the community by leading this program.

“It’s not many opportunities in life where you get to be Oprah and really make a difference in your friends and neighbors,” Neist said.

Overall, Tino said they hope they are able to help the community with their needs for another successful year.

“We always like to see new nonprofits come in,” he said. “It’s always neat to see what the community needs are, and we always try to do our best to meet those needs. To me, it’s really exciting to see what comes in and then how we’re able to make an impact.”

For more information or to view a grant application, visit mcareafoundation.org/grant-application/. For questions, call 507-235-5547 or email martincountyareafoundation@gmail.com.