Sandy Springs Awards Grants To 12 Nonprofit Organizations

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The Sandy Springs City Council on Tuesday approved distributing funds from the city’s nonprofit grant program to assist local civic groups for the coming year.

Twelve nonprofit organizations will receive this financial boost as part of the city’s Serving Sandy Springs program, which was established to provide a consistent response from the city to requests for financial and non-financial resources on behalf of non-profit organizations.

“Serving Sandy Springs program provides not only a consistent platform for the city to evaluate sponsorship, it also eliminates the uncertainty with ad hoc decisions, enabling civic groups to plan in advance funding and sponsorship available through the city,” said Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul.

Organizations receiving funding are:

• Act 3 Productions, Inc. ($7,470) – to support the production of four stage-plays for their 2015-2016 season. Act 3 is a local nonprofit, supplying locally produced stage plays to Sandy Springs residents and visitors. Act 3 Productions has strategically integrated itself into the fabric of the local culture by coordinating efforts with other for-profit and nonprofit organizations such as: area restaurants, Mary Hall Freedom House, Lake Forest Elementary School, Leadership Sandy Springs, and Art Sandy Springs. The requested funds will support productions with program contracted professional services, including orchestra members, directors, construction managers, and costume designers.
• Am Yisrael Chai ($4,000) - This nonprofit Holocaust Education and Awareness organization, requested funding to host a Holocaust remembrance event on January 24, 2016, themed Courage and Compassion: A Lucky Child Survives Auschwitz, featuring Thomas Buergenthal. Am Yisrael Chai anticipates the event to draw 600-900 attendees with the awarded funds to cover the cost for the accompanying Auschwitz exhibit, venue/security fees, program supplies, photography and videography professional services.
• Friends of Benson ($1,711) – Funding requested will provide swim equipment and swim instructor professional services. Annually, the Benson Center provides adult daycare, therapeutic, social, developmental and recreational activities and services to more than 1,500 Sandy Springs citizens aged 55 and older.
• Friends of North Springs ($4,000) – The request for funding supports the Spartan Plaza Enhancement Project at North Springs Charter High School. The $67,225 enhancement project began in February 2015, and is planned to be completed in the Spring of 2016. Enhancement additions and activities include a bio-retention pond, re-sodding and landscaping of school’s greenspace. North Springs Charter High School is a math/science and visual/performing arts magnet school, home to more than 1,700 students.
• Keep North Fulton Beautiful ($3,073) – Funds requested will assist Keep North Fulton Beautiful with purchasing a solar parking lot light, to be installed in the front parking lot at the Recycling Center. Bulbs are energy-efficient LED lights, and the system will be “dark-sky certified” to help reduce light pollution.
• LaAmistad, Inc. ($4,500) – LaAmistad, Inc. facilitates English-language classes to anyone who has no or limited proficiency in English. Using the “English for Successful Living” curriculum, LaAmistad has serviced hundreds of Sandy Springs learners over the past decade. Classes are currently facilitated at Holy Innocence Episcopal Church. The application requested will be used to provide for the cost of teacher lesson plans, workbooks and supplies.
• Mary Hall Freedom House ($5,000) – Mary Hall Freedom House provides housing, food, clothing, childcare, employment, training and mental health treatment services to women recovering from substance abuse. The funding requested will support its WorkNOW initiative, providing job readiness training, computer literacy, GED preparation and employment assistance to 400 Sandy Springs women.
• Sandy Springs Education Force ($4,500) – The request for funding supports to support the After School All Star Program for economically disadvantaged students. Approximately 175 students are enrolled annually.
• Sandy Springs Society ($2,500) - Sandy Springs Society is a charitable organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Sandy Springs by supporting area nonprofit organizations. The application requested funding support staging of its annual Tossed Out Treasure event, where gently used, quality goods are sold for discount prices.
• Sandy Springs Tennis Association ($3,208) – The Sandy Springs Tennis Association operates an afterschool the Kidsluvtennis program for kids in grades 1- 5 in five local elementary schools (Ison Springs, Woodland, Spalding Drive, Lake Forest and High Point). The funding will support facility rental fees, t-shirts for program participants, and supplies.
• Friends of Lost Corner ($5,038) – The Friends of Lost Corner non-profit organization supports Lost Corner Preserves in Sandy Springs by administering programs and initiating funding raising efforts on behalf of Lost Corner. This funding will be used to renovate the existing pole shed, which will later be used for classroom activities. Renovations will include fresh paint, signage and the addition of tables and seating.
• The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy ($5,000) – The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy provides intervention and support services to children who are victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse, or who have witnessed violence. GCCA has requested funding to support Stewards of Children sexual abuse prevention efforts for 300 Sandy Springs community members.

Sandy Springs allocates $50,000 per fiscal year to be used towards the program. Applications for funding requests were due in July, with 15 requests totaling $118,000 submitted for consideration. A city staff panel, following criteria adopted by the Mayor and City Council, evaluated applicants. Among the considerations were:

• Does the request carry out a public purpose?
• Does the request further a city-adopted priority?
• Is there a strong need in the city for this organization’s programs/services?
• How many city residents are/will do the program serve?
• Are the goals or outcomes and plan for the resources clearly defined and quantifiable? Do they match the mission of the organization?
• Is the proposed project achievable within the fiscal year?
• Is the nonprofit organization accessing all available resources?

In approving the grants, the City Council allocated a total of $50,000 of the available budget of $50,000 for the program.

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