May 2024

Rural Placemaking Summit Coming August 1!

Join the Community Foundation for Mississippi and community partners for the Mississippi Rural Placemaking Summit, a unique conference experience where attendees from small and rural communities can connect with other individuals, organizations, and government entities using placemaking techniques to celebrate and strengthen the places they live, work and play. 

This one-day summit will take place in multiple venues across downtown McComb, providing an interactive experience like no other! Participants will learn from panelists who have used placemaking techniques to implement changes across their communities. Sessions will include everything from community storytelling to creating a healthier community, implementing public art in your community, repurposing and preserving historical spaces, and using placemaking techniques for more authentic community engagement. Registration opens in early June.

Several Grants Open for CFM Funds

Andrew Bucci Art Supply Grant

Bucci Art Supply Grantee Renna Moore-Edwards of Wells APAC (left) stands with Margaret Bucci (right) during their art show, which included works inspired by Andrew Bucci and supported by a 2022 grant.

The Friends of Andrew Bucci Fund at the Community Foundation for Mississippi was created to honor the memory of the late Andrew Bucci, one of Mississippi’s most celebrated and prolific visual artists. The fund’s purpose is to help Mississippi public, parochial, and private school art teachers acquire supplies that support visual arts instruction for grades PreK-12.

Requirements

Applicants must be art teachers actively working in any public, parochial, or private school in the state of Mississippi. Funds are administered by fund advisors and the Community Foundation for Mississippi. Grant awards of up to $500 each will be given to art teachers to acquire art supplies.

Eligible Supplies

Examples of eligible supplies include paper, paint, paintbrushes, pencils, markers, clay and other materials that provide hands-on opportunities for students to create visual artworks using a variety of media. Grant awards are NOT intended to fund: Equipment purchases such as cameras, computers, copiers, kilns, etc., entry fees and dues, field trips and transportation, awards, food, incentives or t-shirts.

The deadline to apply is July 31, 2024. All questions regarding this application can be directed to info@andrewbucci.com.

LGBTQ Fund of Mississippi - 2024-2025 Grant Cycle

LGBTQ Fund of Mississippi at the Community Foundation for Mississippi 2024 – 2025 Grant Cycle is now accepting submissions through June 28. This fund transforms donations into action by providing grants that support organizations across the state, aiming to improve the lives of LGBTQ Mississippians. The deadline to apply is June 28, 2024.

Grants are available to support:

• Planning
• Research
• General operations

For questions about the entry process, please contact Michael Martella by email at michael.martella@alliancems.org.

Fund Spotlight: Jackson Free Clinic

Serving the community for over 20 years, the student-run Jackson Free Clinic (JFC) was created to increase access to health care and assist in restoring health and employment in an underserved population. The clinic is run by medical students at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson as well as volunteer physicians from the local community. It offers non-emergency medical care, including evaluation, testing, prescription drugs and education, to individuals who cannot pay.

CFM is proud to hold several funds that support the clinic's work. With the turnover of student leaders over several years, the funds were forgotten and rediscovered at a pivotal time in 2019. The renewed connection between JFC and CFM has greatly impacted the clinic, from guidance on nonprofit management to a water grant supported by the Walton Family Foundation.

Community Conversations with the MS Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy

Wednesday, June 5, 9 - 11 a.m.

Refill Jackson, 136 South Adams Street, Jackson, MS

Community Conversations is an initiative intended to generate public knowledge, authentically engage with local community members, actively connect across divides, and inform decision-making of all kinds.

Conversations on public policy invite elected officials and local nonprofits to come together to discuss state and federal public policy issues affecting their work and community. Each conversation will begin with a briefing on the state's legislative priorities, nonprofit sector trends, challenges nonprofits face, and potential public-policy solutions, giving you the unique opportunity to discuss the state and federal public policy issues of particular

interest to your organization.

Additional upcoming Community Conversations with the Alliance and CFM:

June 18: Alcorn State University (10 a.m. - noon)

August 7: Mississippi Public Health Institute (10 a.m. - noon)

August 7: YMCA Flowood (2 - 4 p.m.)

For more information, email jamie.rasberry@alliancems.org.

Grants From Other Sources

This list is a shared resource. For inquiries about each grant, CFM recommends contacting the grantmaking organization listed for more information.

State Grants



Mississippi Arts Commission mini-grants for individuals and organizations open on May 1. The deadline to apply is June 1. Learn more here.

National Grants



The Mutual of America Community Partnership Award recognizes the important contributions that nonprofit organizations, in partnership with public, private, and other social sector organizations, make to society in the United States. Award recipients must demonstrate the difference the partnership has made, show the ability of the partnership to be replicated and to stimulate new ideas in addressing social issues, and illustrate the partnership's commitment to advancing the mission and principles of the organization. The deadline to apply is July 1. Learn more here.

T-Mobile is investing $25M in 500 rural towns over 5 years to jumpstart projects and build stronger communities. Rural communities can apply for up to $50,000 for a Hometown Grant to bring their community idea to life. Twenty five grants are awarded each quarter. Learn more here.