(OSCEOLA, IA-  September 30,2022)

As 2022 winds down, the Clarke County Development Corporation would like to invite you to a very special event. They want to celebrate the successes of all Clarke County’s non-profit organizations and the work they have done in 2022. CCDC also wants to look forward into 2023 to see what we might be able to accomplish together.

CCDC would like each community organization to give a three-minute presentation to all the other organizations in attendance. Tell about your greatest success this year and your top three priorities for next year. All attendees will be able to learn more about how we can cooperate on these priorities and goals. Are there projects that might overlap? Are there projects that would be even more successful if several organizations could work together? You might think of the event as a “community workshop.”

They are excited to announce a new element to the event this year:

The opportunity for a non-profit to receive $5,000.

This year they will be holding a drawing for a donation of $5000 provided by CCDC. The CCDC has offered to donate $5000 to one lucky 501(c)(3) giving a presentation at the forum. A ticket will be given to each participant that has a 501 (c)(3) non-profit designation. At the end of the event, one ticket will be drawn out of the hat and that designated non-profit will receive a $5000 donation! Elizabeth Simpson, CCDC Program Manager states,

“CCDC is excited to give a local 501(c)(3) the opportunity to receive $5000. They all work so hard for our community, this is a great way to show them we support their efforts” .

CCDC is interested to know what the plans are for our community non-profits. As it specifically relates to the CCDC Pillars grant program, we are interested in knowing what grants we might expect to see in 2023. There is always a limit on available funding, so we hope that by all organizations learning more about each other, we can make the best use of the grant dollars throughout the community. Specifically, for example, one grant that benefits two organizations is a more efficient use of funds than two separate grants for similar purposes. However, participation in this event will not insure approval of any grant in 2023. Neither will lack of participation have a negative impact on a grant application. All grants will still have to meet all of the grant guidelines at the time of application. The goal of this event is simply the sharing of information.

The Details:

– Monday, November 7, 3:00 PM
– Osceola Lyric Theatre
– Each organization will present a three-minute overview of your 2022 success and plans for 2023. These MUST be limited to 3 minutes in order to finish at a reasonable time.

CCDC will have a moderator that will keep the event on time. It is important that you RSVP by October 21st with:

– The name of people from your organization that will be presenting
– Your top 3 priorities for 2022 in writing  by either email or manually (no more than 150 words per priority)

Your information will be included in the Non-profit Forum Handbook given to all participants that evening. Due to time constraints, no other handouts or electronic presentations will be allowed. Without an RSVP by the deadline, CCDC may not be able to include your group in the 2023 Community Development Handbook.

Finally, CCDC wants to “Thank you” for all your efforts to make our community a better place. They look forward to seeing you on November 7th. CCDC’s goal is that you believe this was time well-spent and worthy of making an annual event. They also are excited about the opportunity for one of our non-profits to walk away with $5,000.

For additional information, please contact Elizabeth Simpson, Program Manager of the Clarke County Development Corporation, 115 E Washington St, Osceola, IA 50213, phone:6413422944, or email: [email protected].