As part of federal stimulus money, the Spalding Collaborative was recently awarded a $1 million grant intended to boost the local economy through nonprofit organizations. Only two organizations in Georgia received money from the Strengthening Communities Fund and just 34 grants were given out in the country.

Informational meetings on the application and proposal process for grant money will soon be held, said Will Doss, the executive pastor at Eagle’s Way Church, who was involved in the application process. Spalding Collaborative will administer this process, and the Partners for a Prosperous Griffin will then award up to 40 nonprofit organizations with up to $15,000 each.

“We are going to be strengthening the nonprofit organizations in our community,” so that they are better equipped to help people get jobs and retain them, said Doss.

Some of these organizations may already be established, others could use grant money to get established and then serve people in need of employment, he said.

“The ultimate goal is training and placing people on jobs,” added Spalding Collaborative Executive Director Joseph Walker.

Walker said the grant money will also serve Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Henry, Fayette, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Troup and Upson counties.