Cass County Community Foundation awards 2025 competitive grants
Last Updated on September 26, 2025 by Cass County Communication Network
The Cass County Community Foundation held a press conference and reception to announce the recipients of the 2025 CCCF Competitive Community Grant Awards on September 25, 2025 at the foundation office, 729 E. Market Street. Attendees included representatives of the recipient organizations, as well as donors, board members, volunteers, and members of the media. This year, seven grants were awarded to organizations totaling $209,351.00. An additional appropriation of $17,000 brought the total awarded to $226,351.
Deanna Crispen, President & CEO shared, “The grants committee began their work with an allocation of $230,000. When the committee met earlier this summer to review and evaluate opportunity grant proposals of $5,000 or less, Chairman, Barrie McClain presented the board with a recommendation of $19,787 leaving the competitive grants a pool of $210,213 to allocate to proposals totaling almost $500,000.
During the Competitive Grant Cycle evaluation, the committee began their work with a review of the proposals. As the committee worked through the process and especially after interviewing the organizations about their projects, the committee was impressed by the outstanding quality of the requests and sought additional support from the Board of Directors.
Organizations are required to first send a letter expressing their desire to apply and briefly explain their project and costs. After the initial letters were evaluated, organizations moving forward in the process were invited to submit full proposals. Finally, each organization that moved forward was invited to make a brief presentation before the committee to explain further and answer any questions the committee might still have about their proposal. Funding for community grants is made possible through the generosity of donors to CCCF’s unrestricted community endowments.
The following is a list of the 2025 Community Competitive Grant Award recipients and their projects:
2025 Grant Cycle Award Recommendations are:
Cass County 4H Assoc. $35,000 for internet/wiring/speakers and sound system project
Young America Lions Club $16,018 for a walk-in cooler
Cass County Fire Association $30,000 Fire Training Tower
Cass County Historical Society $15,333 for Carriage Barn HVAC
Columbia Elementary PTO $30,000 for Lounge & Learning Project
Habitat for Humanity $25,000 2026 Lead Sponsor Build
Twelve Mile Lions Club $58,000 New Playground at the Park
Total: $209,351.00
The Twelve Mile Lions Club will also receive $17,000 from a gift made to the foundation for the park making their total grant $75,000.
Total 2025 Opportunity Grants awarded in July are $19,787.
Total for 2025 Grant Cycle $246,138.
Following the announcement of the awards, Crispen shared, ”We are grateful to the committee members for their commitment to the process and the time they gave to serve. Each organization that applied is worthy of support and it is always an exceedingly difficult decision.”
Crispen continued, “As we celebrate our thirty-two years of “For Good, For Ever, the board and staff at CCCF acknowledge the tremendous support of the community. We are grateful for that trust and continue to work diligently as stewards of the gifts entrusted to us for the future.”
For more information, please call the Cass County Community Foundation at 574-722-2200.
SOURCE: Photo and news release from Cass County Community Foundation