University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service graduate Natalie Ramm’s efforts in her Capstone project helped secure a major grant for Monroe County Children in Trust.
The Arkansas Delta Endowment for Building Community, a fund of the Arkansas Community Foundation, recently announced it has awarded MCCIT with a $40,000 grant over two years. The money will be used to fund a project coordinator position for MCCIT.
“Seeing a program that you’ve helped plan for months actually begin to come to life is very gratifying,” Ramm said. “Receiving this grant allows MCCIT to take the first step in implementing the program and improving lives for children and families in Monroe County.”
The grant writing efforts were part of Ramm’s Capstone project with MCCIT, a multidisciplinary collaborative composed of teachers and administrators from the Clarendon-Holly Grove School District, attorneys from Legal Aid of Arkansas, health professionals from Mid-Delta Health Systems, representatives of nonprofits like Arkansas Access to Justice and Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, faith leaders, and members of the local community.
“Natalie’s commitment to this program and to the residents of Monroe County and the Delta has been such an inspiration,” said Susan Caplener, Outreach Coordinator and Behavioral Health Coach at Mid-Delta Health Center. “With her detailed planning and dependability, she has helped us to implement the MCCIT program in Monroe County. Her tireless efforts in submitting grants and contributing expertise have supported the mission and the implementation of the MCCIT program.”
In addition to her grant writing work, Ramm developed a strategy for addressing adverse childhood experiences and improving health in Monroe County. She researched best practices for addressing ACEs in medical, legal, and school environments. A graduate of Hendrix College, Ramm’s work included creating an organizational guide featuring recommendations for implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability.
The Arkansas Delta Endowment for Building Community was established through a gift to the Community Foundation from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The grant program is focused on supporting networks and collaborations to improve social and economic conditions for children and families in the Arkansas Delta region.
In addition to her experiences at the Clinton School, Ramm will graduate from the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law with a concurrent juris doctor in December 2018.
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