Lowndes Community Foundation

08/19/2026

📣 Reminder: Lowndes County Nonprofits: Grant Applications Are Open!

Do you have a program or project that could make a meaningful difference in Columbus or Lowndes County?

The Lowndes Community Foundation (LCF) is accepting applications for its 2026 grant cycle. LCF supports nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations serving Lowndes County and projects for the public good, with an emphasis on initiatives that create meaningful, lasting, and sustainable impact.

📅 Application Deadline: September 1, 2026
📣 Awards Announced: By November 1
💰 Funds Disbursed: By December 31

Don't miss the opportunity to turn a community need into community impact.

👉 Review the guidelines and submit your application:
https://lowndescommunityfoundation.org/grants/

Please share this opportunity with nonprofits and community organizations serving Lowndes County!

LCF GrantsMeeting the needs of Columbus and Lowndes County Communities—one grant at a time. Sustainable GrantmakingOur mission is to improve the quality of life within Columbus and Lowndes County. As a public foundation, we have a special role to play in creating a sustainable source of funding to...

08/04/2026

Leadership in Action Starts Here.

The Lowndes Community Foundation is excited to bring together our Task Force Leaders and Facilitators for an upcoming strategy meeting as we prepare for the 2026 grant season.

We are incredibly fortunate to have dedicated leaders who are willing to invest their time, expertise, and passion to help address the issues that matter most in Lowndes County. Their leadership is essential as we identify innovative ideas, strengthen partnerships, and develop initiatives that will improve the quality of life throughout our community.

Together, our Task Forces will be exploring opportunities to make a lasting impact in the areas of Community Engagement, Crime & Addiction, Education, Poverty & Food Insecurity, and Leadership & Vision.

Thank you to each of our Task Force leaders and volunteers for leading the way. Your commitment is helping shape a stronger future for Lowndes County.

Together, we are creating solutions that make a difference.

07/24/2026

Shout-out to Steel Dynamics Flat Roll Group Columbus Division for purchasing tickets to make Casino Night a success! Buying event tickets for your team or clients is a fantastic way for local businesses to show appreciation to employees and customers while giving back to our community—no formal sponsorship required. Part of every ticket purchase and 50% of drink sales go directly toward LCF’s endowment, generating sustainable charitable support for our community's future. It's fitting that Steel Dynamics is stepping up and helping us forge a stronger community!

07/24/2026

Casino Night is exactly one week away, and we can't wait! Get your ticket and start planning your outfit today! 🎟️👠🎟️

07/23/2026

Shout-out to Neel-Schaffer, Inc. for helping to make Casino Night a success! Purchasing tickets to this event is a great way to let your employees and customers know that you appreciate them while also giving back to the community. A portion of each ticket sold and half of the proceeds from drink sales at the event will be added to LCF's endowment, and those funds will grow and generate charitable funding for Lowndes County for generations. Maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise that Neel-Shaffer is supporting us--they know the value of building things with an eye toward lasting impact!

07/23/2026

Paradise awaits! Join us at Casino Night next Friday and you could win a trip to the fabulous Villa La Valencia resort--or one of our other unbelievable prizes. Drawings start at ten past 9pm. Be there!

07/18/2026

Kudos to Junior Auxiliary of Columbus for another incredible year of service! We are proud to have supported their work with grants the past two years and to have them involved in our Community Task Force on Poverty. If your organization works on similar issues, or if you want to individually get involved, contact us to learn more about joining JA and others on the Task Force. In addition to grants, we believe everyone's work can be more effective when we are sharing ideas and information and finding opportunities to collaborate and support each other's initiatives. We want you at the table!

07/17/2026

Casino Night is only two weeks away, and we're feeling lucky! Get your ticket today at https://createfoundation.networkforgood.com/events/98267-lcf-casino-night-2026

07/15/2026

Public foundations like LCF play a special role in the long-term health of a community. Because donations build an endowment limited only by the rule that it must be used to benefit Lowndes County residents, and because our grant funds are drawn from the earnings and not the principal of the fund, giving to LCF is an investment in flexible, sustainable funding that will support Lowndes County for generations. As our endowment grows with additional donations and investment earnings, the amount that we can give to local causes will grow, too. These special benefits are the reason Mississippi lawmakers created the Endow MS Tax Credit Program. It provides a 25% tax credit to donors who give to our permanent endowment (managed by the CREATE Foundation with which we are affiliated).

Thinking of sponsoring our annual Casino Night fundraiser? We work with sponsors who pledge to give $2,500 or more to ensure their donation is eligible for Endow MS. A $2,500 sponsorship would earn the donor a $625 state tax credit in addition to the federal tax savings.

Home Strengthening Charitable Giving in Mississippi Mississippi is incentivizing philanthropy, encouraging charitable giving, and building on the strong tradition of neighbors helping neighbors in our state through the Endow Mississippi Tax Credit Program. Endow Mississippi provides a 25% tax credit...

07/15/2026

Shout-out to Ken Ryals and Chanley Rainey for sponsoring the LCF's Casino Night fundraiser this year! Chanley currently serves as co-chair of the LCF Board and has spent a lot of time this summer creating promotional materials to get the word out about this event--including this Facebook post 😁 Join the Ryals-Rainey family and invest in the long-term well-being of Lowndes County by purchasing a ticket or donating at https://createfoundation.networkforgood.com/events/98267-lcf-casino-night-2026