Foundations deliver $388K in grants to local nonprofits

Photo provided by Darr Family Foundation

Care to Learn is among grant recipients selected by the Darr Family Foundation.

Two foundations this week announced the issuance of an aggregate $388,502 in grants to area nonprofits.

Ball Foundation
The Stanley & Elaine Ball Foundation awarded funds to 15 recipients after receiving requests from 59 applicants for its annual grant cycle, according to a news release.

The $252,000 in grants are earmarked for nonprofits working in the areas of educational enhancement and support for disadvantaged children.

The Springfield-Greene County Library District was the top recipient with a $108,000 grant, earmarked for improvements to the children’s area at the Library Station. The Taneyhills Library Club was No. 2 with $28,000, followed by Cents of Pride, at $15,000, according to the release.

Managed by Central Trust Co., the Ball Foundation was established in 2005 by former Branson Mayor Stanley Ball to help those less fortunate in the community.

Darr Family Foundation
The Darr Family Foundation awarded $135,602 to 10 nonprofits.

Care to Learn and Ozarks Food Harvest both received $20,000, the largest amount awarded. In third was the Drew Lewis Foundation, at $16,040, according to a news release.

Heather Zoromski, executive director of the foundation, previously told Springfield Business Journal the organization is on track to contribute $400,000 in grant funding this year. The foundation, which funds causes that empower at-risk youth, recently restructured its board, naming Erin Danastasio its second president to date.

Separate from the foundation, southwest Missouri businessman Bill Darr’s American Dehydrated Foods and International Dehydrated Foods recently sold to Germany-based Symrise AG for $900 million.