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Swift Foundation has money for Grand County nonprofits

Sky-Hi News staff report
Bessie, Ed and Harry visit Phil at College of Emporia

The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation is now accepting grant applications from certified tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations in Grand County.

Grants ranging from $500-$3,000 will be awarded to local nonprofits that promote literacy, reading and writing skills, and programs in the languages, sciences and interdisciplinary areas. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 15. Grant recipients will be announced May 1.

The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation awards these grants to organizations that implement or expand literacy programs for children who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading, and to develop reading and writing skills at all age levels. The foundation supports STEM and STEAM initiatives, and it occasionally programs for adults as well.



The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation was formed by the owners and founder of Swift Communications, the company that owns and operates the Sky-Hi News and http://www.SkyHiNews.com.

More than $600,000 in grants has been awarded since 2008. The foundation prefers to consider grants for programs instead of those strictly for the purchase of technology. The foundation also favors awarding grants to organizations that do not have access to large fundraising budgets and are local in nature.



Grants are made only to certified tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations. For more, go to http://www.BessieMinorSwift.org.

Bessie Minor Swift was mother of Philip Swift, the founder of Swift Communications. She was born in Onaga, Kansas, on June 29, 1887. She was raised in Kansas City, Missouri, and then moved to Blackburn, Missouri, where she taught school in a one-room schoolhouse.

Phil Swift recalled that the importance of education was reinforced throughout his upbringing not so much through statements or concrete expectations, but more through the example of his mother’s interest in English, reading, history and music. Phil Swift died in November 2019.

Nonprofit organizations in the area are encouraged to apply.


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