Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $25,038,241 (FY 2024)
Number of Awards: 464 grants (FY 2024)
Grant Range: $150 - $30,000+ (varies by program)
Geographic Focus: 63 counties across central and southern Missouri
Total Assets: $494 million (as of June 30, 2024)
Decision Time: Approximately 2-4 months (varies by program)

Contact Details

Main Office (Springfield)

300 South Jefferson, Suite 400
Springfield, MO 65806
Phone: (417) 864-6199
Website: www.cfozarks.org

Additional Offices:

Cape Girardeau: 980 N. Kingshighway, Suite 103, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 | (573) 803-1248
West Plains: 397 Jackie D. Garrett Dr., West Plains, MO 65775 | (417) 427-4496

For Grant Inquiries: Contact Ashley Fleming, Director of Community Impact, through the website contact form at cfozarks.org/who-we-are/contact

Overview

Founded in 1973, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) is one of Missouri's largest philanthropic organizations, with $494 million in assets across approximately 3,700 charitable funds as of June 30, 2024. Since its founding, CFO has returned more than $600 million in grants and distributions to nonprofit organizations across its 63-county service area in central and southern Missouri. The foundation operates through 55 regional affiliate foundations, each governed by local volunteer boards and supported by CFO's professional staff. Under the leadership of President and CEO Winter Kinne, who assumed the role in November 2023, CFO focuses on enhancing quality of life through asset and resource development, grantmaking, collaboration, and public leadership. The organization earned a Four-Star rating (99%) from Charity Navigator, reflecting its strong financial health and commitment to accountability.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

CFO operates the largest competitive grantmaking program in its history, with a $5.4 million budget for 2025-26, plus approximately $1.6 million in scholarships through 480 named funds.

Metro Springfield Programs (Springfield and Greene County only)

Jewell Schweitzer Quality of Life Grant: $120,000 total budget - projects addressing priorities in the Community Focus Report
Inclusion & Belonging Grant: $50,000 total budget for smaller requests creating equitable participation
Rapid Response Grant (New for 2025): $80,000 - for nonprofits losing government funding, affected by disaster, or requiring time-sensitive funding
Jewell Schweitzer Collective Impact Grant: $30,000 maximum per project - innovative solutions to address Blue Ribbon and Red Flag issues
Welcoming Communities Grants: $120,000 distributed to improve quality of life for underserved populations

Regional Programs

L-A-D Foundation Grant: $55,000 total budget - conserving natural and cultural resources across 12 counties (Carter, Crawford, Dent, Madison, Maries, Oregon, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Ste. Genevieve, Shannon, Texas)
Additional affiliate-specific programs administered through 55 regional affiliate foundations

Specialty Grants

Holocaust Education Grant: $5,000 - for educators and community leaders to visit Holocaust museums
Cardinals Fly Together Fund: Matching grants for K-12 field trips to educational day games
Explore the Ozarks Fund: Conservation education for K-12 students (requires 1:1 matching funds)
Weaver Orthodontic Grant: Three full-treatment orthodontic scholarships annually for ages 10-30
L.E.A.H. Grant: Up to $150 per person annually for amputation-related needs
Ripley Butler Clay Fund for the Arts: Up to $2,500 annually
Helen M. Delano Fund: Two grants of up to $2,000 yearly for families of injured/killed Springfield first responders
Wounded War Veterans Grant: $2,000 to one agency annually

Priority Areas

CFO's funding priorities are data-driven, informed by the Community Focus Report for Springfield and Greene County, which identifies both Red Flags (challenges) and Blue Ribbons (strengths):

Key Red Flags (Challenges) Addressed:

Mental health and substance use (including opioid crisis and suicide mortality)
Poverty (affecting 1 in 5 individuals)
Child care gaps (only 59% of children have access to needed care)
Housing and homelessness
Child abuse and neglect

Priority Focus Areas:

Poverty alleviation
Rural economic development
Access to rural health care
Access to quality pre-school education
Disaster resiliency
Health projects promoting mental, physical, or emotional welfare
Education projects supporting lifespan development and learning
Arts and culture projects
Environmental preservation and beautification
Conservation education

Preferred Approaches:

Collaborative and collective impact models
Innovative solutions
Projects addressing Community Focus Report priorities

What They Don't Fund

All grantees must affirm non-discrimination policies covering race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status in service delivery.

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership

Winter Kinne - President & CEO (November 2023 - present)

Fourth president in CFO's 50-year history
20-year veteran of the organization
Succeeded Brian Fogle, who retired after 15 years

Anne E. McGregor - FY25 Board Chair & Treasurer

Emphasized the organization's mission: "Each page represents the passion someone has for their community, which has led them to make a difference through a financial contribution, an act of selfless service, a visionary legacy gift and so much more."

Board of Directors (2024-2025)

New Members (began July 1, 2024):

Hollie Elliott - Executive Director, Dallas County Economic Development Group, Buffalo
Brad Erwin - Architect and Owner, Paragon Architecture, Springfield
Margo Spilde - Entrepreneur and former financial advisor, Springfield
Angela Swan - Executive Assistant, Robinson Construction, Perryville

Additional Board Members: Dean Thompson, Emily Kembell, Gail Smart (At Large), Gary Garwitz, Greg Hoffman, Jimmy Liles, Kari Creighton, Laurie Edmondson, Lynne Meyerkord, Michael Garrett, Richard Cavender, Roy Hardy, Sarah Honeycutt, Stan Irwin

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

CFO uses the GLM by Foundant Technologies grant portal for most nonprofit grant applications. The foundation operates on a July-to-June fiscal year, with grant cycles announced beginning in early July.

Application Process:

Visit cfozarks.org/applyforgrants to access the grant portal
Use the "Quick Search" bar to find specific grants by program name or community
Currently open programs are listed in the "View Grant Portal" link
Complete the online application through the portal
Each cycle has specific criteria and deadlines

Application Methods:

Rolling Basis: Inclusion & Belonging (through May 4, 2026), Holocaust Education (through May 1, 2026)
Fixed Deadlines: L-A-D Foundation (August 29), various other programs announced in July
First-Come-First-Served: Some programs available "until funds are fully spent"

Decision Timeline

Typical Timeline:

Applications submitted: December (for annual programs)
Notifications: Late February/early March (approximately 2-3 months after deadline)
Award presentations: Mid-April (e.g., April 14 for recent cycle)

Timeline varies by program. Rolling programs may have faster turnaround times.

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. However, CFO distributed $25,038,241 through 464 grants in FY 2024, indicating substantial funding availability across diverse programs.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication restrictions or waiting periods are publicly documented. Organizations may apply to multiple programs if eligible.

Application Success Factors

CFO-Specific Success Factors

Alignment with Community Focus Report: Metro Springfield programs explicitly prioritize initiatives addressing Red Flags identified in the Community Focus Report. Applications should reference specific data points and challenges from this report.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples:

Collective Impact Grants (2024):

Generations Village First Year Coordination ($30,000) - multi-partner collaboration supporting foster families and senior adults
CASA Clubhouse ($30,000) - ensuring positive foster care experiences through partnership model
LGBTQ+ Mental Health Support ($11,000) - maintaining services for underrepresented community

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Grants (2024):

American Indian Center of Springfield ($10,000) - cultural liaison salary support
Drew Lewis Foundation ($20,000) - bilingual RISE coach expanding poverty-reduction program in Hispanic community
Children's Center of Southwest Missouri ($6,457) - translation devices and culturally diverse materials

Conservation Grants (2024):

Houston R-1 School District ($10,000) - outdoor pavilion
Partnership for Youth/AmeriCorps ($9,320) - Current River training trip

Collaboration Emphasis: CFO strongly favors collaborative projects. Successful applications often demonstrate partnerships between multiple organizations working toward shared goals.

Innovation and Impact: The foundation seeks "innovative concepts" that address community needs in new ways. Applications should articulate how the approach differs from existing solutions.

Matching Funds: Some programs (like Explore the Ozarks Fund) require 1:1 matching funds - not in-kind support, but actual additional dollars raised.

Data-Driven Approach: Given CFO's use of the Community Focus Report, successful applications incorporate local data and demonstrate evidence-based strategies.

Geographic Specificity: Clearly identify which county/counties will benefit and ensure alignment with appropriate program (Metro Springfield vs. Regional vs. Specialty).

Technical Assistance

CFO's Community Impact team assists nonprofit agencies with the online management systems and questions about grant opportunities. Contact Ashley Fleming, Director of Community Impact, for guidance.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Prioritize collaboration: CFO strongly prefers collective impact models with multiple partners working together toward shared goals
Reference the Community Focus Report: For Springfield-Greene County programs, explicitly connect your project to specific Red Flags or Blue Ribbons identified in the report
Apply early for rolling programs: Some programs operate on a first-come-first-served basis until funds are exhausted
Demonstrate innovation: Show how your approach differs from traditional solutions to community challenges
Match the right program: With 55+ affiliate foundations and numerous specialty programs, ensure you're applying to the most appropriate opportunity for your geographic area and focus
Emphasize equity and inclusion: Recent grant awards show strong support for projects serving underrepresented and underserved populations
Prepare matching funds: If required by the program, ensure you have committed matching dollars (not in-kind) before applying
Contact staff for guidance: Ashley Fleming and the Community Impact team are available to help navigate the portal and identify appropriate opportunities

References

All sources accessed December 24, 2025

Community Foundation Of The Ozarks Inc