18 Jul Community Foundation Awards $100,556 in Grants to Nine Local Organizations Serving Grant County
The Community Foundation of Grant County is excited to announce the recipients of the Give to Grant Cycle as a part of the Give to Grant Collaborative. A total of $50,556 was awarded in grants to six local organizations along with $50,000 to three Crowdfunding Campaigns for programs and projects supporting positive impact for the betterment of Grant County.
The Foundation is home to a variety of 400+ charitable funds established by generous donors with a passion for supporting worthwhile charitable causes. The Give to Grant Collaborative uniquely consists of endowment funds that were established to provide support for general charitable purposes, identified as the most pressing needs and opportunities in the community. These grants were awarded at the discretion of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
“The Community Foundation is proud to assist these quality organizations in making a positive impact in our community.” said Meagan Mathias, Community Leadership Director of the Foundation “The Give to Grant Collaborative streamlines the process of charitable giving and amplifies philanthropic impact by matching dollars from many contributing funds to create a significant outcome for the community. Annually, the Foundation awards grants ranging from $1-3 Million to nonprofits, community organizations, and aspiring college students residing in Grant County. Whether it’s providing books to hospitalized children, maintaining trails, or bridging the financial gap for vulnerable families, the Foundation supports diverse causes that promote sustainable impact towards the betterment of Grant County.”
Below is a summary of how each organization plans to use the awarded funding:
Firefly Children and Family Alliance was awarded $10,000 to provide as many as 25 vulnerable families with direct emergency aid and services. Chris Talley, Director of Communications of Firefly said, “Firefly Children & Family Alliance is honored to receive a grant to support our prevention efforts in the county. Grant funds will provide direct emergency aid to vulnerable families served at our Grant County Family Resource Center and through our community- and home-based programming.”
Boys & Girls Club of Grant County was awarded $10,000 to provide youth with afterschool programming that will reinforce what is learned in school. In addition to the Give to Grant Collaborative, the J. William and Eleanor G. Long Memorial Fund, and the Kurt Herriman Memorial Endowment Fund also contributed to awarding this grant. Ronald Morrell, Boys and Girls Club of Grant County Executive Director said, “The Boys and Girls Club is honored to be partnering with the Community Foundation. This collaboration is essential to building the foundation for our next generation of community leaders.”
Hands of Hope was awarded $6,449 to expand the Flannery-Keal Center parking lot and pave the alley/access into the parking lot. In addition to the Give to Grant Collaborative, the Anna Mae Harrison Fund, and the Heidi Sue Chastain Memorial Fund also contributed to awarding this grant. Linda Wilk, Hands of Hope Director said, “We would like to thank the Community Foundation of Grant County for this grant and the confidence they have in Hands of Hope shown by this financial award. The impact the transformation of this area will provide, will lend itself to a more welcoming environment and show victims that they deserve the best and are valued. It will also allow Hands of Hope to host more events and activities for victims who often find themselves isolated and alone.”
Kate’s Kart was awarded $5,000 to provide a comforting diversion to all Marion Health pediatric patients through the gift of a new book. Krista Layman, Executive Director of Kate’s Kart said, “Kate’s Kart is honored to receive this grant to support the distribution of new books to pediatric patients at Marion Health. Through a Kart in the Pediatric unit, a tub in the Special Care Nursery and a Kart in the Emergency Department, all children ages 0-18 are offered a book. This brand-new book provides the much-needed comforting diversion to the patient and their families. Whether a young teen is waiting for a test in the ED, a toddler is hospitalized overnight, or a new parent is unexpectedly spending a week in the hospital with their newborn, the gift of a new book allows for distraction, bonding, healing and perhaps even a laugh during a scary, painful, or stressful time.”
NearSpace Education was awarded $10,000 to create a space in Upland that promotes education, community fellowship, and economic development. In addition to the Give to Grant Collaborative, the Lawrence & Otie Sanborn Educational Fund, the Ladislas D. Wojcik Fund, and the Virginia June and Lowell Byron Richards Fund also contributed to awarding this grant. Brandon Pearson, Director of NearSpace Education said, “The purpose of this project is to create a space in downtown Upland that promotes education, community fellowship, and economic development. This grant is part of an Indiana Housing and Community Development matching campaign which has been fully funded.”
Upland Area Greenways Association was awarded $9,107 to provide a crushed limestone surface for improved usability of the Seven Bridges Trail. Darci Nurkkala, Board President of the Upland Area Greenways Association said, “The Upland Area Greenways Association (UAGA) is grateful to receive a grant from the Community Foundation of Grant County to provide a crushed limestone surface for improved usability of the Seven Bridges Trail in Upland, IN. The trail will provide an additional mile of off-road space that is usable by people of all ages for walking, jogging, bicycling, pushing strollers, and using wheelchairs. The UAGA is excited to invite our larger Grant County community to enjoy our growing trail infrastructure.”
Below is a summary of the Crowdfunding Grants Awarded:
East Central Indiana Robotics was approved for a $20,000 crowdfunding campaign to prepare high school students for Indiana’s technology workforce through hands-on STEM training. Shawn Van Ness, President of East Central Indiana Robotics says “PhyXTGears is a community-based robotics team that emphasizes high-tech STEM learning and character development through building sophisticated, competitive robots. There is no better environment for future workforce development than our PhyXTGears robotics team, where every one of our students can turn pro!”
Visit www.GiveToGrant.org/RoboticsCF to learn more about this Crowdfunding Campaign. This campaign will begin on July 15th and end on September 13th.
Habitat for Humanity of Grant County, Inc. was approved for a $20,000 crowdfunding campaign to provide a new 3-bedroom home for the Williams family. Lora Lacy, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Grant County says, “Habitat for Humanity of Grant County offers a hand up to families living in poverty, providing resources, opportunities & hope through safe, affordable housing with a zero percent mortgage.”
Visit www.GiveToGrant.org/HabitatCF to learn more about this Crowdfunding Campaign. This campaign will begin on July 21st and end on September 19th.
Indiana Motorcycle Preservation Society was approved for a $10,000 crowdfunding campaign to showcase Indiana’s motorcycle history and preserve Marion’s “hog” heritage with a permanent exhibit. Loretta Tappan, Secretary of the IMPS Board says “Indiana’s Motorcycle History and the permanent exhibit of Marion’s HOG heritage hold significant importance for Grant County. This exhibit serves as a cultural landmark and a testament to the region’s rich heritage in motorcycle history. This exhibit showcases the unique contributions of Grant County, particularly Marion, to the world of motorcycles and their impact on the local community. By preserving and celebrating this history, Grant County gains a valuable asset that attracts visitors from far and wide. The exhibit not only brings in tourism revenue but also boosts the local economy by attracting motorcycle enthusiasts, history buffs, and curious travelers. It highlights Grant County as a destination that embraces its cultural roots and offers immersive experiences to its residents and visitors.”
Visit www.GiveToGrant.org/IMPSCF to learn more about this Crowdfunding Campaign. This campaign will begin on July 17th and end on September 15th.
How Crowdfunding Grants work:
The Community Foundation of Grant County website tracks all charitable contributions made by donors for each project. If the organizations meet their fundraising goals, the Community Foundation will award them a dollar-for-dollar grant, matching what they requested in their proposal.
If the organization does not meet its matching goal within 60-days, they will not receive their matching grant from the Community Foundation. They will, however, receive all donations that have been made by their donors for this project.
About the Community Foundation of Grant County, Indiana, Inc.
The Community Foundation of Grant County, Indiana, Inc. is an advocate for local philanthropy and is dedicated to improving the lives of people in the Grant County area. An effective steward of the community’s charitable resources since 1984, the Foundation works with donors to establish charitable funds and supports non-profit organizations through a variety of grantmaking efforts. The Community Foundation connects people, resources, and causes to promote sustainable impact for the betterment of Grant County. Currently the Community Foundation holds over 400 charitable funds that support a variety of charities and charitable causes in Grant County. For more information, please visit www.GiveToGrant.org or call 765-662-0065.
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