LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Greater Clark Foundation, which supports Kentucky's Greater Clark region, is awarding more than $170,000 to nine organizations. Grantees will use the money toward projects to build trust and belonging in their communities.

What You Need To Know

  • The Greater Clark Foundation has launched its "Building Trust and Belonging" program

  • Nine organizations split more than $170,000 to use toward projects that build trust and belonging in their communities 

  • The Clark County Equity Coalition and the Art of the Rural's "Rural-Urban Exchange" program are among some groups receiving a grant

  • It will last about nine months  

This is the foundation’s first time launching its “Building Trust and Belonging” program.

The Clark County Equity Coalition is among one of the nine organizations receiving a grant. It will receive about $20,000 to pilot an initiative called “Courageous Conversations," in which there will be monthly meetings to give students, parents, teachers and administrators a chance to have discussions.

"The goal is to ensure that our students, our parents, our teachers, our administrators are heard, and they feel seen," said Vache King of the Clark County Equity Coalition.

The Art of the Rural’s “Rural-Urban Exchange” program is another grantee that will use the money to work with institutional leaders.

“To see a local and regional grantmaker really focus on building these relationships within the community and to build these leadership and bridging capacities is just amazing and really exciting,” said Savannah Barrett, exchange director of the Art of the Rural.

Jen Algire, the Greater Clark Foundation's CEO, said the foundation chose grantees focused on building social connections in their communities and working toward giving people a sense of empowerment.

The program will take place over nine months, and the leaders of the organizations will form a cohort to work with one another. 

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