Author: CFBMC Staff

The Monroe County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan is now available for viewing.

The plan was developed through the Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI)Ready Communities Planning Grant to advance quality of place and workforce attraction strategies in the Indiana Uplands region.

ROI has opened up applications for its first round of Ready Communities Implementation Grants for projects in counties that have completed a Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan. Three rounds of funding will be available at $1 million per round for a total of $3 million in implementation grant funding. The second round will open in summer 2019, and the third round opens in early 2020. Grants will be available in amounts from $100,000 to $250,000 per grant in each round. View details on the ROI website.

In 2018, Author Solutions, LLC, employees worked together to publish “Btown: A Day with Hoagy and Lemon Limestone” as a way to celebrate Bloomington’s Bicentennial and give back to the community. The book’s title characters explore significant Bloomington landscapes and monuments.

Author Solutions selected the Community Foundation as the beneficiary of book sales during Bloomington’s bicentennial year. On February 25, Author Solutions presented the Community Foundation with a check for $5,000. As a gift to the Community Foundation’s unrestricted fund, this donation is eligible for matching funds from the Lilly Endowment. Because the Endowment will provide $2 for every $1 contributed, we’re proud to share that Author Solutions total gift will equal $15,000 to support Monroe County’s most pressing needs and compelling opportunities. Read more about the Lilly Endowment Inc.’s seventh phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative.

“We would like to thank Author Solutions for bringing to life this literary adventure to commemorate Bloomington’s bicentennial,” said Community Foundation president and CEO Tina Peterson. “It will be treasured by families, children, and the Foundation for many years to come.”

Author Solutions also donated 300 of these great books to support Monroe County Smart Start’s Let’s Read Literacy Program  – putting this local literary adventure in the hands of children throughout the community.

“We were thankful to receive overwhelming support—from local businesses that sold copies of the book to events such as Bicentennial on the B-Line and the Holiday Market. We were blown away by the response and support from fellow Bloomingtonians,” said Bill Elliot, president at Author Solutions.

“I saw an opportunity to gather a group of people and do something special for our little town. It’s really a love letter to our amazing community,” said Keegan Allanson, manager of corporate design and R&D, as well as the catalyst behind the idea.

About Author Solutions:

With corporate headquarters in Bloomington, IN, Author Solutions is the world leader in supported self-publishing with services to enable authors to publish, promote and distribute their books. With imprints on six continents, the company has helped more than 225,000 authors bring to market nearly 300,000 titles. Visit authorsolutions.com to learn more about Author Solutions’ supported self-publishing services.

Marching grant funds to support unrestricted, Thrive by Five, agency, field of interest, and donor advised endowment funds.

The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) has received a grant of $1 million 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.

“The Endowment’s commitment to accelerating the growth of Community Foundations in all 92 Indiana counties speaks to their belief in the role that local philanthropy should play in advancing opportunity at home and across the state,” said President and CEO Tina Peterson. “How fortunate we are that the Endowment not only helps community foundations grow strategic resources but also allows us the flexibility to do so in the most locally relevant way.”

CFBMC will use this matching fund grant to build endowment assets to support our charitable activities. At least two-thirds ($667,000) of the matching fund grant must be designated to support the growth of CFBMC’s unrestricted endowments, which over time will provide flexibility to help the Foundation to meet the community’s most pressing needs or compelling opportunities. The Endowment will provide $2 for every $1 contributed to CFBMC’s unrestricted funds during the matching period, October 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020.

CFBMC has designated up to one-third of the matching fund grant ($333,000) to support other charitable endowment funds that support our community’s priorities. The Endowment will provide 50 cents for every $1 for gifts to these endowment funds during the matching period. The CFBMC Board of Directors has selected three types of funding opportunities available for this portion of the matching grant:

• The Thrive by Five Campaign & early learning endowment gifts: Launched in 2017, Thrive by Five is an endowment campaign with a goal to raise $1 million to sustain early learning initiatives in Monroe County through the Community Foundation’s Monroe Smart Start program. Thrive by Five endowment funds will be used for increasing access to high-quality education, improving quality of programs, cultivating family engagement and community partnerships, developing training opportunities for educators, and providing required community matching funds for On My Way Pre-K students.
  
• New and existing agency endowments: Matching funds are available for selected 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to establish a new agency endowment funds or grow existing endowments at the Community Foundation. Local nonprofits were invited to submit an application to participate in the agency matching program, and all the nonprofits that applied were accepted. The match period for this funding opportunity begins in February 2019. Participating agencies and more information can be found at: https://cfbmc.org/agency-matching-program/

• Field of interest and donor advised fund gifts: Support for field of interest or donor-advised endowments at the Community Foundation. Contributions to these types of funds give donors opportunities to target areas from basic needs to economic development, arts to the environment, health and recreation to social services for local families and more.

“The strategy we have chosen for maximizing the impact of GIFT VII will allow donors the flexibility to support their personally philanthropic passions,” added Peterson. “With only a few exceptions, we can deploy match dollars to support any type of endowed fund or charitable purpose. This gives us the opportunity to enhance our capacity as a strategic grant maker while also helping local nonprofits grow their capacity. Any way you look at it, it’s a win for Monroe County!”

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 CFMBC’s board of directors, the Endowment also will award an additional $100,000 unrestricted grant if the foundation achieves 100 percent financial support from each of our board members during the period January 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.

“The Community Foundation board of directors has always valued leadership giving as an imperative of board membership,” said CFBMC Board Chair and Chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College – Bloomington Jennie Vaughan. “In the last round of Endowment matching, our board members personally contributed over $100,000 toward the matching goal. There is no question that our board will once again participate in GIFT VII by supporting both the matching goal and the board giving goal, as well.”

This year, CFBMC will also 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 our 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 Monroe County.

“The Community Foundation Board and Staff are exploring topics and strategies for which we are uniquely positioned to address through a leadership initiative, said Peterson. “We will be looking for feedback and input from stakeholders from across our community to ensure that our efforts are locally relevant and specific.”

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.

Scholarship season is in the air! Thanks to the generous support of donors and community partners, the Community Foundation is proud to administer a number of educational scholarship funds for students in Monroe County.

Help us get the word out to high school seniors and families you know. The following scholarships have upcoming application deadlines!

Stinesville High School Alumni Scholarship

Deadline to apply: February 28, 2019

This scholarship is awarded to an Edgewood High School senior who has a Bean Blossom Township School affiliation. Consideration is given for academic as well as other achievements, leadership activities, extra-curricular skills, financial need, and the student’s work record.  View more information about Stinesville High School Alumni Scholarship.

Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club Betty Burnett Welke Scholarship

Deadline to apply: February 28, 2019

This memorial scholarship honors Betty Burnett’s years of service and commitment to the Pi Beta Phi chapter at Indiana University. Applicant must be a member in good standing of the Indiana Chapter of Pi Beta Phi; be a sophomore or junior currently attending IU – Bloomington; have at least a 2.50 overall GPA, and exhibit outstanding service to the chapter and to IU. View more information about Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club Betty Burnett Welke Scholarship.

Monroe County Ag Day Scholarship

Deadline to apply: March 17, 2019

This scholarship is awarded to a current senior in high school who meets at least one of the following criteria: raised on a farm, member/former member of the Monroe County 4-H program, current member of an FFA chapter in Monroe County. Scholarship(s) may be used for college tuition, fees, books, and/or equipment necessary for coursework. Applicants may major in any area of study; however, preference will be given to those individuals majoring in Agriculture, Home Economics or Natural Resources. View more information about Monroe County Ag Day Scholarship.

Carl Deal, Jr. Memorial Scholarship

Deadline to apply: March 17, 2019

This scholarship was created in honor of Carl Deal Jr. Mr. Deal felt a strong passion for The Boys & Girls Club and their strong commitment and success in our community, the lives of his family and friends and he appreciated the commitment and impact that BGCB had on his life.  Carl was a long-time Boys & Girls Club member and wanted to give back to the young people of this community. Upon his death, his friends, co-workers and family coordinated an annual fundraiser known as “King’s Blues, BBQ & Funkfest”, in order to raise funds to create a scholarship to be presented annually to a current, or former Boys & Girls Club member, for post-secondary education or training. For more information and the online application, View more information about the Carl Deal, Jr. Memorial Scholarship.

Thomas Moeller Memorial Scholarship

Deadline to apply: April 15, 2019

This memorial scholarship honors Thomas Moeller’s musical talents and provides opportunities for students to pursue music education. Applicants are high school students – grades 10 to 12 who reside in Monroe County and wish to pursue music endeavors. Examples of expenses eligible for this scholarship award include, but are not limited to, rental or purchase of a musical instrument, music lessons, fees for musical competition, recording projects, vocal lessons, tuition for music camp (college tuition/fees for music and/or music education major may be considered). View more information about the Tom Moeller Memorial Scholarship.

For a complete list of Community Foundation scholarships, visit the Apply For A Scholarship page.

For specific questions on these or other scholarship opportunities, please contact Program Director Marcus Whited at [email protected] or 812-333-9016.

Funding to increase capacity of high-quality early childhood education in Monroe County

The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) is a recipient of two early childhood education capacity-building grants: $215,858.40 from the Indiana Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) and $32,000 from Early Learning Indiana.

“For the last decade, the Community Foundation has been working closely with our local partners to improve the quality and accessibility of early learning experiences through our Monroe Smart Start Initiative,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Tina Peterson. “We are incredibly grateful to have seen, over the last several years, increased state support for early learning in Monroe County as well. This latest investment in our community by OECOSL and Early Learning Indiana will expand local capacity to serve those children who need it most, and for that, we are incredibly grateful.”

The $215,858.40 grant from the Indiana Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) will be used to help early childhood sites serve more pre-K children in Monroe County and increase the quality of early education opportunities. OECOSL is a division of the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration. CFBMC was one of 12 applicants receiving more than $1.4 million in grants. The funding for the grants was appropriated in 2017 via House Enrolled Act 1004, which Governor Eric J. Holcomb signed into law as part of his 2017 Next Level Agenda. See the December 19 announcement and full list of grant recipients at: https://www.in.gov/fssa/files/FINAL_Capacity_Bldg_PR-Dec.pdf.

The Community Foundation will use the grant funds to support the following early childhood education programs in Monroe County:

• Bloomington Center for Global Children,
• Covenant Christian Early Learning Place,
• Discovery Train,
• Edgewood Early Childhood Center,
• Penny Lane West, and
• SCCAP Head Start First United

These local early childhood programs will use the grant funding for:

• Training and professional development of teaching staff and personnel
• Classroom materials that demonstrate increased outcomes for children
• Evidence-based curriculum and instructional materials including professional development for teaching staff to utilize the curriculum

“Covenant Christian Early Learning Place is incredibly grateful for the opportunity this grant gives our children, and we are so excited to see how this opportunity will bless our child care facility,” said Director of the Covenant Christian Early Learning Place Shelly Hunt. “We believe this grant will allow us to better help the children of our great community.”

The OECOSL capacity building grants will also allow these Monroe County early education programs to improve quality programming, helping them to reach or maintain level 3 or 4 in Paths to QUALITY™. Paths to QUALITY™ is Indiana’s voluntary, statewide rating system for early care and education programs. It is a resource to help families make informed decisions and to help early care and education providers improve the quality of their programs. As programs advance levels from 1 to 4, providers demonstrate significant quality improvements that support health and safety, learning environments, planned curriculum, and national accreditation. More information about Paths to QUALITY^TM can be foundat: https://www.in.gov/fssa/2554.htm.

“High-quality early childhood education provides a solid foundation for success in school and in life,” said Monroe Smart Start Coordinator Jennifer Myers. “During the first five years of life, a child’s brain develops at a faster pace than during any other time. It is essential that children have a nurturing environment to safely explore, play, and learn. Using developmentally appropriate practice, high-quality programs provide a foundation for school readiness. At each age, early childhood educators provide materials and learning experiences to support a child’s physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and language development.”

Grant funding in Monroe County will also support classroom assessments and professional development facilitated by Indiana University’s Early Childhood Center. A portion of the funding will support community and family engagement opportunities and marketing efforts.

The $32,000 grant from Early Learning Indiana will support construction costs associated with adding classrooms to serve 24 more children at the Covenant Christian Early Learning Place. CFBMC was one of seven applicants receiving nearly $329,000 in grants from Early Learning Indiana. These grants were made in conjunction with capacity-building grants released by OECOSL in December. Early Learning Indiana has awarded more than $2.5 million in grants to create 1,800 new high-quality seats throughout the state. Grants like these are made possible thanks to the generous support of the Lilly Endowment and its $20 million in support of Early Learning Indiana’s efforts.

See the January Early Learning Indiana announcement and full list of grant recipients at: https://earlylearningin.org/early-learning-indiana-awards-329k-in-grants-to-expand-eight-early-learning-programs/

In July 2017, Monroe County was also selected by OECOSL as one of 20 counties eligible to participate in On My Way Pre-K, Indiana’s first state-funded prekindergarten grant program. This program makes high-quality prekindergarten available for free to 4-year-olds from low-income families. Monroe Smart Start is serving as project lead to coordinate and implement On My Way Pre-K in Monroe County in collaboration with OECOSL and Chances and Services for Youth (CASY), Monroe County’s child care resource and referral agency.

About Monroe Smart Start:

Since 2013, the Community Foundation has invested more than $1.4 million in early childhood education initiatives. Monroe Smart Start, a leadership initiative of the Community Foundation, works on behalf of our community’s youngest learners, helping to ensure children are ready for school and ready for life. Monroe Smart Start promotes early childhood education by increasing access to high-quality early learning experiences, professional development for educators, family engagement and community partnerships, early learning advocacy, and On My Way Pre-K enrollment support. More information can be found at www.monroesmartstart.org.

About Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County: Created by individuals, families, and businesses who share a passion for Monroe County and a vision for its future, the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County has granted $27 million to more than 400 local nonprofit organizations since its incorporation in 1990. With a growing $33 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes and community resources. More information can be found at www.cfbmc.org