April News & Updates

The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi is dedicated to empowering generosity and creating meaningful change in our community. Through this newsletter, we aim to provide you—our valued partners and supporters—with insightful resources, updates, and opportunities to enhance your philanthropic journey. Your commitment to making a difference inspires us every day, and we are deeply grateful to be part of your charitable efforts. Thank you for allowing us to join you in advancing causes that matter.

PEOPLE WHO CARE

Maximize your Giving: Three Ways to Make a Meaningful Impact

After tax season, many families reflect on how they might improve their financial strategies—especially when it comes to charitable giving. The Community Foundation is here to help you build a personalized philanthropy plan that supports the causes you care about—starting with lifetime giving and growing to include future gifts through your estate, no matter your income level.

Here are three ways to give more meaningfully—with support from our team every step of the way:

Give to what you know. Supporting causes you’re personally familiar with brings a deeper sense of joy and understanding. Our team stays connected to local nonprofits and can help you assess how your gift will make a difference.
Give where you are. While global needs continue to grow, some of the most pressing challenges are right here at home. We can help you identify trusted local organizations that are addressing real community needs—ensuring your gift has a tangible impact.
Give to what you love. When you align your giving with your passions, you’re more likely to keep giving—and feel great about it. Let us help you turn your community dreams into lasting change through the power of philanthropy.

Contact Stacye Trout

Donor Spotlight: Maddox Foundation commits $30 million to build the Dan Maddox YMCA Hernando!

We’re proud to support a transformational project coming to DeSoto County—the new Dan Maddox YMCA in Hernando!

To date, the Maddox Foundation has invested $6M directly into the project, with an additional $2M contributed through the Maddox Foundation's donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi. The Maddox Foundation has committed a historic $30M to bring this vision fully to life.

As a partner in this exciting initiative, CFNM is honored to help connect generous donors with impactful projects that strengthen our communities for generations to come. This transformative facility will be a hub for health, wellness, and community connection for all ages. We’re proud to help facilitate philanthropic partnerships that create lasting impact across our region.

Did you know you can enroll in Kroger rewards that benefit the Community Foundation?

KROGER REWARDS PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS

THANK YOU DONORS!

Thank you to McCormick & Company for their generous donation of spices that will be used in the Healthy Hub Initiative Food Pantry Cohort. Thanks to you, our food pantries will be able to offer spices alongside the healthy food options being integrated into their client choice projects focused on healthy options.

CAUSES THAT MATTER

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

"Teal and Denim Day"

Join us for Teal and Denim Day on April 30th!

The color teal, symbolizes awareness and prevention of sexual violence, promoting support for survivors. Teal is also associated with trust, calmness, and healing, further contributing to its symbolic meaning.

Wearing denim on Denim Day is a way to show solidarity with survivors of sexual violence and to reject the notion that they are somehow responsible for the assault.

Learn more

Browsing Funds at the Community Foundation

Using our online fund catalog makes finding gift opportunities easy! You can browse by category to find causes that align with your personal charitable goals or use the search bar to look up a specific cause you are interested in supporting. If there's not a fund for a cause that matters to you, call us to find out how to set one up!

GoDonate: Fund Catalog

Emergency Relief Fund of Northwest Mississippi

Of our eleven-county service region in Northwest Mississippi, at least eight were affected by the tornadoes that tore through the Mid-South over the past month. This fund is dedicated to our 11-county service region to assist with both immediate needs and long-term recovery post disasters like tornadoes, floods, and more.

Donate to the fund

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Competitive Grants & Scholarships

Our competitive grant applications open on July 1st! Stay tuned for more information coming soon.

PAST GRANTEES: please send us your photos and grant reports to be featured in upcoming publications.

For questions about grants, email grants@cfnm.org.

For questions about scholarships, email scholarships@cfnm.org.

Upload to Dropbox

2025 Competitive Grant Programs

The Community Foundation offers four competitive grant programs stemming from our key endowment funds and focuses.

(1) The Future of Northwest Mississippi

Funds initiatives such as Community health and wellness, active living, sustainable food systems, education, oral health for children
Example: YMCA's Jr. Streetkings

(2) Early Childhood Education

Funds early childhood education programs working with parents and children birth through 5 years of age
Example: Excel by 5's Dolly Parton Imagination Library

(3) Technology in Education

Fund summer technology camps and workshops, support programs using Ever-Fi educational tools, and promote early childhood learning through technology-based programs.
Example: Isaac Chapel Rosenwald's purchase of 3D printer for their STEM Programs

(4) Place-based Education & Civic Engagement

Utilize local resources and environments as teaching tools and classrooms, encourage students to explore their heritage and talents to pursue community-enriching careers, and deepen students’ understanding of their local environment.
Example: Delta State University's Wiley Planetarium

Grants Portal

GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT: Calvary Episcopal Church Reading at the Park (RAP) Program

Calvary Episcopal Church took their program "Reading at the Park" indoors for the winter but are eager to bring students to town parks this spring and summer! The program involves volunteers reading books to Kindergarten classes across Bolivar County. Volunteers make two visits per month, visiting two classrooms each time. After reading a book to the class, they do a craft with the children. The Community Foundation is proud to support programs like this one, promoting literacy in early childhood education!

Support the HUB

Partner with us!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Thanks to continued Molina Healthcare Funding, the Community Foundation, Maddox Nonprofit & Volunteer Resource Hub, Delta Directions, and MSU Extension Services are partnering with Extra Table to host two meal packing events that will benefit our food pantries and service counties. The first will be held in Clarksdale and the second will be held in Hernando. See the flyer for more information or email volunteer@cfnm.org.

Click here to register for one of the events!

Support the Box Project

Sponsor a Family

Learn more

For more than 60 years in the Mississippi Delta!!

This month, the Box Project is helping raise money for a recipient in need! Destiny is a senior in Tunica, Mississippi, and has been saving money to help her single mother who has a chronic illness pay for her high school graduation package.

Destiny has received offers to run track in the 400M & 4x100M relay at several local colleges, including the University of Southern Mississippi, Coahoma Community College and a full scholarship to Northwest Mississippi Community College. This year, she placed 2nd in both the 400M individual race and 4x100M relay race at the State Track Tournament in Jackson, Mississippi. She was also awarded Most Valuable Player and Most Improved Player.

Destiny will graduate on May 25th. If you'd like to contribute to help Destiny purchase her graduation package which includes her cap and gown and senior ring, click the link below. Make sure to add "designated purpose: Destiny's graduation package."