The Foundation for Rural Service opened its community grant program for applications. FRS seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life for all Americans by advancing an understanding of rural issues and helping rural America thrive. In honor of the foundation’s 25th anniversary this year and thanks to the generosity of its sponsors, FRS will be awarding $100,000 in grants, nearly double its usual total.
FRS hopes to build on the grant program’s long record of success this year by offering more funding and partnering more closely with NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association member companies and cooperatives. The grants awarded will facilitate crucial projects in economic development, arts and tourism, education and telecommunications, to promote growth and innovation throughout rural America.
“Offering up $100,000 in grants to support initiatives throughout rural America is such a fitting way to celebrate the foundation’s 25th anniversary this year,” said FRS Executive Director Jessica Golden. “For a quarter-century, FRS has operated as the nonprofit arm of NTCA to better educate and support the rural populations served by small, community-based telcos, and this year’s grant program is an important continuation of that work.”
Community institutions (such as libraries, schools, small businesses, and health care centers) interested in applying for an FRS community grant should contact their local NTCA member company for more information. Applications must be submitted through the NTCA member portal by Sept. 13, 2019. For more information, contact FRS at foundation@frs.org, FRS Program Specialist Brock Streauslin at bstreauslin@frs.org, or call (703) 351-2026. This year’s grant program is sponsored by Womble Bond Dickinson, Rural Telephone Finance Corporation, Ericsson, NISC, Mapcom Systems, and Toly Digital.
