SCPB Board Member Brandi Young, Winfield, Helps Award $1,500 to Non-Profit Organizations

2014 Dec 16

The Southwestern College Philanthropy Board (SCPB) presented grants totaling $1,500 to two local non-profit organizations on Tuesday, Dec. 9, in the Deets Library at Southwestern College. Brandi Young, Winfield, is a member of the SCPB.

SCPB members presented a $900 grant to Safe Homes, Inc. Safe Homes, Inc., serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in South Central Kansas. The funds granted will be used to fund educational classes at the shelter covering the following topics: crock-pot cooking, nutrition and menu planning, and parenting and home safety.

The SCPB members also granted $600 to the Eastern Cowley County Resource Center (ECCRC). ECCRC was founded in 2003 with a focus on computers and reading literacy. The funds granted to ECCRC will go towards improving the organization's ability to serve as an official GED testing site; improvements that can be made utilizing the funding include: website/email upgrades, computers, new tables/shelving, and GED related software.

The Southwestern College Student Philanthropy Board was developed from the Students4Giving Campus Compact grant awarded in August of 2008. With this funding, Southwestern created the SCPB as well as the nonprofit Leadership and social impact class offered on the main campus to explore all aspects of the philanthropic process. The SCPB is committed to developing an opportunity for students to explore philanthropy, non-profit organizations, community partnerships and available grant resources. The SCPB and the class work together annually to distribute grant funding to community.

The mission of the SCPB is twofold. First, it exists to teach college students about philanthropy and grant-making. Each year, the SCPB creates Request for Funding Proposals (RFPs) and distributes them to Cowley County non-profit organizations. The board then meets to review and award grant applications. The second part of the mission is to help students connect and build relationships with local non-profits.

According to SCPB advisor Lindsay Wilke, the focus for this year's RFP was for existing nonprofit programs or start-up projects devoted to combatting the root causes of poverty. This included but was not limited to improving: education opportunities, employment opportunities, life skills and family well-being. It might also include helping those who are struggling with addiction and/or abuse.