The Community Foundation of South Central Kentucky awarded $256,775 in grants to 46 area nonprofits.

Two award presentations, one at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center and one in Allen County, were held Thursday to announce recipients of the grants. Programs in Allen County received $53,000.

“We have the awards presentations to raise awareness and spotlight organizations that are doing the good work,” said Jennifer Wethington, executive director of the Community Foundation of South Central Kentucky. “One of the best days of the year is when I can help donors and support the needs in our area.”

Wethington said the foundation’s main purpose is to work with donors to support other nonprofits.

The foundation-operated Community Foundation Impact Fund provides money for the grants each year.

Some donors’ funds are used to support ongoing, evolving charitable interests, to provide scholarships to students or to support designated charitable agencies, while other donors have entrusted the foundation with unrestricted dollars to respond to current community needs. Most of the organizations service the entire Barren River area and meet many goals, she said.

“If you invest correctly and have the correct model, those funds will continue to grow, whether it is a good market or a bad market,” Wethington said.

Wethington said there were 28 requests this year, and each request was summarized and sent to the donor advisement holders for approval.

“We raise awareness by doing a summary for each request and pass it along to our donor advisement holders,” Wethington said. “The donor advises where they want the money to go, and we do the due diligence to make sure the organization is in good standing.”

Nonprofits and programs that received grants are:

• Arts of Southern Kentucky Inc. (programming for children), $24,314.
• Public Theatre of Kentucky – Phoenix Theatre Inc. (Special Stages: Theatre Therapy for Students on the Autism Spectrum Summer Intensive), $12,660.
• Boys & Girls Club of Bowling Green (annual distribution of Jerry Baker Fund), $12,493.
• HOTEL INC (Delafield Co-Op market launch), $10,500.
• LifeWorks program at Western Kentucky University (living & learning program), $10,000.
• Med Center Health Foundation (annual distribution of Jerry Baker Fund, community clinic), $9,660.
• The Symphony at WKU (annual distribution of Jerry Baker Fund), $9,660.
• South Central Kentucky Kids on the Block (enhancing educational puppetry), $9,204.
• WKU College Heights Foundation (Hubert Craddock Scholarship), $7,758.
• David B. Moore Scholarship Fund (Bowling Green High School scholarship program), $7,200.
• Bowling Green/Warren County Humane Society (2021-2022 $10 Pitty/Kitty Spay/Neuter Special), $6,557.
• Bowling Green/Warren County Public Library (annual distribution, John B. Gaines Fund – purchase books on journalism, freedom of speech, newspaper subjects and/or newspaper personalities and educational purposes), $6,353.
• Allen County-Scottsville Arts Council (Summer Soundz and equipment purchase), $5,000.
• Barren River Child Advocacy Center (trauma informed therapy services for victims of child abuse), $5,000.
• Boys & Girls Club of Allen County (Makerspace STEM Center), $5,000.
• CASA of South Central KY Inc. (CASA expansion into Allen County), $5,000.
• Family Enrichment Center (parent education supplies), $5,000.
• For a Real Change Inc. (programs), $5,000.
• Housing Authority (POP-UP Program), $5,000.
• Junior Achievement of South Central Kentucky (The “JA Inspire” initiative; collaborating to benefit southcentral Kentucky high school students), $5,000.
• Scottsville 1st United Methodist Food Pantry & Clothes Closet, $5,000.
• South Central Kentucky Kids on the Block (Puppets for Positive Change in Allen County), $5,000.
• Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College Foundation (Laura Turner Dugas Allied Health Scholarship – Strengthening the Nursing Talent Pipeline), $5,000.
• St. Joseph School (outdoor improvements), $5,000.
• The Scottsville Allen County Faith Coalition (The Allen County Kentucky African American Heritage Council Rosenwald School restoration project), $5,000.
• United Way of Southern Kentucky Inc. (Southern Kentucky 2-1-1 for the BRADD), $5,000.
• United Way of Southern Kentucky Inc. (Kindergarten Readiness Kit Program), $5,000.
• United Way of Southern Kentucky Inc. (Kindergarten Readiness Backpack Program-Allen County), $5,000.
• The CORE of Scottsville (age inclusive playground equipment), $4,534.
• Allen County Historical & Genealogical Society & Museum (overhead shelter for railroad locomotive), $4,000.
• Center for Pregnancy (client services programs), $4,000.
• Friends of Mammoth Cave (Dark Skies Over Kentucky), $3,445.
• New Beginnings Therapeutic Riding Inc., $3,000.
• Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College Foundation (SKYCTC student safety net), $3,000.
• Center for Courageous Kids (unrestricted), $2,833.
• Arts for All Kentucky (Arts for All workshops for adults with disabilities), $2,500.
• Simpson County Literacy Center (adult high school equivalency), $2,500.
• The Foundry (children’s programs), $2,500.
• Simpson County Historical Society Inc. (Light, Look and Learn), $2,465.
• Bowling Green Jr. Woman’s Club (Coats for Kids), $2,156.
• Boys & Girls Club of Butler County (Moby Max reading program), $2,000.
• Boys & Girls Club of Franklin Simpson (Advancing Technology for Kids), $2,000.
• The Salvation Army (food assistance), $2,000.
• Barefoot Republic Inc. (scholarship for family camp), $1,982.
• American Red Cross South Central Kentucky Chapter (home fire financial assistance program), $1,500.
• Visually Impaired Preschool Services (early childhood intervention program), $1,000.