One of Metro Augusta’s largest organizations announced an ambitious goal to support smaller organizations, like the dozens of groups it had to turn down last year.
The Community Foundation for the CSRA (CFCSRA) laid out plans to raise $1 million through its 2027 Community Grants Campaign. The money will fund the grants CFCSRA awards each spring.
Earlier this year, almost $736,000 was distributed among 59 smaller organizations. Although proud of the amount, Shell Berry, President and CEO of CFCSRA, said nonprofits requested more than $2.1 million during that grant cycle.
“Think about that moment. More than $2.1 million in requests, and just under $736,000 available to award,” said Berry. “That gap represents more than dollars. It represents worthy organizations moving forward at work, programs that can reach more people, ideas that could become solutions, and needs in our communities that are still waiting to be met.”
Attending the announcement were representatives of nonprofit organizations, businesses, and chambers of commerce from Georgia and South Carolina counties supported by CFCSRA.
Berry told ABD the cross-section represents the unique and vibrant communities in metro Augusta.
“It takes all of us to help all of our community members,” she added. “This is not just about our highest need areas. It’s not just about our lowest need areas; it’s about all of us. We support everything from the arts to workforce development to hunger. Those touch all community members across all six counties in our region.”
The theme of the campaign is “One Million Threads. One Shared Mission.” Berry said it reflects the need for all segments of the community to become involved and weave resources together.
“The community foundation endowment gives us the ability to leverage what has already been built and combine it with new generosity to make an even greater impact,” she explained. “Because the fund is permanently endowed, what we build together today does not end with the 2027 grant cycle. It continues, it grows, and it remains available to respond as the needs of our community change.”
Applications are already being accepted for the 2027 grant program. Lasima Turmon, Director of Programs, said they see a mixture of previous applicants along with new organizations requesting assistance.
“We have quite a few regular applicants, the organizations themselves, but what they ask to fund each year can vary depending on what their needs are,” she said. “We also are one of the few grant makers who accept operating grant asks. And we do have quite a few new, first-time applicants who have never applied to a community foundation before, so we see a good mix of both of those in our process.”
Applications are reviewed by volunteers who do site visits to each organization. CFCSRA welcomes anyone who wishes to participate in the review process.
“You’ll have five organizations to look at, and you can only pick two. And oftentimes, you want to pick five,” she admitted. “So, this is why we think this is so important to ask folks to step alongside us, and that can make a huge difference in making sure that people get those resources.”
Established in 1996, CFCSRA serves nonprofits in Richmond, Columbia, McDuffie, and Burke counties in Georgia, as well as Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina. Grants have supported education, health, the arts, and basic needs.
Applications and donations to the 2027 fund can be made at https://www.cfcsra.org/.
