Missouri Local Grants

The City of Wentzville's Business Development Grant Program aims to stimulate economic growth and revitalization within its Historic Downtown zoning districts (HD-1, HD-2, or HD-3). This initiative aligns with the city's broader mission to boost property development, strengthen both new and existing businesses, and facilitate the rehabilitation and modernization of downtown buildings. By offering financial assistance for start-up and business development costs, the program directly supports the strategic objective of creating a more vibrant and economically robust downtown core. The target beneficiaries of this grant are new businesses, open for less than 12 months, and significantly expanding businesses within the designated historic downtown areas. The program's impact goals are centered on easing financial burdens associated with business development and improvement, thereby fostering a conducive environment for commercial activity and urban renewal. The grant is specifically designed to alleviate costs for interior building improvements, enabling businesses to enhance their physical spaces and operational capabilities. The program's priorities and focuses include a range of interior building improvements such as paint, finish carpentry, flooring, and countertops. These specific areas of focus are intended to directly contribute to the aesthetic appeal, functionality, and overall value of commercial properties in the historic downtown. By supporting these types of improvements, the City of Wentzville seeks to encourage high-quality business development and attract further investment in the area. Expected outcomes and measurable results include an increase in the number of new businesses opening and existing businesses expanding within the specified districts, a reduction in the financial barriers for these businesses, and an overall improvement in the condition and modernization of downtown buildings. While specific quantitative metrics are not detailed, the program's success can be indirectly measured by increased commercial activity, improved property values, and enhanced community engagement within the historic downtown. The City of Wentzville's strategic priorities are rooted in a theory of change that posits that by directly investing in the physical and operational improvements of downtown businesses, it can catalyze broader economic development and create a more attractive and sustainable urban environment.

The Benton County Community Foundation seeks applications to enhance the quality of life for individuals within Benton County, Missouri, through a flexible community grantmaking program. This initiative aligns directly with the foundation's mission to address the most critical and evolving needs of the community at any given time. The foundation's strategic priority is to empower community leaders, specifically the Benton County Philanthropic Society (Benton County PHIL), to make informed grant decisions that reflect local priorities. The grant program targets 501(c)3 organizations, government entities, school districts, and churches that serve Benton County. The primary impact goal is to fund programs that expand current services or create new ones to address identified priority needs within the county. The Benton County PHIL will determine these priority needs, ensuring that funding directly benefits the local population and improves their overall quality of life. For 2024, the program has a total grant budget of $50,000, bolstered by a $25,000 matching grant from the Patterson Family Foundation. The maximum individual request amount is $25,000, with additional awards of $15,000 and $10,000 for the second and third highly-ranked agencies, respectively. While collaboration among applicants is encouraged, it is not a mandatory eligibility criterion. The expected outcome is to allocate these funds strategically to organizations that can demonstrate a clear plan for positive community impact. Measurable results will stem from the funded projects' ability to expand existing programs or establish new services that address specific community needs. The foundation's theory of change posits that by placing grantmaking decisions in the hands of knowledgeable community leaders and leveraging philanthropic contributions, they can effectively foster sustainable improvements in Benton County. Grant proposals are accepted according to an announced timetable, and recommendations are made as funds become available, ensuring a responsive and impactful grantmaking process.

The North St. Louis Commercial Corridor Grant Program in Missouri has been allocated $37 million of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for administration by the St. Louis Development Corporation. The program includes Community Need Grants for small businesses and nonprofits located in a HUD Qualified Census Tract within a neighborhood containing part of one of the North St. Louis Commercial Corridors, as well as Small Business Stabilization & Expansion Grants for operational support and business growth. Additionally, there is a Façade and Storefront Improvements Program aimed at enhancing the value of businesses and improving the quality of customer experience in North St. Louis neighborhoods.

The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) is offering grants to support innovative, sustainable, and scalable approaches to wealth building and preservation within specific priority communities and groups. This initiative aligns with JSMF's broader mission to foster human well-being by addressing systemic economic disparities and promoting long-term financial stability. The foundation's strategic framework emphasizes helping individuals and communities build and protect wealth, demonstrating a clear theory of change that by increasing access to financial resources and strengthening community capacity, economic resilience can be significantly improved. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are low and moderate-income individuals and families, as well as Black and historically marginalized groups, including immigrants, residing in the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County. The impact goals are centered on increasing the number of individuals and families served by financial products, services, or practices, and ultimately increasing and preserving wealth for these target populations. This focus is directly tied to the foundation's strategic priority of addressing wealth disparities in disinvested communities. Successful proposals are expected to align with one or more of three core tactics. Tactic A focuses on increasing access to low-cost, low-barrier financial products and services that drive asset attainment, growth, and preservation. Tactic B aims to build the capacity of community-based organizations and financial institutions to support wealth building and preservation efforts. Tactic C prioritizes attracting new investment capital to disinvested communities within the designated geographic areas. These tactics serve as the foundational elements of JSMF's theory of change, postulating that a multi-pronged approach encompassing access, capacity, and investment is essential for sustainable wealth creation. The program anticipates several expected outcomes and measurable results. These include the development of new loan products for homeownership, providing private equity access for companies owned by people of color, adjusting financial products to support small and diverse-owned businesses, creating investment products that increase ownership in financial markets, supporting employee ownership business models, and implementing systemic changes to credit building. The grants, ranging from $450,000 to $900,000, will be awarded for one to three years, with awards totaling $1.8 million. Proposals will be evaluated based on the innovation, scalability, and sustainability of the proposed approach, and their alignment with JSMF’s mission and guiding principles, ensuring that funded projects have the potential for significant and lasting impact.

The Perry County Community Foundation is offering grants to enhance the quality of life for individuals within Perry County, Missouri. This initiative aligns directly with the foundation's mission of thoughtful grantmaking and community leadership. The foundation's unique role is to operate a flexible community grantmaking program that can address the most pressing needs of the community as they arise. This flexibility is supported by charitable donors who have established unrestricted or field-of-interest funds, entrusting decision-making to community leaders serving on the Board of Directors, in addition to funds raised by the foundation itself. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant program are 501(c)3 organizations and other IRS-approved entities, including government entities, school districts, and churches, that serve Perry County. The overarching impact goal is to improve the quality of life for individuals residing in Perry County. The foundation prioritizes community needs and focuses on addressing them through its flexible grantmaking approach, ensuring that funding can adapt to evolving challenges and opportunities within the community. While specific, detailed expected outcomes and measurable results are not explicitly outlined, the program implies a focus on initiatives that directly contribute to the well-being and betterment of Perry County residents. The grant cycle allows applicants to request up to $1,500 in funding, which suggests a focus on supporting a variety of smaller-scale, yet impactful, community projects. The foundation's strategic priority is to conduct a responsive grantmaking program that is guided by the input of community leaders and the needs identified within the county. The foundation's theory of change appears to be rooted in the belief that by empowering local organizations and entities with financial resources, they can effectively address community needs and improve the overall quality of life. This is facilitated by the flexibility of unrestricted and field-of-interest funds, allowing for adaptive and community-driven allocation of resources. The grant application process is open until May 13, 2024, providing eligible organizations with an opportunity to contribute to this mission.

The City of Kansas City, Missouri, in partnership with the Economic Development Corporation - Loan Corporation (EDCLC), is offering grants to eligible micro-businesses that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. The grants are available to businesses based in Kansas City, Missouri, with ten or fewer employees. The EDCLC will provide grants of $10,000, $15,000, and $25,000. The funds can be used for various purposes such as overhead costs, renovation costs, technology, professional services, facade and minor roof repairs, inventory costs, equipment costs, and marketing. However, certain businesses are ineligible for the grants, including liquor stores, payday loans, hookah and vape shops, marijuana-related businesses, rental properties, bars with less than 50% food sales, and new businesses operating for less than one year. For more information, contact [email protected] or call 816-691-2120.

This program provides funding to neighborhood groups, schools, and nonprofits in central and northeast Columbia to support small-scale community improvement projects that enhance quality of life and foster community pride.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Columbia for projects that promote cultural activities between May and October 2025.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for community development and affordable housing projects in Columbia, Missouri, aimed at improving the quality of life for residents.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and government entities that deliver mental and behavioral health services to children and families in St. Louis County, Missouri.

This program provides funding to community organizations in the Greater St. Louis area for outdoor recreation projects that promote access and engagement with nature.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, government entities, schools, and churches in Ozark County to implement initiatives that enhance community well-being and address local needs.

The Jackson County grant in Missouri is a competitive funding opportunity for community-based nonprofits that provide basic, emergency, quality of life, and support services to underserved residents, with a focus on health, human services, and self-sufficiency, and is disbursed on a quarterly reimbursement basis.

This program provides funding to individuals and organizations in the greater Kansas City area for artistic projects that enhance cultural experiences and promote tourism in Liberty, Missouri.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and government entities in Greene County, Missouri, to support athletic and outdoor recreational programs specifically for girls and young women.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and government entities in the Springfield area to develop sustainable solutions for the affordable housing crisis affecting low-income residents.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and individual artists in Hermann, Missouri, to enhance and promote diverse arts and cultural initiatives in the community.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and government entities in Greene County, Missouri, to create outdoor programs and resources that engage local residents, especially those in low-income neighborhoods, with the natural environment.

This grant provides funding to K-12 educators and community organizations in St. Charles County, Missouri, to acquire materials for innovative STEM activities that inspire students and prepare them for future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

This funding opportunity supports arts and culture projects in the St. Louis area, aiming to enhance audience engagement and access to the arts for local residents and visitors.