Casino grant application deadline is Friday

Friday, April 8, is the deadline to submit grant applications for the Hollywood Casino grants.

Each year, the Hollywood Casino in Wyandotte County makes a $500,000 contribution to the UG to be used for charitable purposes. The Unified Government Commission decides which organizations receive grants, and how much they will receive.

The commission has decided to fund programs that will help with long-term changes encouraging residents to eat healthy food and be physically active.

Organizations applying for the funding must submit a program or plan; must use the funding primarily in Wyandotte County; must be a 501 (c ) (3) organization; and clients and beneficiaries who are served must primarily be residents of Wyandotte County.

Public schools and local governments are not eligible for the grants. Also, grant funds will not be awarded for capital campaigns, endowment campaigns and annual fund drives; debt retirement or operating deficits; direct support to individuals, including scholarships; lobbying activities, legislation-related activities or political campaigns; activities that benefit the members of an athletic, veteran, fraternal, sectarian or religious group; and equipment expenses, unless the equipment would directly improve the organization’s ability to provide and deliver services, according to UG information.

Organizations also are encouraged to leverage additional funding, both private and public. The grant guidelines also encourage alignment with the UG Commission’s strategic plan. In addition, the guidelines encourage collaborative efforts, and efforts to minimize duplication. Grant proposals should have clearly established measurable outcomes and the ability to monitor and report them. In addition, programs should reach at-risk or underserved populations.

This year, $477,500 is available for grants, according to the UG. There is no restriction on minimum or maximum size grants. Organizations must complete their grant activities within one year, according to the UG.

Since 2013, $6 million has been awarded in casino grant funds, according to the UG.

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is handling the grant applications.

More information about the grants is available at https://www.wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us/Calendar-of-Events/2022-Hollywood-Casino-Fund-Info-Session.

To see a presentation from a UG special session on the casino grant fund, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4ODWkqZpyw&t=2s.

See more at https://grants.growyourgiving.org/prog/unified_government_hollywood_casino_fund/.