Twenty-five nonprofit organizations in the county have been awarded a total of $30,000 by the organization that runs the city's Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival.

The Friends of the Bantam Jeep Association announced the awards late Tuesday night.

The group said that nonprofits selected to receive a financial award would receive amounts ranging from $500 to $2,500.

This is the second year that FBJA has doled out the financial awards, which are funded through proceeds from the annual Jeep festival.

Todd Wagner, president of FBJA, called the program — which the group started last year — a way to celebrate the festival's success and help groups working to make a difference across Butler County.

“When we reviewed the accomplishments of the 19 organizations that received funds last year, it inspired our group to give 50 percent more than we did in 2016,” said Wagner.

“Our 500 volunteers are grateful that their efforts not only benefit the festival, but they help thousands of others throughout Butler County.”

Last year FBJA gave a total of $20,000 to 19 nonprofits in the county. The recipients were chosen from among 60 organizations that applied for a portion of the funds.

Festival director Patti Jo Lambert said that this year the pool of applicants was a bit smaller, with about 40 organizations turning in requests. Lambert said it wasn't clear why fewer organizations requested funds this year.

FBJA decided to increase the total amount distributed and the number of nonprofits receiving an award because of the impact made by last year's donations.

Lambert said that impact statements and project photographs from nonprofit groups were shared with the 50 members of FBJA's festival planning committee earlier this year, and the group was thrilled with the reports.

“We're really excited,” Lambert said. “It was just so meaningful ... to see what they're doing. Not only are we working hard together to create this great event, but there's even more we're accomplishing for the community.”

The awards come in addition to more than $23,000 that FBJA has already given to local organizations that helped with the 2017 festival, which was held in June.

Lambert said FBJA would be mailing out award checks starting next week.

The organizations that were selected to receive the awards are:

American Legion Post 474 Auxiliary, Zelienople,; the Butler County Chapter of North Country Trail Association; Butler County Blind Association; Butler County Family YMCA;

Butler County Symphony Association; Butler Downtown; Butler Meals on Wheels; the Center for Community Resources; Community Care Connections;

Community Health Clinic of Butler County; Connecting2Tomorrow; Critical Incident Stress Management Team of Butler County; Don't Stop Dreamin';

Ellen O'Brien Gaiser Center; Evans City Public Library Association; Grapevine Center; Life Choices; One Voice for the Abused Domestic Animals;

Penn Theater Performance Company; South Butler Community Library; Specialty Outreach Services;

Butler Little Theatre; Salvation Army; Victim Outreach Intervention Center; and Washington's Trail.