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Grant will bolster Britt educational programs The Britt Festivals had 12 months to raise $20,000 to get a matching grant of $10,000. It did it in 11. About a year ago, Britt received the $10,000 matching grant to expand its education programs. To get the money, the Jacksonville-based music festival had to raise $2 for every $1 of the grant and do so within one year. The grant was awarded by the Butch and Richard Fraley Charitable Fund and the Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Hayes Sr. Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation to expand the work of the Britt Institute. The Britt Institute, the festival's educational arm, provides musical training in wind instruments and instrumental jazz and dance as well as a preschool music program, music history and listening programs in local elementary schools. It also presents master classes for advanced students with Britt artists and artist residencies in area schools. The programs had been around for a while, but they weren't growing by leaps and bounds. "Up to this point, our education program had grown largely because of the strength and determination of a relatively small number of people," Britt Executive Director Ron McUne said. "We wanted to use the challenge grant as a stimulus for encouraging others to consider the value of arts education in our community and to respond with their individual support." Britt mounted a campaign of personal appeals and direct mail and otherwise spread the word about the grant. Eleven months into the grant period, McUne told OCF's board of directors that Britt had the money in hand. In all, local donors contributed $31,248. The Oregon Community Foundation, established in 1973, manages charitable funds donated by individuals, families and businesses. Its endowment comprises more than 720 funds with combined assets of $400 million. It makes grants through an application process that involves local citizens in the review and evaluation of requests for funds. For information on either applying for a grant or starting a fund, contact the Portland office at 1221 S.W. Yamhill, Suite 100, Portland, Oregon 97205, or call (503) 227-6846. Now in its 40th year, Britt Festivals presents performing arts and education programs in Southern Oregon. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.