T’Naus Nieto
The Chronicle-News

As the September 30 Bar NI Ranch Community Fund Grant proposal deadline approached, representatives Linda and Tom Perry urged organizations to submit proposals. They explained the grant, who it is for, and what it’s intended for.  

According to the representatives, the community fund was established over 20 years ago, in 2004, by the Cabot Family and the Bar NI Ranch. It has since awarded nearly 400 grants to local nonprofits, totaling over $900K, to support community and enrichment programs.  

“The Bar NI Community Fund Local Advisory Board is composed of local community members who share their expertise, their passion for our community, and their unique perspectives in a team environment as they evaluate the applications that are received and interview grant applicants,” Linda and Tom Perry said. “The Fund Trustees then review, ratify, and award the grant recommendations suggested by the Local Advisory Committee.” 

According to the Perrys’, the Bar NI Community Fund awards grants to 501c3 charitable organizations in the Purgatoire Valley area that serve education and youth development, environment and conservation, health and human services, and civic and public benefit. 

“Bar NI Community Fund grants are programmatic grants in areas that represent the most fitting community needs and best match the focus of our mission statement,” the organization stated.  

The organization provided recent examples of awards, which included youth programming for experiential education, outdoor and environmental programs, creative writing, teen educational programming through local school districts, adult programming through continuing education, and senior programming such as computer literacy classes.   

Notably, the Bar NI Community Fund offers two grant cycles a year, Spring and Fall, and applicants are only eligible to receive one grant per calendar year. 

The Bar NI Community Fund grant applications for Fall 2024 are due by Sept. 30.