Members of 4-H and FFA can improve their communities with funding from FCS Financial Shaping Rural Missouri grants.

The Shaping Rural Missouri grant program offers Missouri 4-H and FFA organizations $500 grants to implement projects that will benefit their rural communities and youth development.

“Providing opportunities for rural community development is important to FCS Financial because our employees and customers live in these same areas,” says Scott Gardner, vice president, sales and marketing. “These grants not only strengthen our rural communities but allow our youth to work as a team to accomplish a goal.”

Funds are awarded to assist club or chapter members in bringing positive change by establishing projects that make their local communities better places to live. FCS Financial encourages applicants to collaborate with other community organizations to develop and complete their improvement project.

Last year, FCS Financial supported 44 projects across Missouri. Youths built picnic tables, planted trees and landscaped school grounds to improve their local communities.

Since the program’s beginning in 2012, more than $140,000 has been distributed across Missouri.

Applications are online and due April 1. Apply or find more information about the Shaping Rural Missouri grant program at myfcsfinancial.com, click on the About Us tab and then select Community Giving, or call 800-369-3276, ext. 1173.

FCS Financial serves 102 counties through 21 offices in Missouri. FCS Financial is a member of the Farm Credit System. The system is a nationwide network of cooperative lending institutions that provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers, rural residents and agribusinesses.

Source: FCS Financial, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.