The Missouri Department of Economic Development announced it would award $7.3 million through its Neighborhood Assistance Program to nonprofits across Missouri for community development projects.
The Neighborhood Assistance Program helps not-for-profit organizations leverage private-sector funds by providing partial state tax credits to businesses that make contributions to approved community improvement projects.
The program can help fund job training initiatives, crime prevention, community service projects, and revitalization of community-based buildings and areas.
“This program is helping to build stronger communities and bettering the lives of thousands of people,” Department of Economic Development Director Rob Dixon said. “As a department, we help bring more opportunities to more Missourians, and the Neighborhood Assistance Program is one way that we are delivering on that promise.”
Approved organizations include:
Alliance Against Assault and Abuse – Kansas City
The Alliance Against Assault and Abuse will renovate an 80,300 sq. ft. facility to create the Multidisciplinary Center for Trauma Healing Services. NAP donations will be directed to nonprofit space where traumatized children and families will receive multifaceted services in a one-stop location to minimize trauma and promote healing.
Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America – St. Louis
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America will direct donations received as part of this NAP project to the School Nurse RESCUE program. The RESCUE program provides medical equipment and asthma medication for children experiencing respiratory emergencies while at school, as well as educational classes to for management and control.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City – Kansas City
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City will utilize NAP tax credits to provide the College and Career Readiness Program in two of their Club units - Thornberry and J&D Wagner. The program is designed to: provide school-age youth with access to academic support away from school, improve their ability to learn, boost academic self-esteem, expose them to post-secondary opportunities, and provide the resources and support necessary to achieve post-secondary aspirations.
Boys and Girls Clubs of West Central Mo - Sedalia
Donations received as part of this NAP project will be directed to the Boys and Girls Clubs' rural Great Futures project. The project will provide after school youth enrichment programming for youth ages 6 to 18 years living in Cole Camp, Green Ridge, La Monte, Leeton, Dresden, and Smithton. Programs are designed to help at-risk youth become responsible, caring, and productive citizens, with a focus on Character and Leadership Development, Education and Career Development, Health and Life Skills, the Arts and Music, and Fitness and Recreation.
Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks - Springfield
The Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks will direct NAP donations to their Free Screening Mammogram Program. They will provide approximately 3,000 free screening mammograms to low-to-moderate income, uninsured and underinsured women living in their 25 county service area in southwest Missouri.
Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St Louis – St. Louis
It is the mission of the Saint Louis Chess Club, an educational organization, to maintain a formal program of instruction to teach the game of chess and to promote and support its educational program through community outreach and local and national partnerships to increase the awareness of the educational value of chess.
Children's Center for the Visually Impaired – Kansas City
The Children's Center for the Visually Impaired will utilize NAP contributions to implement the Early Intervention Program and the Preschool/Kindergarten Program. These programs will administer education and therapy program for infants and toddlers with significant visual impairments, and enhance development skills while preparing children for inclusion in elementary school.
Citizens Against Domestic Violence, Inc. - Camdenton
CADV is a domestic violence shelter providing physical, emotional, legal, financial, and occupational resources necessary for survivors of domestic and sexual violence to recover and grow. Donations received as part of this NAP project will be directed to the expansion of their existing facility in Camdenton, adding 1,000 square feet to serve additional clients and provide a separate suite for male victims.
Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri – Cape Girardeau
Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri intends to direct NAP contributions to the renovation of a Cape Girardeau police station property including but not limited to, roof replacement, build out of functional office space, flooring, and construction of addition 7,000 sq. ft. activity center. The facility will be used to provide homeless individuals with showers, laundry facilities, and movement into permanent housing.
Community Services League of Jackson County – Independence
Community Services League will direct donations received as part of this NAP project to its Bridges to Career Opportunity program, connecting low-income individuals with certificate programs in high-demand career pathways in healthcare/nursing and welding. The program addresses adult basic education and job skills training, and guarantees job placement for graduates.
Concordance Academy – St. Louis
Concordance Academy will utilize NAP tax credits for its substance use disorder (SUD) program for formerly incarcerated individuals. The participants receive comprehensive education, as well as individual and group SUD therapy from certified counselors and licensed clinicians. Developing these tools and skills will assist these individuals to make a successful transition back into the community and divert them from a path of re-incarceration.
Dogwood Ranch Corp. – Rogersville
Dogwood Ranch will direct NAP donations to its Healing Reins and Haven programs. The Healing Reins program provides equine-assisted therapy to individuals who have experience trauma, specifically children in foster care and adoptive homes, veterans, and active military. The Haven program will provide transitional living services, including housing, life skills, and soft job skills, to youth who have aged out of foster care.
Fine Linen Theatre – Rolla
Fine Linen Theatre intends to direct NAP contributions to purchase the property at 702 N Olive Street, stabilize the historical home on the property, and build additional rehearsal/workspace. This will allow the Theater to increase capacity for classes and community programming.
Foster Care Coalition of Greater St. Louis – St. Louis
The Foster Care Coalition of Greater St. Louis will use NAP credits to assist children impacted by foster care to become successful learners. Their Educational Advocates will create and implement plans tailored to the child's and family's needs by using the evidence-informed Wraparound model. They will provide services to students, parents, schools, and foster care case workers.
Friends of Hickory County Health Department – Hermitage
Friends of Hickory County Health Department will use NAP donations to renovate an open-air facility to provide space for additional community programs. Upon completion, the facility will house a year round farmers' market, exercise classes, agriculture, and health and nutrition classes.
Good Samaritan Boys Ranch – Brighton
Good Samaritan Boys Ranch will direct donations received as part of this NAP project to their SAY (Sexually Abused Youth) and Trauma Care programs, providing therapeutic treatment and education for youth who have been victims of abuse or neglect and/or have behavioral or emotional disorders. These programs provide intensive therapies in an effort to prevent crime, with the ultimate goal of healthy functioning and a transition to a less restrictive environment to become productive members of society.
Hillcrest Transitional Housing – Cameron
Hillcrest Ministries of MidAmerica will use donations received as part of this NAP project to provide transitional and rapid re-housing services to the homeless and those at risk of being homeless. Hillcrest's services will include case management, financial and employment counseling, housing location services, life skills assessments, and financial supports.
HOME WORKS! The Teacher Home Visit Program – St. Louis
HOME WORKS! will direct NAP contributions to train, support, and pay teachers in low-performing schools to visit the homes of their struggling students to get their parents and families engaged in their education. The goals are to improve student attendance, classroom behavior, and academic achievement to increase student success in school and life.
Hope Ranch of Missouri – Union
Hope Ranch will utilize NAP tax credits to fund the construction of a therapeutic school and family-style residences for children in foster care. Services will include supportive foster care, remedial education, intensive counseling, and opportunities for service learning.
Job Point – Columbia
Job Point will conduct renovations on their 11,460 sq. ft. facility including, but not limited to, new HVAC system, remodeled bathrooms, new energy efficient lighting fixtures, and fire suppression sprinklers. This will be used to provide occupational skills training to prepare participants for employment in the health care and construction industries. Soft skills training and job placement assistance will be provided for graduates.
Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission – Kansas City
The Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission provides a variety of services to support local law enforcement and other justice agencies to make greater Kansas City a safer place to live and work. Donations received as part of this NAP project will be directed to the organization's Second Chance offender reentry program and the Community Service program that facilitates court ordered community service hours for neighborhood cleanups and beautification.
Leonard Wood Institute – Fort Leonard Wood
Leonard Wood Institute will utilize NAP donations to fund ongoing policy analysis and fact finding services in an effort to improve and sustain the quality of life and business climate in the region and at Fort Leonard Wood.
Lily's House – Adrian
Lily's House will direct NAP donations to the acquisition of a facility currently used as long-term shelter for women and children who are undergoing financial crisis, battling addiction, or are experiencing abuse. They will conduct a complete renovation of the HVAC system and construct a community training facility adjacent to the current building.
Literacy Council of Macon County – Macon
Literacy Council of Macon County will utilize NAP credits to expand operations of their adult education, career and college prep programming. Ultimately, increasing the number of Missourians who have obtained their high school equivalency, enrolled in post-secondary education and increased their job skills and marketability.
MBCH Children & Family Ministries – Springfield
MBCH Children and Family Ministries (CFM) will utilize NAP funds to enhance recruiting, training, and maintenance services provided to foster, adoptive, and relative/kinship homes for children who have been or are in custom of the State. The project's goal is to provide safe, healing, and lasting homes for children and youth to improve their long-term outcomes.
Mission: St. Louis – St. Louis
Mission: St. Louis will direct NAP donations to the Beyond Jobs: Job & Leadership Training (JLT) program, serving low-income, minority men aged 22-35 years who have been/are involved in the criminal justice system. The program provides an intensive "Boot Camp" phase that includes internships, health and wellness classes, manhood groups and counseling, mentoring, and financial empowerment, and a second phase for case management, advanced job training or apprenticeships, and job placement.
Missouri Girls Town Foundation, Inc. – Kingdom City
Missouri Girls Town Foundation, Inc. will utilize NAP tax credits toward its residential treatment and aftercare services for girls who have been sexually/physical abused or severely neglected. The ultimate goal for each of their clients is that they successfully transition back into society to lead healthy and productive lives.
Our Little Haven – St. Louis
Donations received as part of this NAP project will be directed to Our Little Haven's intensive, full day Therapeutic Preschool program, serving children ages 3 to 5 years who have experienced abuse, neglect, and/or early trauma. The program provides: a strong pre-academic curriculum; a variety of mental health services; speech, occupational, and physical therapies; family supports; Individual Education Planning for the transition to kindergarten, and medical case management.
Second Harvest Community Food Bank – St. Joseph
Second Harvest Community Food Bank provides emergency food assistance to 15 Northwest Missouri counties, distributing more than 6.5 million pounds of food to hungry Missourians annually. Donations received as part of this NAP project will be utilized to assist Second Harvest in serving at-risk Missourians through its Backpack Buddies, Feeding Seniors, pantry programs, and SNAP enrollment.
St. Louis Children's Hospital – St. Louis
St. Louis Children's Hospital will utilize NAP donations to implement their Healthy Kids Express Dental Program for low-income children living in socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The dental program provides exams, cleanings, treatments and restorations, and education to children with limited access to health and dental care, to prevent chronic absences from school and poor academic performance due to tooth decay and oral diseases.
St. Louis Life – O’Fallon
Located in St. Charles, St. Louis Life is a community based residential program for young adults with developmental disabilities. Donations received as part of this NAP project will be directed to the agency's employment, recreational, and social and health services, with a goal of improving quality of life and involvement in the community for program participants.
St. Vincent Home for Children – St. Louis
St. Vincent Home for Children provides trauma-informed residential and home-based counseling services, free of charge, to at-risk youth. Donations received as part of this NAP project will be directed to the renovation of the second floor restrooms at its Florissant Road facility, making the second floor useable for additional programming and local Community Alternative and CASA programs.
The Farmer's House, Inc. – Weston
The Farmer's House, Inc. will utilize NAP donations to provide vocational, transitional and recreational skill development programs for youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This community integrated model will prepare individuals to become members of the regular workforce allowing them to maximize their independence and income earning potential.
The Gathering Tree dba Eden Village – Springfield
Eden Village is a gated community of tiny homes providing permanent supportive housing and support services to chronically disabled homeless individuals. Donations received as part of this NAP project will be directed to case management, referral services, and housing supports.
The Salvation Army – St. Louis
The Salvation Army will direct NAP donations to their Midtown Services and Treatment Center and the O'Fallon Center. The Midtown Services and Treatment Center will help clients achieve the following: stop using drugs, stay drug-free, and be productive in the family, at work, and in society. MSTC provides services to low income men and women age 18 and older seeking substance abuse treatment and who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. The O'Fallon center will provide homeless shelter and support services to single women and families.
Warren County Handicapped Services – Warrenton
Warren County Handicapped Services provides a variety of programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities, including adult day programming and recreational and respite programs. Donations received as part of this NAP project will be directed to the construction of a 5,000 square foot facility to expand WCHS's community-based services for Warren County residents.
West Central Missouri Community Action Agency – El Dorado Springs
West Central Missouri Community Action Agency will utilize NAP funds to provide educational and workforce developmental programming to help people become more self-sufficient and increase the number employed. Safe, affordable, child care will be available to parents while they receive services.