26 Franklin County non-profit agencies share $175,000 in Northwest RC&D Council grants

At a ceremony held Friday morning at the Franklin County Courthouse Annex, representatives of the Northwest Alabama Resource Conservation & Development Council (Northwest Alabama RC&D) announced the completion of 26 Franklin County projects in FY2026, all funded by the Northwest Alabama RC&D Council, in partnership with the Alabama Legislature.

The 26 projects were completed with a total of $175,000 in grant funding. Just two years ago, less than $100,000 was available through RC&D grants, but due to the efforts of Franklin County’s Legislative delegation, Sen. Larry Stutts and Rep. Jamie Kiel, that amount has increased significantly, allowing more projects to be funded. Both Stutts and Kiel attended the Friday morning ceremony.

Stutts spoke briefly and shared his appreciation to the many non-profit agencies who applied for RC&D grants.

“Thank you for taking the initiative for applying. It’s your money and there’s no better way to use it effectively than for local people to receive it and use it in the way they see best. That’s the best way to meet a need,” Stutts said.

FY26 Franklin County projects, and amount of funding, included:

—Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association, ‘A Place to Call Home,’ $9,000.

—Belgreen Fire Protection District, emergency repairs project, $5,000. The grant was used to purchase two new mobile radios in two of the department’s engines and to purchase a portable radio for the fire chief.

—Russellville Elementary School, ‘Clean, Green and Safe,’ $7,000.

—Russellville High School, dual enrollment dual credit courses, $7,000.

—Russellville City Schools, Early Childhood Outdoor Classroom, $10,000.

—East Franklin Junior High School, windows and erosion prevention, $7,000.

—Russellville Public Fire & Life Safety Education, enhancing fire safety through virtual reality training, $7,000.

—Back to Basics Life Skills Center LLC, facility improvements, $5,000. Back to Basics President Joe Graham said the funds went to purchase new kitchen equipment, including a new stove with ventless vent, two refrigerators, a freezer, a portable A/C, 12 new LED lights in the kitchen and new flooring.

—Franklin County Branch of MLK Scholarship Committee, food sales for scholarships, $5,000.

—Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, Franklin County Junior Leadership Class of 2026, $5,000.

—Gravel Hill Water & Fire Protection, Gravel Hill PPE, $5,000.

—Franklin County Arts & Humanities Council, Roxy Theatre, $5,000.

—Phil Campbell Volunteer Fire Department, hose and nozzle replenishment project, $7,500.

—Blue Springs Volunteer Fire Department, hose and nozzle project, $5,000.

—Franklin County Board of Education, industrial maintenance innovations, $7,000.

—Phil Campbell Ambulance Service,LUCAS chest compression system project, $6,000.

—Russellville Public Fire & Life Safety Education, Life saving equipment $5,500.

—Tharptown Elementary School, Mrs. Ergle’s classroom upgrade, $6,000.

—Franklin County Board of Education, Phil Campbell musical theatre sound and lights, $5,000.

—East Franklin Volunteer Fire Department, Project Restart a Heart, $6,000.

—Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Project St. Michael, $6,000.

—Phil Campbell Elementary School, beautification and enhancing comfort for students, $9,000.

—Tharptown Elementary School, technology, $5,000.

—Vina High School, Vina motivational and safety graphics, $5,000.

—Frankfort Volunteer Fire Department, water hydrant, $5,000.

—Northwest RC&D Council, in-house projects, $20,000.

The RC&D Council hosts the annual event in each of the five counties it serves to highlight how grant funds are used to benefit the communities.

The Northwest Alabama RC&D Council is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports educational and community development projects in Northwest Alabama. Northwest Alabama RC&D serves Franklin, Lauderdale, Colbert, Marion and Winston Counties.