NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS, fire departments and other organizations can begin to apply for grants from the Belmont County Enrichment Fund this month.

The Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley and the Enrichment Fund advisory committee will be accepting applications starting Monday until Feb. 4.

A group of landowners in Belmont County created the fund in 2013 to give grants to nonprofit organizations, schools, fire and police departments and other similar organizations that serve Belmont County. According to the cfov.org, the fund “aims to enrich the community through funding meaningful projects that improve the quality of life for Belmont County residents. The Belmont County Enrichment Fund will not fund fundraising events, scholarships, animal welfare or projects that have already been completed (debt reduction).”

Executive Director of the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley Susie Nelson emphasized the deadline of Feb. 4. This gives organizations a four-week window to submit their applications. Organizations can go to Foundant Technologies to apply for the grants. The website advises applicants to not wait until the last few days to submit an application because of technical issues that may occur, and assistance is not guaranteed on the day of the grant deadline.

One grant request per organization will be considered by the advisory committee, and announcements for funding will be made in mid-March.

People can contact Program Officer Debbie Stanton at 304-242-3144 or debbie@cfov.org for online account login assistance.

The Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley will examine applications before they are forwarded to the fund advisory committee for determinations. Questions can be directed to the CFOV at 304-242-3144.

Nelson described the fund as landowners from Belmont County who put their money together to accept grant applications and award them to programs that benefit Belmont County. THose landowners established the fund when they first benefited from leasing their mineral rights to oil and natural gas producers.

The Enrichment Fund committee has funded organizations over the last 10 years using a variety of grants, including to volunteer fire departments that can be used to purchase equipment. Faith in Action Caregivers is another organization the committee has funded. It is a group of volunteers who help get people, especially seniors, to doctor’s appointments and other care centers.

Some other organizations the BCEF has awarded include the Bridgeport Volunteer Fire and Emergency Department for $3,000 for thermal imaging cameras, the Thoburn United Methodist Church-St. Clairsville Council Churches Food Pantry for $5,000 for food pantry support, Bethesda Senior Citizens for $4,500 for general operating expenses and the Belmont County Historical Society for $1,650 for an emergency exit sign, lighting and extinguisher.

The committee gives out about 10 to 12 grants per year.

“I think it’s unique, because it’s a group of landowners who decided, once they signed their leases, their oil and gas lease, that they wanted to do something philanthropic,” Nelson said. “So this is pretty unique – a group of people who are really not affiliated with each other in any way other than the fact that they all are landowners and they were receiving income from their land through oil and gas.”

The committee also partners with the EQT Foundation, which puts in some funding to help make some of the grants, which makes the program even more special, Nelson said.

“It’s really the epitome of the ‘pay it forward’ concept,” Nelson said.