The Community Foundation of Howard County awarded $185,500 in community grants to 50 nonprofit organizations in the county at the end of last year, the organization announced last week.

Contributions from the Community Foundation, a nonprofit charity focused on improving the quality of life in Howard County, varied from $1,000 to $5,000. Recipients said the unrestricted nature of the gifts allow nonprofits to use the additional funds as they see fit.

“It feels wonderful,” said Dan Flynn, the foundation’s director of development, marketing and communications. “These organizations and the community trust us to be sort of the philanthropic hub in Howard County.”

At the end of last year, a grant committee tasked with selecting recipients based on operational and program-based needs narrowed a pool of 72 eligible nonprofit organizations in Howard County to 50 awardees.

This annual grant program from the community foundation is just a fraction of the giving the organization does throughout the year, Flynn said. In any given year the organization distributes about $2 million. The sum is ultimately reached through the organization’s scholarship programs, direct contributions to nonprofits and other grants spread across the county.

“What’s great about this particular process is a lot of it is operational and capacity- building grants that allow the organizations to function without a lot of strings tied to it,” Flynn said. “They have some flexibility about how they use the money.”

Winter Growth Assisted Living and Memory Care and the Howard County Conservancy were two local nonprofits awarded $5,000 grants.

Winter Growth Development Director Colleen Konstanzer said the funds are vital in fostering community connections and continuing the group’s mission of improving quality of life for older adults. In addition to providing assisted living and memory care, Winter Growth offers adult day programs designed for the betterment of older adults.

“The $5,000 community grant award will directly enhance our ability to serve seniors and adults with disabilities in Howard County,” Konstanzer said. “It will support essential program elements such as therapeutic activities, transportation services and resources for cognitive and physical wellness. … With the grant, we’re going to be able to continue to provide our comprehensive, person-centered care ensuring that those we serve can live their best and most meaningful lives.”

The grant also came in handy at the Howard County Conservancy, a nonprofit that offers its 232 acres, community gardens and 5 miles of trails to the public to help connect people to nature.

“We sort of serve as a park property in the county,” said Meg Boyd, executive director of the conservancy. “Because of that, we have a lot of operational expenses to keep our trails open, to maintain our historic buildings and our gardens for the public to come and enjoy. Having this type of grant that supports our operations and so we can keep our doors open for the public, is really important for an organization like ours.”

Boyd said the $5,000 will go toward amenities the conservancy added last year, such as a new on-trail restroom and an updated trail map for visitors.

“We were really thrilled to receive the grant, Boyd said. “One of the things that is so wonderful about the community foundation grants is that they’re unrestricted to support the operations of nonprofits, which is helpful, because we are a very unique nonprofit.”

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