Oxford City Council adopts recommendation for Community Assistance Grant

Oxford’s Community Assistance Grant subcommittee finalized its recommendation for the distribution of grant funds among applications submitted before the Aug. 25 deadline..

These requests were discussed during the Sept. 8 subcommittee meeting and sent to the Oxford City Council for adoption, which was confirmed during its Sept. 16 meeting.

The approved funding awards are as follows, as per the drafted resolution sent to council for adoption:

Oxford Free Clinic: $5,000; Oxford Community Foundation: $29,300; Oxford Community Arts Center (OCAC): $10,000; the Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services (TOPSS): $64,500; Oxford Seniors: $29,100; McCullough-Hyde Foundation: $11,100; MUing Cat Rescue: $2,000; the Coalition For a Healthy Community: $10,000.

In total, $161,000 was awarded.

The Community Assistance Grant focuses on nonprofit organizations in Oxford that support residents. This is limited to 501(c)(3) organizations that must use their funds for operational and/or capital expenses and serve Oxford residents, according to Jessica Greene, assistant city manager for Oxford.

Applicants and uses

The Oxford Free Clinic requested $5,000 this year, which it aims to use to continue to fund clinics and gynecological services to residents, according to Greene.

The Oxford Community Foundation requested $31,500, a $3,300 increase from last year’s award. The organization aims to use $9,000 of the requested funds to extend grant programs. Other requested funding uses include scholarships, like the Charles L. Warren Memorial Heritage Scholarship. The final use mentioned by the organization was $19,000 for staffing.  

The Oxford Community Arts Center (OCAC) requested $10,000, which it aims to use for art programming within the Oxford community. The funds also will be used to maintain the historic building that houses the arts center.

Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services (TOPSS) requested $64,500, which it aims to use for a variety of services, such as groceries, rent and assistance with addiction diversion programs.

Oxford Seniors requested $38,000, an increase from last year’s award of $27,974. Their request was split into three categories of potential uses: $8,000 for adult recreational programming, $10,000 for adult outreach programming and $20,000 for their transportation program.

The McCullough-Hyde Foundation requested $15,000, a $5,000 increase from last year’s award. The organization intends to use these requested funds for their CARES program, which is a program for domestic violence, according to Greene.

Oxford Catty Shack requested $5,000, which it aims to use to help support and care for neglected cats within the Talawanda School District (TSD).

Greene told the Oxford Free Press that Catty Shack did not provide the requested materials. Therefore, it was not recommended for funding. 

The Oxford Free Clinic, OCAC, TOPSS and Oxford Catty Shack all requested the same amount of funding from their 2025 grant award.

New applicants

The Coalition for a Healthy Community requested $10,000 as a first time applicant. The organization aims to use these requested funds for general operating expenses such as staff salaries and evaluation services.

“They do a lot of evidence-based health programming particularly around substance abuse, mental health, active living and healthy eating,” said Greene.

The MUing Cat Rescue requested $5,500 as a first time applicant. The organization intends to use these funds for spaying and neutering cats. 

Chantel Raghu, councilwoman and a local veterinarian, noted that the funding requested for spaying and neutering cats is too much for that specific treatment, citing her own experience as a veterinarian having used the trap-neuter-return (TNR) method. 

“It shouldn’t cost more than $100 per animal instead of $225 per animal,” Raghu said. 

Raghu supports putting resources toward TNR and suggested asking for a breakdown from MUing Cat Rescue for future grant use. The subcommittee suggested less funding and further dialogue with the organization, including a promise that they provide a report at the end of 2026 of their conducted services to ensure compliance and accurate use of funds.

MUing Cat Rescue was recommended at a lower amount and request set number of cats. 

Thread Up Oxford

The subcommittee also discussed an application from Thread Up Oxford that did not fall into the 2026 window.

The applicant requested $10,000 of funding for the remainder of 2025, not for 2026.

The business recently lost their board of directors, which no longer qualifies them for 501(c)(3) status, according to Greene.

The subcommittee decided not to give funding to the organization, sticking to their policy that requires all organizations receiving funds to have a 501(c)(3).