Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi
/OVERVIEW: The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi supports education, health, and children in 11 counties of Mississippi.
FUNDING AREAS: Education, health, children
IP TAKE: This is an accessible grantmaker for children-focused nonprofits in the northwest region of the state.
PROFILE: Established in 2002, the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi (CFNM) is a community foundation based in Hernando, Mississippi. A board of 20 volunteer civic leaders govern the foundation, which manages at least 233 donor-established funds. This foundation resulted from a 2000 project to establish internet-ready computers in every public classroom of DeSoto County. CFNM funds local efforts for education, health, and children.
The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi is committed to fighting the local obesity crisis and promoting active living and health eating programs. It also supports financial education for high school students to help them pay for college and protect their credit scores. CFNM funds programs that provide school supplies to needy families and opportunities for local youth. Other common topics of giving are children with learning disabilities, public speaking for youth, and education technology resources.
Grants range between about $1,000 and $5,000. In a past year, the foundation supported 205 grantees via 420 grants and programs with a total giving amount of over $1.6 million. Learn more about this funder’s local giving on the grants page of its website. Grantmaking focuses on the Mississippi counties of Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Leflore, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Tunica. Past local grantees include 4Rivers Fresh Foods, ACTS Career Center, DeSoto Central Middle School, and Sycamore Arts Council.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. It provides downloadable PDF forms on its website for various grant opportunities, including the Place-Based Education & Civic Entrepreneurship Grant, Endowment for the Future of Northwest Mississippi Grant, Early Childhood Education Grant, and Technology in Education Grant. Each grant opportunity has its own unique guidelines and deadlines. Direct general questions to the staff at 662-449-5002 or via online form.
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