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Happy New Year! Community Foundation to grant $1.5 million this year.
July 1 marks the beginning of the Community Foundation’s fiscal year and the start of a new round of community initiatives. Thanks to generous donor support and a growing endowment, the Community Foundation of will distribute $1.5 million through granting initiatives this year!
The Community Foundation exists to make our county the best it can possibly be; to give those that live here the best opportunities for happy, successful lives. We strive every year to increase our capacity to achieve these fundamental but lofty goals.
For almost three decades now, individuals, families, and organizations have given to the Community Foundation to support these overarching goals, and that generosity is paying dividends for friends, neighbors, and all who call our community home. Our endowment has grown by $13.7 million since 2012 (an 80 percent increase), which translates to more funding, more possibilities, and more opportunity to make our community what we all hope it can be for today and for tomorrow.
As this New Year begins, we look forward to another great year of using our resources to connect caring people with compelling causes. What better way to start a new year!
-Tina
Read More about This Year’s Granting Initiatives
56 children receive On My Way Pre-K grants! Spots still available!
We’re proud to share that more than $660,000 On My Way Pre-K grants have been awarded to 56 families with 4-year-old children to attend FREE pre-kindergarten from one of 33 approved high-quality early childhood sites in Monroe County.
On My Way Pre-K is Indiana’s first state-funded pre-kindergarten program for low-income children. Grants for FREE, high-quality pre-K programs are available for children who turned 4-years old, but not yet 5-years old by August 1, 2018, and will be attending kindergarten in the 2019-2020 school year. On My Way Pre-K is a program of the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration and is locally supported by the Community Foundation and its Monroe Smart Start initiative.
On My Way Pre-K grants are still available for Monroe County families! Please share details about this amazing opportunity with families who live or work in our county. Go to www.OnMyWayPreK.org for more information or call (812) 230-1983 for assistance.
View On My Way Pre-K Eligibility Info
Update: Transitional housing program changing lives while keeping families together
“I truly appreciate all the things Y’all have done and do for me, turning me into the woman I always wanted to be. God bless all.” – a current resident of the Centerstone Transitional Housing and Treatment Program for Women
In January, the Community Foundation awarded a proactive grant to Centerstone for a new transitional housing and substance abuse treatment program for women. The six-bed program is Bloomington’s first to serve women recovering from substance abuse disorders who are pregnant or who have young children. This recovery option enables mothers to keep their young children with them, rather than leave children with family members or in foster care.
We are happy to share that all six resident beds are occupied, with five potential clients on the waitlist. Since the program’s launch in April, Centerstone has served 13 women in recovery from substance use disorders, including one pregnant woman. During her time in the program, her case manager helped her obtain baby care items such as clothing, a car seat, a pack-n-play, and other essentials that she could take with her when she left. Centerstone program directors were also able to connect her to a recovery coach, health coach, rehab specialist, and psychiatrist. This young woman will continue to have access to Centerstone care teams to connect her to additional services to further her recovery and safely care for her new child.
“Our work with our community’s most marginalized and vulnerable children and families is possible thanks to funding from the Community Foundation,” said Beth Rodriguez, Centerstone Director of Advancement. “At Centerstone, we see firsthand the power of the Community’s Foundation’s generosity and the passion of their leadership and donors. They are truly changing and saving lives and, for that, we could not be more grateful.”
Advancing regional opioid abuse prevention & education initiatives
At the Community Foundation, we are proud to serve as a collaborator and convener on important topics and issues that affect our community. We have convened and participated in many events and discussions on the evolving opioid epidemic that has affected Hoosiers from all walks of life in all corners of our communities. This year, we are broadening our collaborative efforts through two opioid prevention and education initiatives that will impact Monroe County and our broader region.
The Community Foundation is serving as a lead sponsor and organizer for the 2nd Annual South Central Opioid Summit, happening September 18-19 at Monroe Convention Center. This event brings together elected officials, public health experts, and community leaders from across our region to learn about the science of addiction, treatment options, harm reduction, abuse prevention, legislation, family support, and the many faces of recovery. This year’s event that will serve as a catalyst for collaboration and action on a critical issue that affects all of our communities.
This year, we will also focus the Community Foundation’s Precision Health Granting Initiative on prevention efforts in schools to help students avoid substance abuse and improve students’ social and emotional well-being. The Precision Health initiative serves Brown, Daviess, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Orange, and Owen Counties. More details on the Precision Health grant opportunity will be announced soon.
Grant Spotlight: So much more than fencing
People & Animal Learning Services, Inc. is on a mission is to promote joy, health, and empowerment through therapeutic programs with horses. But, we think they are also on a mission to make dreams possible!
“For my entire life, my wheelchair has always been my mode of transportation. ‘Walking’ away from it on a horse has not only become symbolic of the freedom PALS has given me, but the direction I feel my life has taken since I began taking part in the program.” – Jennifer T.
Jennifer’s story is just one of many incredible stories shared by PALS clients and parents over the years. Since 2000, PALS has provided over 13,000 hours of equine therapy with adults and children with disabilities, seniors, at-risk youth, and veterans.
A horse’s unique movement, similar to the natural human gait, challenges the rider’s posture, balance, and righting reactions to improve the level of body awareness and adjustment. These movements, coupled with the warmth of the horse’s body, are often credited for producing physical improvements related to balance, muscle symmetry, motor function, coordination, and posture. Therapeutic riding also impacts self-confidence and enhances cognitive, social, and emotional well being.
Earlier this year, the Community Foundation awarded a Community Impact Grant to PALS to help fund the construction of new fencing in areas used for therapeutic riding. We’re thrilled to share that this additional fencing will allow PALS to double the number of individuals it can serve. Thanks to the generosity of donors that make Impact Grants possible each year, this grant is about so much more than fencing. It will enable PALS to make dreams a reality for many more children and adults for many years to come!
Applications open for 2019 Community Impact Grants
Impact is the purpose, funding is the vehicle, and local nonprofits are the change agents. The Community Foundation is now accepting letters of intent for this year’s Community Impact Funding Initiative. This competitive granting initiative, co-funded by the Foundation and Smithville Charitable Foundation, will award grants to nonprofit organizations in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to address pressing community problems or compelling opportunities in Monroe County.
Community Impact Grants aim to strengthen the community by supporting innovative projects with lasting impact. Innovation, collaboration, and sustainability are the highest priorities in grant evaluation, and solution-based approaches are the target of this funding initiative.
Interested nonprofits are asked to submit a two-page (maximum) letter of intent to the Community Foundation by September 12, 2018.
View Impact Grant Guidelines & FAQs
Legacy Spotlight: Leaning forward
This is the first of many stories we would like to share with you about people who inspire us. Individuals, couples or groups who care for our community with deliberation. Sometimes these stories will be about people who are known to us. Other times we will be introducing you to those who are quietly giving back. In every instance, the subjects of our stories will be leading by example, giving, doing, sharing, and leaning forward to ensure our community is the best it can be, not just today, but also for tomorrow.
Mark & Katy Bradford: 5% makes a big difference
For Mark and Katy Bradford, giving back to the community is more than a hobby, it’s a passion. Between the two of them, they have served as volunteers and supporters of 16 different local organizations and nonprofits.
Because they have given back in so many diverse ways, the Community Foundation was a perfect vehicle for Mark and Katy to create a lasting philanthropic legacy that would provide for many of the nonprofits they love.
“Our number one estate-planning priority is to assist our children and grandchildren, but we determined they would not miss the 5% of our estate we are investing in the Community Foundation,” said Mark. “Bloomington has been very good to us as we raised our children, and we are enjoying being ’empty nesters,’ so we wanted to give back to this wonderful community.”
Read More about Mark & Katy
Charitable Gift Annuity: A gift that pays you back
There’s never been a better time to make a gift to support a cause you love through the Community Foundation while guaranteeing retirement income. A charitable gift annuity (CGA) is a great way to support our community while also creating a secure source of income for the rest of your life or the life of your loved one.
Establishing a CGA is simple and quick. You donate cash, securities or other assets. You choose the amount, the purpose for the charitable gift, and the frequency of payments — either quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. We invest your gift and begin making fixed payments immediately.
Now, your payments can be even larger. For the first time since 2012, the American Council on Gift Annuities has increased the payout rates for Charitable Gift Annuities. Effective July 1, the rates have raised by 0.30% to 0.50% for most ages! Give us a call if you would like to know more. Contact Meagan Niese, Director of Development, at (812) 333-9016 or [email protected].
Thank you, Dennis McGuire, Dottie Frapwell, & Dan Moore
Three Community Foundation board members completed their terms on June 30th. We want to extend a special thanks to Dennis McGuire, Dottie Frapwell, and Dan Moore for their incredible service to Monroe County and dedication to improving lives in our community!
Each of them has made lasting contributions to the Foundation as exceptional leaders, generous donors, and selfless advocates for Monroe County. They will always be an important part of the Community Foundation family.
New Monroe Smart Start website: Monroe County’s #1 early learning resource
Check out the new Monroe Smart Start website! This new website provides tons of new resources for families to learn about high-quality early learning, find child care, and access kindergarten readiness materials to prepare children to thrive by age five. It also has resources for early childhood educators to learn about quality and Child Development Associate training cohorts, view professional development opportunities, and see available jobs. You can also learn about our leadership and advocacy initiatives to grow access to affordable, high-quality early learning in our community.
A leadership initiative of the Community Foundation, Monroe Smart Start works on behalf of Monroe County’s youngest learners, helping to ensure children are ready for school and ready for learning. The Community Foundation & Monroe Smart Start support high-quality early learning in Monroe County through advocacy, training, education, parental engagement, and child-centered initiatives.
Why Early Learning Matters
When children have high-quality early learning experiences, it impacts the prosperity of the entire community. Check out the Monroe Smart Start websiteto also learn how you can help make quality learning a reality for more kids in our community.
Save the date: Nov 1 Annual Report to the Community
Join us November 1st at Ivy Tech Community College’s Shreve Hall to celebrate the past year of caring people, important causes, and community resources. Our annual event provides an opportunity to honor difference makers in Monroe County and recognize the Monroe County finalists for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship! We also will provide updates on the Foundation’s endowment, fundraising, granting and leadership initiatives. Stay tuned for more details on this event and reception.
Upcoming events and important dates
- September 12: Letters of Intent due for the 2019 Community Impact Funding Initiative. More information.
- September 18-19: The 2nd Annual South Central Opioid Summit. More information.
- September 19: 50+ Men Who Care Quarterly Meeting. More information.
- September 29: Never Lose Hoop Fund Golf Outing. More information.
- Save the Date – November 1: Annual Report to the Community. Stay tuned for details.
- November 7: 100+ Women Who Care Quarterly Meeting. More information.
- Save the Date – December 6: Community Foundation Grant Reception. Stay tuned for details.