NWCC Receives $7,500 Grant from CFNM
Senatobia, MS (10/20/2026) — Northwest Mississippi Community College is proud to accept a $7,500 grant from the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi (CFNM) to help bring fine arts education to children. This grant in particular helped fund the recent touring production of Cinderella and the corresponding educational workshop.
This grant reduced the cost to bring the touring production of Cinderella to the Heindl Center on Oct. 15 for approximately 900 school children in Northwest's service district. Lower ticket prices allowed more school children in Northwest's service district to attend.
"By removing cost barriers, we hope to give the region's children an opportunity to experience the transforming power of live theatre and inspire creativity," said Laura Maples, Northwest grant writer coordinator.
In addition to the performance that happened on October 15, the 45-minute workshop for a limited number of students allowed students to get hands on experience with professional actors. The students asked questions about what careers in fine arts look like, heard their expertise and more. Workshops like these inspire students to get more involved and encourage them to pursue their passions.
"We are so thankful for the generous support of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi (CFNM), allowing us to reduce the cost barrier for this Cinderella performance to ensure that more children, regardless of background, are able to experience the transformative power of live theatre at the Heindl Center," said Dr. Blake Bostick, director of the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts.
The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi was established in 2002 as an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a generous grant from the Maddox Foundation. With offices in Hernando and Clarksdale, the Foundation manages 314 donor-established funds and over $50 million in total assets. Ranked among the top grantmaking foundations in the region, it has distributed more than $48 million to support over 1,000 charitable causes. Serving Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Leflore, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, and Yalobusha counties, the Foundation is governed by a Board of 22 volunteer leaders from across these 12 counties. For more information and ways to stay connected with the Foundation, visit linktr.ee/cfnm2002/.
Media Attachments
Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi and Northwest Mississippi Community College's Logos. For images from Cinderella event, please visit, https://nwccimages.smugmug.com/Heindl-Center-for-the-Performing-Arts/Fall-2026-Season/Cinderella/n-qbN4Ld Photo credits to Carly Fox.
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Andrew Dale, Associate Vice President of Community Relations, adale@northwestms.eduShare this Story
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