On Thursday, Aug. 18, Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow (LOFT) will host a “Night for Nonprofits” event at the Powerhouse from 6-9 p.m., featuring public presentations of grant proposals, crowd favorite voting, and an audience vote to select a $10,000 grand prize grant winner.

A team from the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Lafayette program is assisting LOFT with the organization and planning of the “Night for Nonprofits.” The Leadership team is currently seeking sponsors for the event.

All donations collected will be awarded to the nonprofits in the running for the grand prize and to the crowd favorite. The sponsor funding will assist the nonprofits in carrying out their proposed grant projects.

Semifinalists include: Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi – L.O.U. Club; Holding Hands Resale Shop; Horizons at the University of Mississippi, The McLean Institute; Lafayette Endowment Fund for Education (LEFE); Lafayette Upper Elementary School (LUES) PTO; LOU Excel By 5 Coalition; Lovepacks; Oxford Film Festival; Oxford-Lafayette County Heritage Foundation; Yoknapatawpha Arts Council (YAC); and Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

Semifinalists are currently in the grant revision stage and will submit their final grant proposal. LOFT’s grant committee will then select five finalists to compete for the $10,000 award.

On the night of the event, the five finalists will be responsible for formally presenting their proposal to the audience in a competition style format. The finalist receiving the most votes from audience members will win the $10,000 grand prize.

Remaining semifinalists, while no longer in the running for the $10,000 grand prize, will be invited to the event to showcase their organization and good works that are performed in the community, as well as receive a portion of the event’s proceeds and sponsorships toward their efforts. Audience members will have an opportunity to vote for the crowd favorite among the semifinalists.

For more information regarding the “Night for Nonprofits,” or about sponsoring the event, contact Jody Holland, executive director, 662-418-1936 or loftdirector@gmail.com.