Blog Post

Ronda Graff • Sep 07, 2023

Cutline :

St. Patrick art teacher Deonne Hinz paints the likeness of the McCook Mural apprentice artists into the design, a beneficiary of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s grants this past year.. MCFF also provided funding for Beautify McCook, which placed flowering planters on Norris Avenue, and were watered by local volunteers including Gary Wiemers.


By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK - Over the past year, downtown McCook has taken on a new appearance in several ways: Half a city block is now graced with a beautiful, eye-catching mural and many of the corners along Norris Avenue feature flowering planters. 

Other recent changes include the addition of Norris Alley, which transformed a gravel parking lot between the Keystone Business Center and the historic Fox Theater into a welcoming space to gather for concerts, lunch or conversation. And the Fox is in the process of updating its marquee, which will be seen for blocks in either direction along Norris Avenue. 

All of these projects are part of a bigger transformation of downtown McCook and all benefited from grants from the McCook Community Foundation Fund over the past few years. And the fund’s advisory committee is looking for new grant ideas and projects, which will benefit McCook and Southwest Nebraska. 

Fall grant applications are due by Sunday, Oct. 1. Applications will be reviewed in October with grants awarded in November 2023.


Other grants awarded this past spring include:

  • McCook Arts Council: MerryMakers, Buffalo Commons and Summer Arts Program
  • McCook Community Chest: renaming to Southwest Nebraska Big Give
  • MCFF Summer Hometown Intern
  • Reality Checks Program for junior high students
  • Red Willow County Health Department: Vaccine Freezer
  • Habitat for Humanity: Volunteer Safety Equipment
  • Sixth Floor Project: Youth Docents 


MCFF distributes grants twice a year, each spring and fall, with more than $150,000 available annually to organizations and individuals who are working to make McCook an even better place to call home. 

A complete list of previous grant winners is available on the MCFF website, mcookfoundation.org, along with an application form and more information about MCFF. 

McCook Community Foundation Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

By Ronda Graff 01 May, 2024
Students and adults came together to make McCook's newest entertainment attraction a reality.
By Ronda Graff 01 May, 2024
After two years of fund-raising, planning and researching, Youth Change Reaction's Cars Under the Stars will have its first show May 4 with a Star Wars movie.
By Ronda Graff 26 Apr, 2024
National volunteer Week highlights the need for volunteers not only this week or this month, but on a constant basis.
By Grace Wilhelmson 22 Apr, 2024
Youth Change Reaction member Grace Wilhelmson shares how four years on the MCFF youth group has influenced her view of the community.
By Ronda Graff 11 Apr, 2024
Each of us has hobbies and interests that we can share with others. And when we invite newcomers to come along and learn more, we move from from just being welcomed to being engaged.
By Anna LeBay 08 Apr, 2024
As part of the McCook's Chamber's Annual Meeting, MCFF coordinator Ronda Graff shared just a few projects they are collaborating on with the McCook Chamber including McCook Connects and Third Thursday.
By Anna LeBay 08 Apr, 2024
McCook's Creative District and the City of McCook received a planning grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to look at several forward-thinking projects.
By Peggy Been 05 Apr, 2024
Each of us is part of a community, a community creates a hometown. It is up to each of us to determine what the hometown looks like now and for generations to come.
By Ronda Graff 29 Mar, 2024
Everyone leaves a legacy behind for their children, their family and their communities but we need to be intentional about what we want that legacy to be.
By Ronda Graff 18 Mar, 2024
The McCook Humane Society was a grant recipient last fall, enabling the facility to purchase new cat cages. The upcoming grant deadline is Monday, April 1 with applications online at mccookfoundation.org.
More Posts
Share by: