Barton County Community Foundation: 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

The Barton County Community Foundation was started with an idea in mind in 2014 for the future of Barton County. This idea was shared by several philanthropic members of our community with the goal in mind to find a way to help our shared rural communities thrive for years to come.
In 2015, after months of organizing, searching for supporting organizations, and fundraising, The Barton County Community Foundation was established as an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, a leader in philanthropic services, based in downtown Springfield, MO. We are now one of 55 regional affiliates of The Community Foundation of the Ozarks, spanning all across Missouri in both rural and urban communities. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in Barton County through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration, and public leadership.

Through our partnership with the CFO, we can provide systems, training, and leadership support for non-profits or groups seeking to create a non-profit through their Agency Partner and Fiscal Sponsorship Programs.
Through the Rural Schools Partnership program, the Youth Empowerment Project, and the Ozark Teachers Corp, the CFO offers more support and access to educational grants we wouldn't otherwise qualify for, and it connects us to a network of rural schools, teachers, and young leaders who are guiding the way with engaging our youth and empowering them with tools to solve the new challenges we all face in the modern world.

Being affiliated with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks also gives us an opportunity to provide support and solutions to assist the many donors in our county, in many ways. Whether you are a one-time annual giver, you want to start a giving circle, scholarship fund, donor-advised fund, a benevolence fund, or even become part of our legacy society by leaving a bequest-- we are here to help you achieve your philanthropic goals and to help you stay organized and invested soundly.

We are fortunate to have had many volunteers lead and serve on our Board of Directors over the years and this year is no different. We also recognize how fortunate we are to have many generous donors in our county that show up in their communities every day with their time, treasure, and talent to address the unique challenges that our rural communities face.

Every year, we host an annual grant round, where we invite any and all Barton County non-profit organizations to share the work they are doing or plan to do and apply for our grant round that is awarded at our Annual Night of Philanthropy in the fall.
Some of our funder partners and affiliated local foundations have also chosen to participate in giving during our grant round which only maximizes our collective impact and further spreads the message of generosity and growth in Barton County.

Last year we were able to give seven grants to the following local groups, totaling in $20,000 given back to our community!

Liberal R-II School District - FFA Community Garden - $3,950
Golden City R-III School District - Classroom Speaker Safety Upgrades - $4,000
Lamar R-1 School District (LCTC) - Skills USA Training/Competition Budget - $4,000
Lamar R-1 School District - Reading for Success - $2,880
Liberal Area Civic Group - South Park Pavilion - $1,050
Barton County Health Department - Diaper Bank - $1,120
Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks - Providing Help and Hope for Barton County Breast Cancer Patients & their Families - $3,000

Since our first grant round began, our individual foundation has been able to give over $53,000 in grants.

By partnering with a few of our amazing funder partners and affiliated local foundations, we have been able to assist with making an even larger impact through even more grants and scholarships given back to our local community since 2015.

Every year, we also host a community gala fundraiser where we raise money to add to the amount we can grant out at during our grant round.
Our events committee has been organizing, planning and even taste testing food from our vendors to make sure you have the best experience possible this year!

We hope you'll join us for our Havana Nights Gala this summer---a magical night of Latin inspired food and theme, live music and open dance floor with JOMO Jazz and DJ Oso, signature cocktails, specialty wine and a cash bar.
We will have a traditional live and silent auction, a bottle toss game, dinnertime entertainment, and a festive photo booth to capture the night!
Bring a group or bring a date and kickoff the summer of 2025 raising money for a good cause in Barton County!

Where: Memorial Hall in Lamar MO
When: June 21st 6-9PM

We are lucky to have a very supportive business community that provides continued support to The Barton County Community Foundation year round and we want to start by thanking them here.
Without our volunteers, sponsors, and donors, we couldn't do what we do in our communities everyday! Thank you!!

2025 Sponsors

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Diamond:

Havana Nights Gala

By Barton County Community Foundation

Havana Nights Gala

Barton County Community Foundation 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY