MV Area Community Foundation accepting grant applications

The Mt. Vernon Area Community Foundation will accept applications for its 2019 grant cycle beginning Aug. 1, according to Bethany Patterson, president of the organization.
Applications may be picked up at the Lawrence County Record, the Mt. Vernon License office and the Mt. Vernon Chamber of Commerce office.
Completed applications must be returned by Aug. 31. Those groups eligible for grants include those who have a 501 (c) (3) status, or any group connected to a school or governmental body.
Last year, the foundation gave out some $54,043 in grants to some 13 groups. It expects to award a similar amount this year.
It also brings the grand total awarded by the foundation since 2006 to $168,275.
Patterson noted that a donation of more than $1 million to the foundation’s grantmaking account by the late R.C. and Pat Downing of Halltown has ballooned the amount of money given in the past two years.
 Besides Patterson, the foundation’s board of directors include vice-president Steve Fairchild, treasurer Joey Orr, secretary Micki Turner and members Jim Parnell, Sherry Rouner, Marie Short, Tom Wilks and Max Springer.
The local foundation is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks in Springfield.
It operates the license bureau in Mt. Vernon.