Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation, the local nonprofit corporation that holds the state gaming license in Greene County, distributed $1,958,000 to organizations at its 10th annual Awards Night, conducted in person April 1 at Wild Rose Jefferson.
According to the Grow Greene County board, it is the highlight of their year to hand out awards to the neighboring counties’ community foundations, Greene County municipalities, Greene County Community Foundation, schools within the county, economic development, legacy awards and this year’s competitive grants.
This year Grow Greene County received the most grant applications it has ever received at 25, with the largest total request in funding ever received, $6 million.
Under agreement with Wild Rose Entertainment Inc., Grow Greene receives 5 percent of the local casino’s adjusted gross gaming revenues to distribute to nonprofit, governmental, and charitable organizations. Of that total, 4.1 percent went to projects in Greene County and 0.9 percent was shared equally by the community foundations in the six counties contiguous to Greene County.
The awards given out April 1 represented gaming revenues at Wild Rose Jefferson during calendar year 2024.
The largest competitive grants went to Greene County Conservation and the Greene County Fair Association. Each group received the first of four $125,000 payments ($500,000 total over four years) toward major projects. Greene County Conservation is working toward rehabilitation of the Raccoon River Valley Trail south of Jefferson. The Fair Association is building new horse facilities and also replacing restrooms.
Other competitive grants were awarded as follows:
–Churdan fire department, $103,500, replacement of a pumper truck;
–Sierra Community Theatre, $100,000, auditorium renovations, to include new flooring and seating;
–Greene County Community Center and Jefferson park and recreation board, $90,000 for modern restroom facilities at Daubendiek Park;
–Greene County Medical Center and the Greene County Medical Center Foundation, $80,000 toward the purchase of medical scopes, including a new GI scope, a pediatric/small adult scope, and a scope tower;
–St Patrick Cedar Historic Church Foundation, $71,000, restroom and an access lift;
–Scranton Alumni Association, $68,500, gym roof replacement;
–City of Churdan, $50,000, new park shelter house;
–50107 Summerfest, $50,000, restroom at former East Greene school site;
–Greene County Youth Athletic Association, $45,000, baseball and softball field resurfacing;
–Friends of Rippey, $45,000, handicap accessible sidewalks and lighting
–Jefferson Matters Tower View Team, $35,000, Operation Paint the Town 2025, additional murals and rooftop art; and
–144 CHI and 25 CHI (Corridor Housing Initiative), $35,000 each, demolition of dilapidated buildings.
Grow Greene board president Norm Fandel commented, “All the grant applications were good. We just ran out of money.”
Non-competitive grants were also awarded.
The Greene County Community Foundation was provided $175,000 toward its annual grantmaking. Grant awards will be announced Sunday, April 6.
Economic impact grants – Greene County Development Corporation, $41,000 for ‘special projects’; and Jefferson Matters: Main Street – $20,000 for business incentives.
School districts – Greene County School District, $150,000 toward a multi-year grant for the high school gymnasium and auditorium; and Paton-Churdan School District, $30,000 annual allocation will be used for technology upgrades and restroom renovations.
Greene County municipalities, based on population – Churdan, $21,935; Dana $2,284; Grand Junction $43,570; Jefferson $50,000; Paton $13,281; Rippey $13,221; and Scranton $30,709.
Awards to contiguous counties – Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Dallas, Guthrie and Webster, $51,500 each.
In the past 10 years, Grow Greene County has distributed $17 million to Greene County organizations, municipalities, and the six contiguous counties.
The Grow Greene County board of directors welcomed three new board members in the fall of 2024 – Gabe Karber, Jeri Hedges and Jared Taggart.
In 2025 the GGC board will replace long time board members Peg Raney, Craig Marquardt and Brenda Muir. Recruitment of their replacements is underway. In 2026 the board will rotate off the final original members, including Norm Fandel, Bob Allen and Kate Neese. People interested in serving on the board should reach out to a current board member for more information.
