The programs administered through the River Fund are very diverse and provide services and assistance in a variety of ways. The programs are managed in individual fund accounts as explained below.
CANCER CONNECTION FUND
This fund was created by the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce through their fund raiser known as the "Connie Davis 5K Walk & Roll for Cancer." It's an annual event designed to raise funds to allow River Fund to help cancer patients and their families. This fund provides financial assistance in instances where care or services are beyond the financial capability of the patient and/or family of a patient. Services include, but are not limited to, transportation expenses, room accommodations for out-of-town travel for treatments, repair or replacement of equipment such as wheelchairs, prescription and office visit co-pays and other such items or services as necessary.
C.A.R.E. GRANTS
Community Assistance Relief Efforts (C.A.R.E.) grants evolved from a board members idea and was further developed by the Grants Committee. Funding assistance will be considered for direct service needs such as food, clothing, shelter, special requests, etc., which are consistent with the River Fund mission. These funds are disbursed to non-profit organizations requesting support in emergency situations and prior to the winter holidays with board approval.
To be eligible for funding, organizations must demonstrate:
• A funding need or cause that is consistent with the River Fund’s charitable mission and vision;
• Current tax-exempt, nonprofit status with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and
• Activity within some or all of the River Fund’s community service areas, which includes Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Golden Shores/Topock, Golden Valley and Mohave Valley, Arizona. Plus Laughlin, Nevada and Needles, California.
CHEF’S FOOD FEST
Through a partnership with the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce, the River Fund has been the beneficiary of a percentage of proceeds from the annual Chef’s Food Fest held each spring, usually at the Aquarius Casino Resort. These funds are designated specifically for aiding local families and individuals with hardships or a variety of immediate crisis situations. This event usually raises in excess of $24,000 into the Unrestricted Fund to help those suffering a variety of serious issues.
DONOR DESIGNATION FUND
This fund was established to allow contributors, both employees and independent individuals, the opportunity to select a LOCAL non-profit organization that they would prefer to designate their contributions (either all or a portion). The minimum contribution is $100 per year as a one-time giver or through payroll deduction with a minimum of $1.00 per pay period on a bi-weekly payroll schedule. Every three months, payments are distributed to the charitable organization by River Fund on behalf of the contributor.
EMPLOYEE DONOR CRISIS FUND
This fund allows employees of both large and small businesses to contribute through weekly or bi-weekly payroll deductions coordinated through human resources and finance departments. This was originally started with Laughlin casino properties and has now expanded to include all types of businesses on both sides of the Colorado River. It is considered to be an “investment account” in that employees, through their contributions, can utilize the fund in case of unexpected hardship or crisis or, in some instances, donate their accumulated funds to fellow workers that are in need if urgent assistance.
Eligibility is considered for full and part time employees. The employee must contribute a minimum of $1.00 per pay period. Assistance will be given to the employee or their immediate family member (Immediate family members are defined as parents, spouses and unmarried children who qualify as dependents on income tax records). Financial assistance will be determined on a case by case basis.
'FROM THE HEART' FUND
From the Heart was established to allow customers of Mohave Electric Cooperative (MEC) the opportunity to contribute one dollar on their monthly electric bill that is placed into a special account by MEC and then transferred directly to the River Fund on a monthly basis. The Cooperative does this as a service to the community and does not deduct any service or administrative fees. These funds are then administered by the River Fund for the express purpose of assisting clients that reside within the Mohave Electric Cooperative service area by helping lower their out-of-pocket expense to pay their electric bill during times of hardship or unexpected crisis situations.
GOLDEN NUGGET LAUGHLIN COMMUNITY FUND
These funds were originally made possible through grants from Golden Nugget Laughlin and the Nevada Community Foundation to provide emergency temporary shelter for individuals and families experiencing immediate crisis situations beyond their control. In 2019, the Golden Nugget Laughlin Community Fund expanded the use of their grant funds to an "unrestricted" category thereby allowing River Fund to broaden the scope of services that could be provided by this particular grant program.
MEMORY CARE FUND
Many people worry about becoming forgetful. They think forgetfulness is the first sign of Alzheimer's disease. But not all people with memory problems have Alzheimer's. Although the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) offers grants and assistance for individual health care and many programs on state and local levels provide free grants as well, this "Memory Care Grant Program" offered through River Fund, Inc., and made possible by volunteers at Laughlin River Tours, is available locally and eligibility can be easily be determined through a phone call to either River Fund office.
'MOHAVE MEMBERS ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM' (MMEAP)
The purpose of this fund is to financially assist Mohave Electric Cooperative members who are in crisis or face severe hardship. The program is an energy-assistance program for MEC members who live at or below the current Federal poverty level and at no fault of their own, are facing a crisis in their household. The funds are administered through the River Fund using program guidelines to determine eligibility. If eligible, checks will be made payable to Mohave Electric Cooperative for payment to the members' account.
'OPERATION SAFE HAVEN' FUND
These funds have been made possible through grants from Harrah's Laughlin, "Harrah's HERO'S" and Caesars Entertainment to provide emergency temporary shelter for individuals and families experiencing immediate crisis situations beyond their control.
PROGRAM GRANTS
The River Fund Board of Directors established the Programs Grants Fund specifically designed to assist non-profit agencies and organizations engaged in humanitarian programs that provide services and assistance to local individuals and families. The applicants must be LOCAL non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations. Following a strict application and review process by an appointed committee of board members, their recommendations are reviewed and recipients selected by the full board. Currently, the Program Grants are awarded on an annual basis in June. From River Fund's inception in July 2010 through September 30, 2024, a total of 187 grants (including C.A.R.E. grants) have been issued to local non-profit agencies totaling $962,703.34.
TEAUMEN & GRACE FUITE FOUNDATION GRANTS
This Phoenix-based foundation has provided grants to River Fund to be used for a wide variety of assistance programs that include temporary housing, certain healthcare related financial help (prescriptions, office visit co-pays, etc.), minor vehicle repairs, work cards, sudden loss of life, replacement of legal documents such as birth certificates, relocation intervention for the welfare and safety of individuals and families and a myriad of unique situations that most people cannot imagine.
UTILITY REPAIR & DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE (URDA) PROGRAM
This fund is made possible by Arizona legislative action which created a state statute that allows utility companies to transmit all abandoned deposits to a qualified fuel entity under certain conditions. As defined by Arizona statutes, River Fund, Inc. qualitfies as a 'fuel entity' and therefore allows River Fund the opportunity to provide assistance, under certain situations, to eligible recipients in making utility deposits and repairs or replacement of of utility related appliances or systems. Currently, the funding is available through Mohave Electric Cooperative and administered by River Fund, Inc.
VETERANS ASSISTANCE FUND
This fund was created through the efforts of the Bullhead City Fire Department Men of Fire Motorcycle Club and the VFW Riders from Post 404 in Fort Mohave, Arizona. Their idea was to organize motorcycle poker runs at different times of the year to raise funds to help River Fund provide assistance for veterans in need of help for any type of crisis or hardship situation. The first "run" was held April 24, 2015 and raised $7,000.00 which was seed money for the Veterans Assistance Fund. Now, the net proceeds in recent years has exceeded $24,000 annually.