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Bastrop County Cares unveils $750,000 community impact grant, opens applications through April 15
Summary
Bastrop County Cares presented its growth and programs to the Bastrop EDC board and announced a $750,000 unrestricted Community Impact Grant (funded with St. David’s Foundation) open to nonprofit and community groups; applications are due April 15 with awards from $5,000–$100,000.
Bastrop County Cares told the Bastrop Economic Development Corporation board on March 17 that it is investing $750,000 in an unrestricted Community Impact Grant funded in partnership with St. David’s Foundation, and it opened applications through April 15.
The grant opportunity is open to almost any local nonprofit or community project except government entities, schools and individual applicants. Awards range from a $5,000 minimum to a $100,000 maximum; recipients will have 18 months from award to expend funds. The organization is accepting written, in‑person or video applications via impactbastropcares.org and is offering technical assistance for applicants during the submission period.
The presentation described Bastrop County Cares’ evolution from a volunteer grouping in 2014 to a staffed nonprofit that administers home‑visiting and family support programs countywide. Dan Kleiner, associate director of Bastrop County Cares, said the organization became a subgrantee for evidence‑based home visiting through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in 2017 and has expanded to 17 full‑time employees and roughly 30 part‑time staff and contractors.
Norma Mercado, executive director of Bastrop County Cares, said the group uses four collaboratives—education, economic stability, thriving communities and health—to identify gaps and pursue funding. Mercado noted recent wins tied to broadband, digital literacy and mobile community health units. She said Bastrop County Cares helped secure grant funding for broadband infrastructure and digital literacy efforts and that the group provides closed‑loop referrals through a Connect ATX database and a 2‑1‑1 partnership.
Kleiner and Mercado described program details: Family Connects offers free nurse home visits to families with infants up to 12 weeks old; Parents as Teachers provides peer support and parent educators; the organization recently added a fatherhood program called 24/7 Dad. The presenters emphasized collaboration with local faith leaders, school social work, and regional partners.
Board members asked about eligibility and how to apply; staff reiterated the deadline of April 15, the $5,000 minimum request, $100,000 cap and the availability of technical assistance during business hours.
The presentation closed with a request that the board and community share the grant opportunity with local groups.
