"Helping People Improve Their Communities"
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The Western Indiana Community Foundation is a public charity, founded in 1990, conceived by a group of citizens whose desire is to use donated monies for the betterment of their communities. The Foundation shares the same dream as its forefathers: prosperity, expansion, and enhancement for its citizens. The Foundation has four separate and distinct affiliate funds serving their geographical areas, which consist of:| ~ Attica ~ Community Foundation |
~ Southeast Fountain ~ Community Foundation |
| ~ Covington ~ Community Foundation |
~ Vermillion County ~ Community Foundation |
HIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Please give me a call to learn how every $1 that you donate to a "Community Fund" (new or existing) will be matched with $2 by our partners at the Lilly Endowment. I looking forward to chatting with you at (765) 793-0702, ext. 4, or by email at dwhite@wicf-inc.org or stop in and visit with me!
ECENT FOUNDATION NEWS:Fountain and Vermillion County are home to many wonderful people who have made a deep impact in the community.
Are you looking for a way to memorialize a loved one or friend who is no longer with us? Or perhaps you would like to honor a family member, friend, co-worker, or service provider who has a positive influence in your daily life? MEMORIAL & HONOR GIFTS are great ways to honor those who are or have been significant in your life or the life of your community. Your gift will go to the fund you specify, in the name of the one you’re honoring.
The following individuals have recently passed away and the families have designated that donations in their memory go to the Community Foundation. We honor the following individuals (click on the name for more details): Janet Clark, C. David Curts, Caleb Duncan, Patricia Head, Jack Macy, Edna Jordan, James Kochell, Neva Tillotson, Delores Hicks, Carl Hicks, Daniel McGrady, Max Keller, Freeman “Bugs” Lanum, Georgeanna Ford, Bill Deck, Helen F. Shelby, Elizabeth “Lib” Barnhart, Charline Allen, Jeffry Ingalsbe, John Woodrow, Carol Gooding, Richard “Dick” Shelby, Betty Shull, Marvel Dunham, Mary K. Young, Marcia Cooper, Carol V. Myers, James “Jim” McCormick, Rosemarie Haas, Marilyn Gebbink, Jean (Frances) Blickenstaff, Robert “Bob” Branam, Larry Carlson, John Cotten, Sr., Mirriam (Newmark) Fogel, Helen Freas, Heidi (Shambach) Johnson, Joan Rennick, Vicki (Collins) Stevens, and Arley White.
All memorial and honor gifts are acknowledged to the person or people you designate so that the loved one’s family, or the person you are honoring, is aware of the gift. Or you can make an anonymous gift if you desire to do so. The amount of the gift is, of course, confidential and only you will receive a gift acknowledgement for tax purposes. It’s very easy to give a memorial or honor gift – just CLICK HERE to get started.
Tickets and table sponsorships are going fast for Southeast Fountain Community Foundation’s 13th annual Wine & Appetizer Event at the Beef House Banquet Center on Sunday, February 23 from 1:30-4:00 pm (EST). The public is invited. This fundraising event is a one-of-a-kind since there is no program. This is a social event only (business casual)!
Attendees will enjoy complimentary portions of spirits from T. J. Haase Winery (Clinton, IN) and Old 55 Distillery (Newtown, IN) as well as an extensive selection of hors d’oeuvre from the Beef House Restaurant. A silent auction with nearly 100 unique items will also compliment the event.
This year’s event will help to raise monies for charitable organizations in the Southeast Foundation area and scholarships for Fountain Central High School graduates.
CALL 793-0702 TODAY to order your tickets! Individual tickets are $35 and table sponsorships (table of 8) are $250.
The Fountain County Historical Committee of the Fountain County Art Council has developed a plan to rehab two of the county’s remaining covered bridges. Indiana, at one time, had 600 covered bridges, but now only 89 remain and 3 of those are in Fountain County. The Cade’s Mill Covered Bridge is the oldest in the state. The Rob Roy Covered Bridge, south of Attica, was recently restored in 2016 by private individuals.
The Wallace (Jackson Township) and Cade’s Mill (Wabash Township) bridges are both in a state of deterioration. The Cade’s Mill bridge is in imminent danger and could be lost in the upcoming winter weather. Consultants have presented a proposal to stabilize the Cade’s Mill bridge this fall. The estimated cost is $150,000.
Donations can be made on this website to the Cade’s Mill & Wallace Covered Bridge Fund. Thank you for your interest in supporting this project!
Congratulations to recent grant recipients:
Covington Circle Trail ($17,000), Fountain County – CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) ($4,000), Friendship Circle Center ($7,000), Attica Fire Department ($3,000), Cayuga Lions Club ($500), CFI Rescue & Sanctuary ($1,200), Covington Christian School ($5,415), Attica High School Travel & Adventure Club ($2,000), North Vermillion High School Music Program ($1,000), Town of Kingman ($1,500), Covington Elementary School Swim Program ($4,000), Paws-n-Claws Animal Shelter ($6,000), Community Recreation Center ($450), Parke-Vermillion Community Pregnancy Center ($500) . More →
Family members of the late Daniel McGrady have established a new endowment fund, the Daniel & Renee McGrady Family Fund, to benefit the Southeast Fountain community thru the Southeast Fountain Community Foundation.
Daniel passed away prematurely in late February 2019. He was a strong supporter of a variety of organizations and activities in the Hillsboro and Southeast Fountain area. He is survived by his wife, Renee (Hershberger) and their children Grant (Kellie) McGrady and Krista Martin (Brock).
All donations to the Daniel & Renee McGrady Family Fund are invested and a portion of the earnings each year will be utilized to assist in supporting innovative and creative problem-solving projects that have the potential to make significant long-term impact in the Southeast Fountain area.
The projects may be in a wide-variety of areas, including, but not limited to: education, health & wellness, economic improvement, community leadership development, park & recreation ventures, child & youth activities, senior citizen endeavors, school-based initiatives, visitors & tourism promotion, and others.
Donations to the Daniel & Renee McGrady Fund may be made online at: www.wicf-inc.org or mailed to: Southeast Fountain Community Foundation, ATTN: Daniel & Renee McGrady Fund, PO Box 95, Veedersburg, IN 47987.
Western Indiana Community Foundation and its affiliates of the Attica, Covington, Southeast Fountain and Vermillion County Community Foundations has received a grant of $1,000,000 as part of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s seventh phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative. With GIFT VII, the Endowment is making up to $125 million available to help Indiana community foundations strengthen the towns, cities and counties they serve.
Western Indiana Community Foundation can use this matching fund grant to build our financial assets and support our charitable activities. At least two-thirds of the matching fund grant must be designated to support the growth of Western Indiana Community Foundation’s unrestricted endowments, which over time will provide flexibility to help the foundation to meet community needs. The Endowment will provide $2 for every $1 contributed to Western Indiana Community Foundation’s unrestricted endowments during the matching period, October 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020.
Western Indiana Community Foundation may choose to designate up to one-third of the matching fund grant to support the foundation’s own operating needs or specific community or charitable projects. The Endowment will provide 50 cents for every $1 that Western Indiana Community Foundation raises during the matching period for these purposes.
Dale White, CEO of the Western Indiana Community Foundation, said “We are very thankful to Lilly Endowment and excited about what the match opportunity could mean for our community.” He added, “Last year, our endowments helped us make a difference in the lives of more than 33,000 people in Fountain and Vermillion County. Thanks to the generosity of Lilly Endowment, and with help from our generous community to meet this match, we will be able to increase the impact we have in our community and address our greatest needs in the bi-county area.”
The Western Indiana Community Foundation was founded in 1990 as the area’s partner, resource and steward in philanthropy. WICF manages $23 million in charitable assets and over 300 individual funds – each of which supports the unique charitable intent of the donor who established the fund. Annually, the Foundation awards over a million dollars in grants and scholarships to support our community and is a National Standards certified community foundation.
The GIFT initiative is part of Lilly Endowment’s grantmaking to strengthen Indiana communities and has been a priority of the Endowment since the first phase of GIFT in 1990. The initiative’s primary aim is to help Indiana community foundations develop the philanthropic capacity to identify, prioritize and address local opportunities and challenges.
To encourage the engagement of Western Indiana Community Foundation’s board of directors, the Endowment also will award an additional $200,000 unrestricted grant if the foundation achieves 100 percent financial support from our board members during the period January 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.
Starting in 2019, Western Indiana Community Foundation will have the opportunity to apply for more funds through GIFT VII’s community leadership grants. This component includes both planning and implementation grants, which are available to help the foundation deepen its understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing its community; convene key local stakeholders and explore how it can effectively play a leadership role in implementing initiatives and strategies that enhance the quality of life in Fountain and Vermillion County.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family – J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli – through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly & Company. The Endowment exists to support causes of community development, education and religion. Lilly Endowment’s community development grantmaking is designed to support efforts that enhance the quality of life in Indianapolis and Indiana.
The application process is now open for high school seniors to apply for the Fountain County and Vermillion County ~ Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.
Students must apply by Friday, August 23.
The scholarship will provide for full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis, leading to a baccalaureate degree at any Indiana public or private college or university.
For answers to your questions, please contact (765) 793-0702, ext. 3.
Nearly 250 students in Fountain and Vermillion County are the recipients of over $228,000 in scholarship awards to be used for their academic pursuits in 2019-2020. Check this site often for new scholarship opportunities and other updates.
Family members of the late Darrell & Edith Dennis have established a new endowment to benefit the Covington community thru the Covington Community Foundation.
Darrell passed away prematurely in 1980 and Edith passed in late 2016. They were strong supporters of a variety of organizations and activities in the Covington community and they instilled these values in their children. They were the parents of Jeff (Diane) Dennis, Cindy (David) Brown and Gregg (Tammy) Dennis.
All donations to the Darrell & Edith Dennis Community Fund are invested and a portion of the earnings each year will be utilized to assist in supporting innovative and creative problem-solving projects that have the potential to make significant long-term impact in the Covington community.
The projects may be in a wide-variety of areas, including, but not limited to: education, health & wellness, economic improvement, community leadership development, park & recreation ventures, child & youth activities, senior citizen endeavors, school-based initiatives, visitors & tourism promotion, and others.
Donations to the Darrell & Edith Dennis Fund may be made online at: www.wicf-inc.org or mailed to: Covington Community Foundation, ATTN: Darrell & Edith Dennis Community Fund, PO Box 175, Covington, IN 47932-0175.
Five new endowment funds have recently been established to benefits area communities and high school students. For more details click on the link to learn more about each fund.
The new funds include: CDH Scholarship Fund, Wallace-Minnette Community Fund, George Norman Family Fund, Mark & Cindy Mason Community Fund, and the Michael & Mary Margaret Rhees Community Fund.
To learn how you can establish a fund to benefit your community contact Dale at (765) 793-0702 or by email at dwhite@wicf-inc.org.
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