Kittanning Borough Police Awarded Walmart Grant

by Jonathan Weaver

A local police department received a $1,000 grant from a local retail chain.

Kittanning Borough Police Chief Bruce Mathews said the grant is earmarked to install video and audio equipment in the police station’s interview room.

The 2016 Community Grant cycle began February 1 and is open to applications until December 31.

Grants to registered non-profits, government entities, schools or faith-based organizations range from $250 to $2,500.

Chief Mathews acknowledged and thanked Officer Greg Koprivnak for filing that application.

According to a media news release, the Walmart Foundation began accepting grant applications for its State Giving Program on April 4.

Pennsylvania nonprofit organizations can apply for grants between $25,000 and $200,000 to support programs that focus on hunger relief and healthy eating, career opportunity and disaster preparedness.

The deadline to submit grant requests online is at 11:59PM Friday, April 15.

The Walmart Foundation will award grants to Pennsylvania organizations that address areas of need among underserved populations.

In 2015, Pennsylvania-based charities including the Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation, Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia received a total of $1.1 million in grants from the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program.

Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations in Pennsylvania Jason Klipa said Walmart gives back to the community in various ways.

“At Walmart, our mission is to create opportunities so people can live better,” Klipa said in a news release. “In addition to the thousands of community service hours, our associates perform and the in-kind donations that are spread throughout the communities we serve, these grants allow us to help local nonprofit organizations fulfill their mission and continue on their path of service.”

Launched in 2008, associate-led State Advisory Councils work with the Walmart
Foundation to help identify needs within their state, review grant requests and make funding recommendations to the Foundation.

Eligible applicants must have a current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in order to meet the program’s minimum funding criteria.

After the April application window, the final grant application window is open for one week at the end of August.