Creativity By Kids Small Grant Program awards six Kenosha area organizations

The Kenosha Community Foundation is pleased to announce that it awarded $5,000 in 2023 Creativity By Kids Small Grants to the following local organizations:

• $1,000 to the Pringle Nature Center Inc. to help build additional features in the Bristol Woods Nature Playground that will increase accessibility and promote creative play; this includes a sensory garden that will use native plants and raised beds accessible to wheelchair users to engage families and provide opportunities for environmental education.
• $1,000 to the Kenosha YMCA to build new and maintain existing garden/flower boxes at the Y used for lessons about gardening.
• $1,000 to Lemon Street Gallery and ArtSpace to support a summer Plein Air Painting Program (2023) for children 7-12 years old.
• $1,000 to the Bong Naturalist Association to present “Spiritual Currents,” a unique musical experience, and to add family-centric natural magnifying-play stations to a new, BNA/privately-funded playground at the Richard Bong State Recreation Area in Western Kenosha County.
• $500 to Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum to support “It’s Maple Sugarin’ Time!” field trips and Adult and Family programs.
• $500 to Kenosha Community Media to support teen community media workshops to take place in the summer at KCM’s Hub location in the Kenosha Southwest Library; topics to include script writing, equipment instruction, video production, audio production, and the use of editing software.

The Foundation’s Board of Directors approved the awards which were recommended by a review committee made up of community volunteers. The review committee selected to support these six programs out of the 14 proposals received via the CBK Grant Program’s on-line application process.

Note that the $5,000 in 2023 grant awards was derived from a Giving Circle made up of two sources:

• $4,500 — from income earned by two endowment funds managed by the Foundation — the Clark-Barber Family Fund (established by Kenosha residents Tom and Ruth Barber Clark), and the Kubasiewicz Family Trust (established by Salem Lakes resident Tom Targos)
• $500 — donations received from community members specifically for CBK grants

“The Foundation’s Board and review committee are excited to support so many interactive and innovative programs, most of which combine the arts and cultural endeavors taking place outdoors,” KCF executive direcotr Amy Greil said. “What better way to welcome our broader community to Spring 2023!?”

About the CBK Small Grant Program

The CBK Small Grant program was created in 2019 by the donors of the Clark-Barber Family Fund and Kubasiewicz Family Trust endowments. The purpose of the CBK Small Grant program is to provide funds “to groups offering programs in the arts or the understanding of our natural world,” and “emphasize cross-cultural and multi-generational programs in both areas, whenever possible.” 

Since 2020, the Foundation has awarded $17,500 in CBK Small Grants that have supported 20 programs in the arts, culture, nature, and the environment implemented by Kenosha County not-for-profit organizations, government agencies, and educational institutions. These organizations have used the grant award to support an existing program or to help start a new program / initiative.