Jonesboro State Bank is accepting applications for the fall cycle of its Pledge 10 grant program through Sept. 15. The bank awarded $75,009 to ten area organizations in the spring cycle, funding projects that ranged from Jackson Parish’s first public kayak launch to vehicle stabilization equipment for local firefighters.
Pledge 10 grants range from $2,500 to $10,000 and support projects in four areas: Education, Youth Development, Financial Literacy, and Community Enrichment. Jonesboro State Bank has awarded Pledge 10 grants every spring and fall since 2017, funded by the bank’s pledge to donate 10 percent of its profits back into the community.
“Some of the best ideas come from people who have never written a grant application before,” said Thurston Allen, President at Jonesboro State Bank. “If your organization sees a need and has a plan to meet it, we want to read about it. You don’t have to be a large organization, and you don’t have to bank with us.”
Eligible applicants include charitable organizations, governmental bodies such as parish agencies and fire departments, accredited public and private schools, and churches applying for projects that serve the wider community. An organization is not required to have a banking relationship with Jonesboro State Bank to qualify.
Funded projects must serve people in Jackson, Bienville, Winn, or Lincoln parishes, though the applying organization does not have to be headquartered in one of those parishes. Pledge 10 funds new and creative projects rather than existing or ongoing services, and does not fund scholarships, contests, travel, or political causes. Each organization may submit up to two proposals per cycle.
Applications are submitted online at Pledge10.com and are due September 15. A rotating panel of anonymous community members reviews and scores each application, and applicants are notified roughly six weeks after the deadline. Funded projects begin six to twelve weeks after the cycle closes and must be completed within twelve months.
The bank publishes an applicant guide and a sample application to help first-time applicants prepare. Questions may be sent to Pledge10@jboro.com.
The following ten projects received Pledge 10 grants in the spring cycle, listed from largest award to smallest.
$9,950 Louisiana Center for the Blind
Summer EDGE for Blind and Low-Vision Teens
Supports a three-week residential program teaching blind high school students braille, cane travel, assistive
technology and independent living skills, along with job exploration and career-readiness instruction.
$9,928 Montessori School of Ruston
Strong Bodies, Bright Minds Playground Project
Replaces deteriorated monkey bars, adds a toddler playscape and climbing stairs, and installs required soft
surfacing beneath the equipment to support safe, age-appropriate play for children as young as 18 months.
$9,750 Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
Prime Time Family Literacy Programs
Funds a six-week family literacy program pairing shared meals with guided discussions of children’s books led by
trained storytellers and scholars. The project is expected to reach at least 60 underserved participants and train
six to eight local educators.
$9,450 Jonesboro-Hodge High School Agriscience
Home Economics Kitchen Renovation
Renovates the school’s long-outdated home economics kitchen with new countertops, faucets, convection
ovens and a refrigerator, giving Agriscience students a modern space to learn food science and cooking skills.
$8,500 Quitman Fire Protection District 1
Rescue Ready: Vehicle Extrication Project
Purchases a battery-powered vehicle stabilization system that lets firefighters secure damaged vehicles quickly
during crash rescues, shortening extrication times and improving both responder safety and patient outcomes.
$7,500 Jackson Parish Hospital Service District #1
Healthy Alternatives and Sustainability
Installs four Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations in a 24-hour accessible lot near Highway 167, providing
public charging access for patients, visitors, staff and travelers passing through the parish.
$7,494 Jackson Parish Watershed District
Public Kayak Launch on Caney Lake
Builds Jackson Parish’s first public kayak launch, giving paddlers a safe, dedicated point of access to Caney Lake.
$6,500 Trinity Methodist of Ruston
Weekend of the CROSS
Covers materials and supplies for a mission weekend that sends youth groups across Lincoln Parish to build
wheelchair ramps and porches, paint houses and do yard work for residents in need.
$3,100 Jackson Parish Recreation District
Club House Chairs and Tables
Replaces worn-out furniture at JPRD complexes with commercial-grade chairs and picnic tables built to hold up
to heavy outdoor use.
$2,837 Jonesboro-Hodge High School
Girls’ Flag Football Team
Launches the school’s new girls’ flag football program, covering the equipment and support needed to get the
team on the field.
ABOUT PLEDGE 10
The Pledge 10 grant program has awarded grants every spring and fall since 2017. Grants support projects in
four focus areas — Education, Youth Development, Financial Literacy, and Community Enrichment — that serve
people in Jackson, Bienville, Winn and Lincoln parishes. Applications, guidelines and past awarded projects are
available at Pledge10.com.