By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Savannah Downing, rural Trego County, has been hired as the new Trego County Development Director for the Heartland Community Foundation.
Downing has spent the past 12 years as an English teacher in Hays USD 489 and most recently in Ellis USD 388.
During that time, she cultivated a strong interest in grant writing.
Downing learned about the grant process from Sarah Meitner, executive director of the Heartland Community Foundation, which serves Ellis, Rooks and Trego counties.
"I reached out to Sarah to learn the grant writing process and then I taught my students how to write grants," Downing said.
There were a number of people involved in Trego County non-profit groups who wanted to apply to HCF for various project grants but had no idea how to get started.
Downing got her newly-trained senior students involved.
"I had my students work with community partners that wanted a grant written but didn't know how to do it, or how to use the online portal. We paired them up with students to help them do that and walked them through the process."
The first year Downing's students helped with seven grant applications and five were funded.
"I remember talking with the director at the Ellis Nutrition Site and he said he would not have applied without the teens doing the tech side of it and writing it," Meitner said.
A grant application during the just-completed spring cycle, which was much more competitive, Meitner said, funded instruments for a new guitar program at Ellis High School.
As Downing worked with her students, classroom conversations turned towards community engagement and development planning by younger residents.
Then, the Trego County position opened up with Heartland and "it was a perfect fit," Downing said.
She plans to find people to help with community projects and planning throughout Trego County.
"My hope is that through philanthropy, strategic planning and community engagement, future generations will find ample opportunities within their local communities," Downing said. "My goal is to ensure that everything they want and need is available right here."
Meitner said Downing will be focusing on cultivating donor relationships, supporting grantees, leading community discussions and working collaboratively with stakeholders to identify and address local needs.
"We're thrilled to welcome Savannah to our team," said Meitner.
"Her background in education and community projects, combined with her passion for rural development, makes her a perfect fit for this role."
Downing and her husband Marc have five children.
The community foundation plans to open a WaKeeney office soon.