Grant County Gives Celebrates 2022 'All-Time High' Results

"We are Celebrating!!!", stated a representative of Grant County Gives in a recent press release. "Celebrating the all-time high total of $168,338.11 for this year’s Grant County Gives, celebrating that in 11 years of Grant County Gives, an astonishing $1,121,872.92 has been given from this community to local non-profits, and, we are celebrating Community — this community that has supported Grant County Gives and the 32 non-profits that participate. That is a big number by almost any standard, and we are humbled to be part of it!"

The spokesperson for the organization said they wanted to "thank everyone who donated, everyone who held or supported an event, everyone who helped spread the word about Grant County Gives, and just everyone who helped in any way. We are profoundly grateful to this generous and supportive community."

There was an exciting energy to Grant County Gives this year as new events were added and the non-profits held a vast array of fundraisers for their own benefit, according to the spokesperson.

The kick-off event at Bear Creek "set the tone for our whole week with not only their delicious bar-b-que meal, but also several of the non-profits set up displays around the perimeter of the events center at Bear Creek with information about their organizations and what they are doing with the Grant County Gives money", the spokesperson said in the release.

Organizers of the Grant County Gives believe the key to the success of the Grant County Gives campaign each year is the match fund. Local business people and the community foundation provide the match fund and this year the match fund topped out at $46,350!

"This is the highest match fund ever," the spokesperson noted in the release. "We cannot thank these businesses enough. Their donations come in first and they set the tone and provide the foundation for the rest of the campaign."

Did you know?

•Each organization that participates signs an agreement to use the money they receive from Grant County Gives in Grant County. So, dollars donated will also help the local economy as they are spent.

•Every dollar of money donated through Grant County Gives is paid through to the 32 organizations participating in Grant County Gives. How can that be done? The community foundation donates all of the administrative costs, labor, and some advertising to assure all donations go where the donors direct. The only exception is for online donations, PayPal extracts a small percentage for handling the online payment.

•Participating organizations are encouraged to raise money for their own benefit and many of them work hard to do that.

•All of the money from the Grant County Gives events (Bear Creek Coffee, Kingpin Bowling, The Main Artery, and Ulysses Ace Hardware) is equally split between all 32 organizations.

•Each donor chooses how his or her donations are directed. Some donors give to several organizations and some choose only one.

•Matching fund dollars follow the donations. This year the match was 37.99 percent.

•All organizations received donations and matching funds.

In addition to Grant County Gives, Grant County Community Foundation also makes grants and gives scholarships throughout the year to local non-profits. In the 11 years, those grants plus 11 Grant County Gives campaigns have produced a total of $1,743,233.62 given by the people of Grant County and given back to the people of Grant County through the GCCF.

Organizers say, "We've celebrated that too!"

Checks and accountings were distributed to participating organizations at the Chamber Coffee hosted by Bear Creek Coffee November 18. "Nothing like giving away $168,338.11 to stir up some interest and celebrate with the community," the spokesperson remarked.

"We feel blessed to live in this community where the sense of neighborhood still exists and people reach out a helping hand to others. Grant County Gives is a sterling example of that neighborhood spirit, but it is only one of the many things this generous community supports. In a time when there is so much disagreement and complaint in our world, we are especially thankful to live in this small rural town where civility is still practiced and people still support the non-profits in our community that enrich our life," they added.

Local businesses who received funds and the amount of those funds from Grant County Gives:

American GI Forum Education Fund, $7,955.80

Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, $7,590.31

Career & Technical Scholarship Fund, $3,673.80

Compass Behavioral Health, $2,477.39

DuGood Events Inc., $3,815.93

Friends of the Grant County Library, $3,480.61

Furever Friends, $16,278.27

GC Ambulance Service, $228.07

GC Extension Council, $759.36

GC Health Department, $1,552.84

GC Historical Society, $4,271.35

GC Recreation, $1,594.23

GC Scholarship Foundation Fund, $26,497.94

GC Senior Center, $5,189.02

GCCF Grant County Fund, $164.66

GCCF Operating Fund, $28,871.81

Genesis Family Health, $780.06

Ginger’s Hope, $4,302.11

High Program, Inc., $504.08

Impact Ulysses, Inc., $2,155.56

Kansas Children’s Service League, $1,532.88

LARC DVS, $504.08

Loaves and Fishes, $10,804.76

Restored By Grace, $10,528.08

Southwest Health Transport, Inc., $1,984.78

Substance Abuse Treatment, $2,850.01

Ulysses Animal Shelter received $1,953.02

Ulysses Boy Scouts, $6,236.40

Ulysses Girl Scouts, $1,042.25

Ulysses Stampede, $159.08

USD #214 Teacher Recruitment Fund, $448.87

USD #214 Educational Fund, $159.07

Women of Purpose, $5,302.13

Women of Purpose Demand Fund, $2,689.51