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Ten high school seniors have been selected as finalists for Monroe County’s 2020 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. The 2020 finalists will be honored at the Community Foundation’s Annual Report to the Community on Tuesday, November 5.

Monroe County’s 2020 Lilly Scholarship finalists include:

• Hadley Abram, Bloomington High School North
• Marielle Berin, Bloomington High School North
• Joy Sera Bhattacharya, Bloomington High School North
• Ava Crees, Bloomington High School South
• Lexie Floyd, Bloomington High School North
• Erica Goldsworthy, Bloomington High School North
• Nicholas Graef, Edgewood High School
• Joelle Jackson, Bloomington High School North
• Mairéad Kennedy, Bloomington High School South
• Sekou Noble-Kuchera, Bloomington High School North

 “Every year, we are inspired by the applicants for Monroe County’s Lilly Scholarship, said Tina Peterson, the Community Foundation’s president and CEO. “This year is no exception. As scholars, they have achieved; as individuals, they have inspired; and as community members, they have given back. We look forward to recognizing these exceptional finalists at our Annual Report to the Community on November 5, and we hope you will join us.”

This year’s ten finalists were selected from among 87 total Monroe County applications submitted by students from Monroe County high schools.

Applications for the 2020 scholarship were blindly reviewed and independently scored by members of a scholarship committee at each Monroe County high school to identify semifinalists. This year’s 20 semifinalists included eight seniors from Bloomington High School South, seven from Bloomington High School North, four from Edgewood High School, and one from Lighthouse Christian Academy. See complete list of semifinalists.

The Community Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee, which is made up of members of the community and former Monroe County Lilly Scholars, blindly reviewed and scored the semifinalists’ applications to select the ten finalists.

Next, the finalists will be interviewed, and their interview scores will be combined with scoring from the written application. The finalist’s rankings, along with the committee’s recommendations for scholarship recipients, will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. Independent Colleges of Indiana will affirm the scholarship recipients for Monroe County. Monroe County’s two 2020 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars will be named in December.

Lilly Endowment Community Scholars across the state are awarded four-year, full tuition scholarships to pursue baccalaureate degrees at colleges or universities in Indiana. The scholarship also includes up to $900 annually for required textbooks and equipment. In selecting the recipients for the Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, consideration is given to student activities and achievements, community and civic service, academic performance, and leadership potential.

Since 1998, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program has assisted more than 4,626 Indiana high school graduates statewide with more than $392 million in tuition to pursue baccalaureate degrees at Indiana colleges and universities. The program is administered by Independent Colleges of Indiana and community foundations in each of Indiana’s 92 counties.

The Community Foundation’s Annual Report to the Community begins at 4:30 p.m. on November 5 in Shreve Hall at Ivy Tech Bloomington (200 Daniels Way, Bloomington, IN 47404). This annual event is a celebration of the Foundation’s past year of connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.

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 $32 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.

Twenty high school seniors have been selected as semifinalists for Monroe County’s 2020 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. Join us in congratulating these exceptional students:

• Hadley Abram, Bloomington High School North
• Marielle Berin, Bloomington High School North
• Joy Bhattacharya, Bloomington High School North
• Emma Coffey, Edgewood High School
• Alexander Coniaris, Bloomington High School South
• Ava Crees, Bloomington High School South
• Alexandra Floyd, Bloomington High School North
• Alice Ford, Bloomington High School South
• Erica Goldsworthy, Bloomington High School North
• Nicholas Graef, Edgewood High School
• Brandt Guthrie, Edgewood High School
• Joelle Jackson, Bloomington High School North
• Mairead Kennedy, Bloomington High School South
• John Lyles, Bloomington High School South
• Grace May, Bloomington High School South
• Sekou Noble-Kuchera, Bloomington High School North
• Brooke Ramusack, Bloomington High School South
• Ron Underwood, Bloomington High School South
• Colby Wicker, Edgewood High School
• Amelia Wiser, Lighthouse Christian Academy

Monroe County’s 2020 semi-finalists were selected from among 87 applications submitted by students from each Monroe County high school. Applications for the 2020 scholarship were blindly reviewed and independently scored by members of a scholarship committee at each high school to identify semi-finalists. The number of semi-finalists identified is reflective of each school’s senior class size.

Monroe County’s two Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are awarded four-year, full-tuition scholarships to pursue baccalaureate degrees at colleges or universities in Indiana. The scholarship also includes up to $900 annually for required textbooks and equipment. In selecting recipients for the Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, consideration is given to student activities and achievements, community and civic service, academic performance, and leadership potential. Applicants for the scholarship must attend Bloomington High School North, Bloomington High School South, Edgewood High School, Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship, Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics & Humanities, Bloomington Graduation School, or Lighthouse Christian Academy. Read Monroe County’s full Lilly Scholarship eligibility requirements.

The Community Foundation Lilly Scholarship Selection Committee, which is made up of members of the community and former Monroe County Lilly Scholars, will blindly review and score semifinalist applications to select ten finalists. Finalists for the scholarship will be identified in October.

Finalists will then be interviewed, with interview scores combined with scoring from the written application. The finalists’ rankings, along with the committee’s recommendations for scholarship recipients, will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. Independent Colleges of Indiana will affirm the scholarship recipients for Monroe County. Monroe County’s two 2020 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars will be named in December.

Since 1998, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program has assisted more than 4,626 Indiana high school graduates statewide with more than $392 million in tuition to pursue baccalaureate degrees at Indiana colleges and universities. The program is administered by Independent Colleges of Indiana and community foundations in each of Indiana’s 92 counties.

For more information on the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program or other scholarships administered by CFBMC, visit https://cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply-for-a-scholarship/ or contact Marcus Whited, Program Director at 812-333-9016 or [email protected].

Join us in welcoming our new Service Corps Fellow from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. A native of Bloomington, Rebecca Aleman is a first-year graduate student pursuing her master’s degree in public affairs with a concentration in policy analysis. She has a background in nonprofit management and has served as a volunteer and mentor at South Central Community Action Program, Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana, College Mentors for Kids, and City of Bloomington’s Latino Programs and Outreach.

Rebecca believes in the strength of our community. Through engagement and building capacity of our local nonprofits and organizations, she believes we can work together to build an even stronger, healthier, and happier community. Rebecca will be working with the Foundation in the areas of grantmaking, asset development, and communications.

We can’t wait for you to meet her!

The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County has opened the grant application for its annual Community Impact Funding Initiative. This competitive granting program, co-funded by Smithville Charitable Foundation, is designed to fuel innovative ideas and lasting impact in our community through funding opportunities to meet our community’s most pressing needs and seize its most compelling opportunities. This year, priority consideration will be given to projects and programs identified as potential solutions in the Monroe County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan.

“The Community Foundation is proud of the role that we play in supporting the advancement of the Indiana Uplands region,” said President and CEO Tina Peterson. “We want to ensure that our children, families, and employers have every reason to stay in the Indiana Uplands and Monroe County. By aligning this year’s impact grants to the Monroe County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan, we will enhance the live, work, play environment for the benefit of all and improve our ability to attract and retain talent in our community.”

Peterson added, “We are also grateful for the generosity of Community Foundation donors and Smithville Charitable Foundation for entrusting us to invest in innovative programs and ideas to improve the quality of life for all who call Bloomington and Monroe County home.”

Impact Grant Timeline and Process

Local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and tax-exempt entities are eligible to apply. This includes nonprofits, units of government, school corporations and education institutions, and religious organizations.

The Community Impact Funding Initiative uses a two-part grant proposal process. Interested agencies should submit a two-page (maximum) letter of intent to the Community Foundation by September 6, 2019. View specific instructions for letters of intent.

Following a review of the letters of intent, selected organizations will be invited to submit full grant applications online, which will be due October 30. The 2020 Community Impact Grants will be awarded at the Community Foundation Grant Reception on December 12.

Grant Information Workshop: August 7^th

For additional guidance on preparing letters of intent and applications that align with the Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan, the Community Foundation will host a workshop on Thursday, August 7, 10am-12pm at the Fountain Square Ballroom. Attendance at this workshop is recommended. RSVP for the Aug 7th Grant Workshop by contacting Marcus Whited at [email protected].

The Monroe County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan

Developed through the Regional Opportunity Initiatives’ (ROI) Ready Communities Initiative, the Monroe County plan was completed in 2019 through a community engagement process co-led by the Community Foundation and Bloomington Economic Development Corporation. A 28-person advisory team of community stakeholders served as the advisory team and provided input to ensure the plan was locally relevant.

The ROI Ready Communities Initiative helps communities plan, develop, and implement projects and programs that build quality of place, grow regional capacity for workforce development and attraction, and improve the attributes and amenities that make the Indiana Uplands a desirable place to live, work and play.

The Monroe County plan identifies specific priorities and projects to improve quality of place and attract the in-demand, highly skilled workforce that will draw diverse opportunities, innovation, and high-paying jobs to our community. View the Monroe County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan.

Impact Grant Funding

Local 501(c)(3) organizations and other organizations exempt from filing for 501(c)(3) status may apply for the 2020 grants Initiative with requests ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Grant funding is designed to support a broad range of community needs such as arts and culture, social and health services, education, recreation, beautification and preservation, animal welfare, the environment, and community development opportunities.

Guidelines and instructions for the 2020 grant initiative are available online at https://cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply-for-a-grant/community-impact-grants/. For more information on eligibility and application procedures, contact CFBMC Program Director Marcus Whited at (812) 333-9016 or [email protected].

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 $32 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.

About Smithville Charitable Foundation: Inspired by altruism, The Smithville Charitable Foundation was established in 2007 as a desire to enrich lives by creating opportunities and bringing necessities to the communities served by Smithville Communications. As a private foundation, Smithville Charitable Foundation works closely with community foundations in the 17 counties of its service territory to support a variety of causes related to religion, education, health, the arts, relief of poverty or distress, and various public organizations.

Deadline to apply for eligible high school seniors is August 26, 2019

The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) has opened applications for the 2020 Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. Interested high school seniors have until Monday, August 26 to submit their applications to be considered for the scholarship program. Apply now.

Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are awarded four-year, full tuition scholarships to pursue baccalaureate degrees at colleges or universities in Indiana. The scholarship also includes up to $900 annually for required textbooks and equipment. In selecting recipients for the Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, consideration is given to student activities and achievements, community and civic service, academic performance, and leadership potential. Semifinalists for the scholarship will be identified in September. Finalists will be identified in October, and the two 2020 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars for Monroe County will be named in December 2019.

“To ensure that every eligible student has the opportunity to apply, we want students and families to be aware that the timeline for the Lilly Scholar program is earlier than many other scholarship programs,” said Program Director Marcus Whited. “We encourage students to review the Lilly Scholarship application online this week and reach out early to teachers, school staff, and others for the required recommendations.”

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicant must be a resident of Monroe County.
• Applicant must attend an accredited Monroe County high school and/or the Indiana Academy for at least three consecutive years.
• Applicant must graduate by June of 2020 from one of these eligible schools: Bloomington High School North, Bloomington High School South, Edgewood High School, Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship, Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics & Humanities, Bloomington Graduation School, and Lighthouse Christian Academy.
• Applicant must have a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or above (on a weighted four-point scale) through the end of their junior year.
• Applicant plans to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an Indiana college or university beginning in the Fall of 2020.

Evaluation Process:

Applications are blindly reviewed and independently scored by members of a Lilly Scholarship committee at each Monroe County high school to identify semi-finalists. The number of semi-finalists identified is reflective of each school’s senior class size.

Next, the Community Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee will evaluate the semi-finalists applications from each school. This committee, which is made up of members of the community and former Monroe County Lilly Scholars, blindly reviews and scores applications from the semi-finalists to select ten finalists. In October, each finalist will be interviewed, and their interview scores will be combined with scoring from the written application. The finalist’s rankings, along with the committee’s recommendations for scholarship nominees, will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. for final selection of scholarship recipients for Monroe County prior to announcement in December.

“We are grateful that the Lilly Endowment in collaboration with Independent Colleges of Indiana continues to incent young people to pursue their post-secondary education at Indiana’s world-class higher education institutions,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Tina Peterson. “Exceptional career opportunities exist here in the Uplands and across the state as well. Our hope is that these students not only stay here for school but to work and raise their families, too. Our thriving industries offer great opportunities and are hungry for talent.”

Since 1998, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program has assisted more than 4,626 Indiana high school graduates statewide with more than $392 million in tuition to pursue baccalaureate degrees at Indiana colleges and universities. The program is administered by Independent Colleges of Indiana and community foundations in each of Indiana’s 92 counties.

For more information on the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program or other scholarships administered by CFBMC, visit https://cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply-for-a-scholarship/ or contact Marcus Whited, Program Director at 812-333-9016 or [email protected].

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 $25 million to more than 400 local nonprofit organizations since its incorporation in 1990. With a growing $32 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.

🎓We’re proud to share that 20 high school and college students in Monroe County have been awarded Community Foundation scholarships this year!

These scholarships are possible each year thanks to the generosity of donors who have established funds to benefit talented young people in our community.

See the complete list of 2019 scholarship recipients.