Grantmaking Strategy

Funding Initiatives

The Springfield Foundation serves the entire Clark County community through its support in six focus areas: Arts & Culture; Community Development; Education; Environment & Conservation; Heath; and Human Services. 

The Foundation Board has established goals and objectives for these six areas that address current community issues. To drive positive community change through smart, effective grantmaking, we continue to refine our focus and set priorities for the grants we make. To learn more, read below!

Having opportunities available for individuals to experience art and culture on a personal basis are critical to having a community with strong cultural vitality. 

INCREASE THE NUMBER AND QUALITY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS TO GROW AND SHARE THEIR WORK

• Increase access to professional development opportunities for artists across different disciplines (e.g., music, dance, theater, and visual arts). 
• Increase the number of platforms available for artists to showcase their work to the public. 
• Increase the number of opportunities for artists to create, install, and maintain public art in community spaces. 

INCREASE THE DIVERSITY AND ATTENDANCE LEVELS OF AUDIENCES ATTENDING ARTS AND CULTURE EVENTS 

• Programs are available that attract and welcome diverse audiences. 
• Programs are available that increase audience attendance to arts and culture events. 

INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES TO LEARN AND PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTS 

• Programs are available that support school-based, after-school, or summer arts education and activities for youths. 
• Programs are available that allow individuals of all abilities and backgrounds to create and experience art. 
• Individuals will have opportunities to engage with artists. 

Community Development includes initiatives that strengthen neighborhoods, promote safety and prevent violence, and promote civic engagement.  

IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS AND REDUCE HOUSING INSECURITY ACROSS CLARK COUNTY 

• Promote pathways to homeownership and sustainable long-term housing through education, resources, and support services. 
• Invest in critical home repairs for low-income homeowners, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities to improve safety, accessibility, and stability, alongside rehabilitating deteriorated homes and removing or repurposing blighted properties to strengthen neighborhoods and protect housing assets. 
• Support housing initiatives and coordinated systems that quickly connect individuals and families experiencing homelessness to housing and wraparound services. 

INVEST IN COMMUNITY SAFETY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION SOLUTIONS 

• Invest in community-led strategies to prevent violence, including youth development, conflict mediation, and neighborhood-based outreach. 

INCREASE COMMUNITY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO STRENGTHEN NEIGHBORHOODS 

• Support civic engagement and participation that build stronger communities and cultivate local leaders. 

To increase the number of people receiving a quality education that lays the groundwork for a successful life.  

INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE READY TO BEGIN KINDERGARTEN 

• Increase enrollment in quality early childhood educational programs such as preschool.

PROMOTE CONSISTENT FAMILY INVOLVEMENT AND ACCESS TO ENRICHING, ADULT-SUPPORTED LEARNING EXPERIENCES FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL 

• Expand family education and co-learning opportunities. 
• Increase participation in school-based engagement such as parent-teacher conferences and extended learning programs. 

INCREASE THE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS FOR CLARK COUNTY RESIDENTS 

• Increase the number of students participating in post-secondary preparation programs. 
• Increase the number of Clark County residents who participate in workforce development programs, adult education, or credentialing programs. 

Protecting our natural environment makes communities safer, healthier, more prosperous, and more welcoming. 

INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVITIES THAT FOSTER APPRECIATION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT 

• Increase the number of citizens participating in activities that foster an appreciation of our environment. 

EXPAND ACCESS TO GREEN AND OPEN SPACES 

• Increase opportunities for all residents to access and actively engage with public green spaces such as parks, trails, and community gardens. 

To increase the quality, availability, and effectiveness of educational and community-based programs designed to prevent disease, improve health, and enhance quality of life for Clark County residents especially the county’s higher risk populations. 

PROMOTE REPRODUCTIVE AND PRENATAL HEALTH BY REDUCING ADVERSE BIRTH OUTCOMES, PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS (STIS), AND PROVIDING FAMILIES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT NEEDED FOR HEALTHY PREGNANCIES 

• Increase outreach and information, taking into consideration Clark County populations who may be at higher risk or more vulnerable to disparate health outcomes. 
• Increase access to and awareness of reproductive health services, including maternal education, the use of a reproductive life plan, and prenatal care. 
• Decrease the state reported rate of Clark County individuals testing positive for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 

IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF CLARK COUNTY RESIDENTS BY EQUIPPING INDIVIDUALS WITH THE SKILLS AND SERVICES NEEDED TO BUILD RESILIENCE AND EFFECTIVELY MANAGE CHALLENGING SITUATIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS 

• Increase outreach, information, and early prevention efforts—taking into consideration Clark County populations who may be at higher risk or more vulnerable to disparate health outcomes. 
• Promote a shared understanding and consistent use of trauma-informed practices across sectors in Clark County to help prevent re-traumatization, support resilience, and create safe, healing environments. 
• Equip Clark County residents with essential life skills—such as coping, communication, and resilience—to strengthen protective factors and reduce risks related to depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance abuse. 

IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES IN CLARK COUNTY 

• Increase Outreach and information, taking into consideration Clark County populations who may be at higher risk or more vulnerable to disparate health outcomes. 
• Strengthen chronic disease management through coordinated care, medication access, and supportive services. 

ENSURE ALL RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE BASIC HEALTH SERVICES AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO SUPPORT EVERYDAY WELLNESS AND PREVENTION 

• Expand access to personal hygiene products, oral care supplies, and other daily health necessities for underserved populations. 
• Increase outreach and availability of low-barrier health services, including primary, dental, vaccinations, and other preventive screenings. 

The overarching goal of the Foundation in the area of Human Services is to help Clark County citizens stabilize their lives and find self-sufficiency thus improving their overall quality of life. 

HELP FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS BECOME STABLE AND FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT 

• Assist families and individuals in meeting emergency needs to stabilize a crisis, and for which no other or inadequate funding sources are available. Examples: emergency assistance with food, clothing, household materials, utility assistance, and crisis intervention or refuge in abuse cases. 
• Provide services that prevent or intervene in cases of family breakdown, violence or poverty. 
• Assist families and individuals in removing barriers to obtaining and maintaining economic self-sufficiency. Examples: childcare, transportation, rehabilitation programs, and support services that promote recovery and reentry. 
• Assist individuals with physical or developmental disabilities in maintaining an independent or semi-independent lifestyle. 

PROMOTE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR ALL PEOPLE 

• Provide youth, especially those most at risk, with the skills, knowledge, and a variety of other personal and social assets to function well during adolescence and adulthood. 
• Foster good relationships between youth, especially minority youth, and law enforcement. 
• Provide senior citizens, especially those most at risk, with the opportunity to continue contributing to society while having the best quality of life.