LCF grants $37K to local non-profits

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The Lyons Community Foundation (LCF) is thrilled to announce the 2021 Community Support Grant Awards.  Each fall, Lyons-area nonprofit organizations apply for grants that will support the work they plan to do in the year to come.  As a community foundation, LCF’s work consists of raising money to support a diverse range of projects and populations in the greater Lyons area.  By offering a centralized source for fundraising, nonprofits can focus on their projects. The grant review committee, a nominated group of area citizens, meets to analyze grant applications and award those whose intent aligns with LCF’s mission to improve the quality of life, build a culture of giving and encourage positive change in the greater Lyons area.

Since LCF’s inception in 2008, over half a million dollars has been raised to support local initiatives that either build Community Connectivity, provide Human Services, Invest in our Youth or showcase Local Ecology. This year, the LCF Advisory Board approved more than $37,000 in grants to 15 separate projects representing these four different focus areas. If you would like to learn more about these projects, please follow Lyons Community Foundation on Facebook as we will be posting weekly videos to better explain how the following nonprofits plan to use their grant money to help support our community. The following is a brief description of the projects awarded this year.
The Lyons Community Foundation has invested in Human Services since 2008. Even before the creation of the Lyons Emergency & Assistance Fund (LEAF) in 2014, LCF supported the food pantry and the Basic Needs and Emergency Fund when they were ministries of the Lyons Community Church. For the third year in a row, LEAF is the biggest recipient of grant funding with a total of $17,050 awarded for all five of their programs: Lyons Community Food Pantry, Basic Needs and Resource Matching, Meals on Wheels, Mental Wellness & Addiction Recovery and Lyons Volunteers. 

As a community foundation, LCF has sought to connect the community in more ways than one. Since 2013, LCF has funded many popular programs that the town of Lyons organizes yearly such as the Parade of Lights and the Sandstone Concert Series. Next year, the Town of Lyons will be adding back the Winter Wonderland Series, which takes place in January/February in Lavern Johnson Park. You will be able to see LCF board members selling hot chocolate and baked goods at the concession stand. Thanks to the Community Foundation of Boulder County, LCF was also able to secure a grant for senior programming, which the town will manage. As for Parks and Recreation, LCF has awarded a grant to the Lights Out Lyons Night initiative which was so successful this past summer. In total, the LCF has awarded over $15,000 to the town of Lyons to keep our community connected in 2022.

The Lyons Arts and Humanities Commission (LAHC) has been a Community Grant recipient since 2009. In all, LCF has awarded $42,400 to support public art in the streets of Lyons. The Creative Outlets program began in 2019 when the LAHC launched Lyons’ first utility box-painting program  To date, the LAHC has completed three utility boxes through this program. Next year, they hope to paint three more utility boxes. For each box, commissioned artists receive a $1,000 stipend for their work and supplies. What a great way to bring beauty to unexpected places, by adding color and interesting designs to utility boxes throughout town. The heARTS Outdoor Art program began in 2017. Leased pieces are on a two-year display period schedule and include a $750 honorarium for artists. Residents and tourists can tour all 24 sculptures set up around Lyons by downloading the Clio App at https://theclio.com/tour/1091.

 The Lyons Community Foundation is excited to support a newly formed non-profit organization in Lyons, the Lyons Community Farm Project by granting $3,500 for the new Lyons Food Forest (LFF). The LFF will not only provide fresh, organic food for the local community, with a focus on providing for the most vulnerable through donations to LEAF, but will also serve as a living, edible classroom to inspire, educate, and connect the community. This food forest will include a meeting area and kids area, abound with fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, and annual food crops. It is located on a leased buyout property on 5th avenue. In addition, LCF has awarded the TOL’s Ecology Advisory Board $750 for the “Colorado Noxious Weed Identification Book Giveaway”. Books will be available at the library and at local ecological events. In total, LCF is dedicating $4,250 to support local ecology next year.

Finally, LCF has awarded a grant to the Lyons High School After Prom program (for the fifth year in a row) in order to support a safe, sober, supervised activity for high school students. 
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Grant applications received totaled $57,761. While LCF would like to provide funding for many more projects and scholarships, increased investment by local individuals is necessary. We are asking all residents to consider LCF in their year-end giving by making an online donation to the foundation at www.lyonscf.org. If you prefer to send a check, please watch for our annual appeal holiday card that should arrive in your mailbox the week before Thanksgiving break.​

LCF Advisory board members were happy to participate in the 2019 Holiday Parade of Lights.