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Happy New Year!

Strange as it may seem, I’d like to wish you a very happy new year! July 1st marks the beginning of the Community Foundation’s fiscal year, and it brings with it all the promise and anticipation some might more commonly associate with January 1st.

As you read through this newsletter, you’ll get a good feel for some of that promise: new opportunities for early learning in our community, the next round of Lilly Community scholarships, the latest iteration of impact granting, and initiatives to continue aligning the 11 counties of Southwest Central Indiana for sustainable economic and community prosperity.

As for anticipation, our staff and board are in the process of preparing for grantmaking from each of the 215 funds that comprise the Foundation’s endowment. After our annual audit is complete in early Fall, we will begin making these grants:

• From designated and agency funds: We will distribute over 100 checks to nonprofits, in Monroe County and beyond, as designated by the donor(s) that established each fund.
• From field of interest funds: We will identify needs and opportunities that can be supported with grants that align with the fund founder’s area (field) of interest. These interests are broad and far reaching from community beautification and animal welfare to sheltering and education.
• From unrestricted funds: We will support the Community Impact Funding Initiative, early childhood education, and much more. These funds give us the greatest opportunity to be responsive and flexible in addressing the needs of our community year in and year out. For example, this year we will partner with our friends from Monroe County, Centerstone and others to sponsor the Opioid Summit and consider other ways we might enable solutions to this and other significant challenges that we face as a community. We will also work with the City in developing a Community Development Finance Institution.
• From donor advised funds: We will work with individuals and families to identify the most fulfilling and responsive ways to support the community using annual grants from these funds.

As this New Year begins at the Community Foundation, what we call fiscal year ’18, we look forward to another year of using our resources that exist because of the generosity of donors, to connect caring people with compelling causes. Our goal is always to create significant and relevant impact. What better way to start a new year!

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Monroe County Selected for On My Way Pre-K

On June 7, Governor Eric J. Holcomb released the list of 15 counties eligible to take part in the expanded On My Way Pre-K program, and Monroe County is among them! This program will make prekindergarten available in our community to more 4-year-olds from low-income families. Local providers will enroll students for the 2018-2019 school year, and limited participation could begin as early as January.

“We have, as a community, been very thoughtful about improving the quality of early learning experiences locally and growing access for those children from families who financially wouldn’t have the capacity to do so otherwise,” said Tina Peterson. “In the state of Indiana, we know for every dollar we invest in early care, it will generate another four dollars in benefit,” Peterson added. “It pays for itself in the long term. It’s good for families, it’s good for communities, and it’s really good for workforce development and for supporting local employers.” Read More.

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Cary Curry Lighting Up the Dance Floor for CFBMC

The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County is proud to be among seven local nonprofit organizations chosen by leaders in our community to benefit from the Dancing with the Celebrities Competition. A very special thank you to Cary Curry, owner of Curry Auto Center, for dancing on behalf of CFBMC!

Cary will be dancing this year to support the creation of a new Community Foundation endowment. The Curry Family Fund for a Compassionate & Caring Community will support activities that foster greater compassion in our community, such as mentoring initiatives, programs for at-risk children and families, faith-based community support, and more.

You can help Cary win the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy! Every dollar raised between now and September counts as a vote. The trophy will be awarded the night of the event to the nonprofit and celebrity dancer that raises the most funds. Donate today (select the Cary Curry – Dancing with the Celebrities fund).
SAVE THE DATE to cheer on Cary as he lights up the dance floor! Dancing with the Celebrities is September 9 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Read More.

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Special Thanks to CFBMC Board Members

Three of our board members completed their terms with the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County on June 30th.

Mayer Maloney, Denise Howard and Ted Najam each served for nine years and all have made lasting contributions to the Foundation and the community. Thank you for your tremendous leadership and selfless dedication to improving the lives of people in Monroe County!

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2017 Impact Grants Focused on Empowering Youth

2018 guidelines and details to be announced in August.

Earlier this year, CFBMC and Smithville Charitable Foundation awarded $325,000 in 2017 Community Impact Grants. Fourteen grants were awarded with $250,000 allocated specifically to fund projects that “empower youth to reach their potential.”

“In fiscal year 2017, we asked for grant projects designed to prepare young people for success and provide them with the skills, knowledge, and awareness to inspire and equip them to reach their full potential,” said Tina Peterson, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County.

“The response to our request was overwhelming. From prevention of substance abuse and addiction, character and leadership development, and career awareness to tolerance and acceptance of others, the substance of the grants funded is timely, essential, and relevant to our community.” Read More.
The next round of impact granting will be announced in late summer 2017.
See List of 2017 Impact Grant Recipients

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2017 Scholarship Recipients Announced

The Community Foundation is proud to help local students and adults to fund their educational dreams. Established by generous individuals and companies, CFBMC’s scholarship programs help members of our community pursue continuing education, develop their unique potential, and enhance their ability to contribute to Monroe County and society.

Congratulations to the Community Foundation’s 2017 scholarship recipients. We wish them well as they begin their educational journeys and pursue their career aspirations.

See List of 2017 Scholarship Recipients

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Application Now Available for the Lilly Scholarship

Applications for the Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are now available online. 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.

Interested high school seniors have until Thursday, August 31st to submit their applications to be considered for the scholarship program. Finalists for the scholarship will be identified in October, and the two 2018 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars for Monroe County will be named in December 2017. Read More.

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Infographic: How Does An Endowment Fund Work?

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Giving Online Just Got Easier

We recently launched a new online giving form to make it even easier to support one of the Community Foundation’s 215 funds. Along with an improved user interface, you can now set up recurring donations and pay via Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express and PayPal. Have questions about making a gift online, contact Meagan Niese at 812.333.9016 or [email protected].
Make A Gift Online Now

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Upcoming Events and Important Dates

• August 31: Application deadline for the 2018 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program
• September 9: Join us to cheer on Cary Curry at Dancing with the Celebrities (tickets available now!)
• September 28: First Annual South Central Opioid Summit. This free, one-day summit, will bring people together to collaborate on the region’s opioid epidemic. Register Now.

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ROI Announces New Regional Workforce & Education Initiatives

Regional Opportunity Initiatives introduced a series of education, workforce and quality of life initiatives at its first Annual Report to the Region held on April 26 in French Lick, IN.

Initiatives announced will impact the 11 counties of Southwest Central Indiana and include a Ready Schools Initiative, STEM Fellows, Out-of-School STEM Learning Grants, a cybersecurity challenge, an Educator Boot Camp with local employers, the Skill UP! Work and Learn Internship program for technology students, a Speakers Bureau, a competitive positioning and branding effort, and quality of place grantmaking. In addition, regional convenings will take place this summer around career pathways and adult education. Ongoing initiatives include the I69 interchange analysis and Graduation and Career Coaching in 11 Southwest Central Indiana high schools.  Read More.

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Interested high school seniors must apply by August 31^st.

Applications for the Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are now available online through the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County website (https://cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply-for-a-scholarship/lilly/). Interested high school seniors have until Thursday, August 31^st to submit their applications to be considered for the scholarship program.

Finalists for the scholarship will be identified in October and the two 2018 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars for Monroe County will be named in December 2017.

“Our community is blessed with exceptionally talented young people and we’re honored to award Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships to deserving Monroe County students again this year,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Tina Peterson. “To ensure that every eligible student has the opportunity to apply, we want our community to be aware that the timeline for the Lilly Scholar program is earlier than many other scholarship programs. We encourage students and parents to review the Lilly Scholarship application online this week and begin reaching out to teachers, school staff and others for the required recommendations.”

Lilly Scholarship Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicant must be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of Monroe County, Indiana.
• Applicant must have attended an accredited Monroe County high school and/or the Indiana Academy for four years and graduate by June of 2018. Eligible schools include: 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 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 2018.

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.

Since 1998, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program has assisted more than 4,000 Indiana high school graduates with more than $300 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 $30 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes and community resources.

Today, Governor Eric J. Holcomb released the list of 15 counties eligible to take part in the expanded On My Way Pre-K program and we’re pleased to share that Monroe County is among them. This program will make prekindergarten available to 4-year-olds in our community from low-income families. Local providers will enroll students for the 2018-2019 school year and limited participation could begin as early as January. The General Assembly approved an additional $10 million per year to expand the program from five pilot counties to 20. 

“We have, as a community, been very thoughtful about improving the quality of early learning experiences in this community and the access to those experiences for those who financially wouldn’t have the capacity to do so otherwise,” said Tina Peterson, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County.

“In the state of Indiana, we know for every dollar we invest in early care, it’s going to generate another four dollars, so it pays for itself in the long term,” Peterson added. “It’s good for families, it’s good for communities, and it’s really good for workforce development and for supporting local employers.”

The Community Foundation has invested more than $1 million in early childhood education initiatives over the last five years. 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. Initiatives supported include increasing access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education, quality care for local early childhood educators, and family and community engagement. Read more about these initiatives.

The On My Way Pre-K announcement from Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb:

Governor Holcomb announces 15 additional counties selected for FSSA’s On My Way Pre-K program

Indianapolis (June 7, 2017) – Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced 15 additional Indiana counties are now eligible to participate in On My Way Pre-K, making prekindergarten available in 2018 to 4-year-olds from low-income families in those counties. Earlier this year, the Indiana General Assembly expanded the program from five pilot counties to 20 counties in House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1004-2017.

The new counties added to the On My Way Pre-K program are Bartholomew, DeKalb, Delaware, Elkhart, Floyd, Grant, Harrison, Howard, Kosciusko, Madison, Marshall, Monroe, St. Joseph, Tippecanoe and Vigo. Participating local providers in these counties will be expected to enroll children in On My Way Pre-K for the 2018/2019 school year, with the possibility of a limited program beginning in January of 2018.

These additional counties will join Allen, Jackson, Lake, Marion and Vanderburgh counties, which have provided early education via the On My Way Pre-K program since 2015 when first authorized by the General Assembly.

“Eligible Hoosier children who start at the back of the line now have an opportunity to move ahead when enrolled in a high-quality pre-kindergarten program,” Governor Holcomb said. “A strategic investment now to expand state-funded prekindergarten for children from low-income families is an essential investment we must make in Indiana’s workforce and our state’s future.”

“We at FSSA already know from the two years we have spent managing the five-county pilot of On My Way Pre-K that children who begin the program are some of the most educationally needy in our state, yet they make higher gains than their peers in important aspects of school readiness such as language comprehension, early literacy, executive functioning and a reduction in behavior problems in the classroom,” said Indiana Family and Social Services Secretary Dr. Jennifer Walthall. “We hope the expansion of On My Way Pre-K will double the number of Hoosier children receiving these important benefits.”

HEA 1004 tasked the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) via its Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL), to identify 15 additional counties that demonstrated readiness to support an expansion of the On My Way Pre-K program. In total, OECOSL asked 27 counties for readiness statements based upon the following factors:

• To evaluate need in the community
  • The number of 4-year-olds being served under the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) in each county, as well as any children who were on the CCDF waitlist
• To evaluate available capacity
  • The number of Early Care and Education (ECE) providers who have reached a Level 3 or 4 in the Paths to Quality (PTQ) system in each county
  • Demonstration that capacity might be available based upon number of Level 3 and 4 (PTQ) child care providers existing in county vs. the number of children currently being served
• To evaluate community support
  • The demonstration that the county has an active ECE coalition that could support community engagement as well as philanthropic support 

Twenty of the 27 counties responded to OECOSL’s request for information. Applications were then scored by two separate groups of early learning professionals. Scoring included the following key criteria:

• The county’s readiness to implement and sustain the program, including the ability to raise the statutorily required community contribution
• The involvement of all community partners that would support a mixed delivery system that includes public and private schools, child care home providers, child care centers and ministries
• The number of potentially eligible children
• Whether the county was defined as “rural” or “primarily rural” by the U.S. Census Bureau
• The kindergarten retention rate in the county

HEA 1004 required that consideration be given to counties that are primarily rural. It also required counties to secure a community contribution of a minimum of five percent of the state’s total investment in that county’s program. The 2017 Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) annual report estimates about 6,700 4-year-olds in these new counties are likely to need care and whose families have incomes at or below 127 percent of Federal Poverty Level (FPL), which is required for eligibility.

In addition to representatives of FSSA’s OECOSL, the team of reviewers included early education professionals from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), Head Start, the Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC), the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (Indiana AEYC) Early Learning Indiana, United Way of Central Indiana, and the University of Southern Indiana’s Department of Teacher Education.

More information about On My Way Pre-K is available here.

Registration is $25 per person for the June 5 event at Monroe Convention Center

Business leaders, educators, funders, civic leaders, lawmakers and early childhood experts will be in Bloomington on June 5th (9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.) for the 2017 Indiana Summit for Economic Development via Early Learning Coalitions at Monroe Convention Center.

This second annual event is an opportunity to bring people together from around Indiana to learn about the business case for investing in early childhood education and discuss ways to develop, grow and sustain early learning coalitions in communities. The Summit is being presented by Early Learning Indiana, the Indiana Early Learning Advisory Committee, Muncie BY5, and Monroe Smart Start, a leadership initiative of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County.

“We are very pleased to host the second annual early learning summit in Monroe County, a community that has embraced the importance of high-quality early learning in preparing children for success in school and in life,” said Tina Peterson, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County. “We have a great story to share about the importance of community collaboration in supporting our youngest learners. However, we also have more to learn. Like communities around the State, we still have a great deal of work to do in meeting the early learning needs of children and families. This summit allows us to come together as a state to improve economic outcomes for children, their families, and Indiana.”

The summit is a full day event with speakers and sessions covering a wide range of topics, including

•  the economic impact of investing in early learning,
• using early childhood data to drive programming,
• coalition building through strategic planning and engagement with businesses, key stakeholders, families and communities;
• and continuous quality improvement in early learning education.

Dr. Tim Bartik, Senior Economist at the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research and author of Investing in Kids, will be the keynote luncheon speaker. Bartik will highlight how early childhood education supports workforce and economic development. Dr. Bartik’s research explores state and local economic development and labor markets, including how early childhood programs impact local economies and job-creation programs.

Hoosier native Erin Ramsey, Senior Manager for Mind in the Making at the Bezos Family Foundation, will present on the importance of early brain development for social and emotional skills. Jeffrey Connor-Naylor, Senior Associate at Ready Nation, will share highlights from his latest research, “Social-Emotional Skills in Early Childhood Support Workforce Success.” Emcees for the event will be Gerry Dick, President and Managing Editor of Inside INdiana Business, and Bob Zaltsberg, Editor of the Bloomington Herald-Times.

Registration is open to all and encouraged for business leaders, community, civic and economic professionals, educators (pre-k through higher education) and healthcare leaders. Go to http://www.elacindiana.org/indianasummit/ to register. Registration is $25 and corporate/ business sponsorships are also available. Please contact Jennifer Myers at [email protected] for more information.

About Monroe Smart Start
Monroe Smart Start, a leadership initiative of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, works on behalf of our community’s youngest learners, helping to ensure children are ready for school and ready for life.

Since 2009, Monroe Smart Start has supported the following early childhood education initiatives:

• Funding to establish tuition-free preschools in all Monroe County Community School Corporation Title I elementary schools: Arlington Heights, Fairview, Grandview, Highland Park, Summit and Templeton.
• Expanding the capacity of local nonprofits to provide quality early learning experiences for children and families needing support.
• Funding for preschool parent liaisons for Monroe County Community School Corporation and Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation to facilitate learning through engagement activities and events for parents and families.
• Improved education quality through funding to local early childhood educators to participate in cohorts that provide training, mentoring and resources to help increase levels in Paths to QUALITYTM, Indiana’s child care quality rating and improvement system
• Let’s Read, a literacy outreach program at IU Riley Health locations in Monroe County that provides over 8,000 children and families appropriate age level books along with helpful literacy and developmental guide sheets during wellness exams.

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 nearly $25 million to more than 400 local nonprofit organizations since its incorporation in 1990. With a growing $27 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes and community resources.

Fourteen grants awarded with $250,000 allocated specifically to fund projects that empower local youth.

The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) has announced the recipients of its 2017 Community Impact Grants. The Community Impact Funding Initiative is a collaborative effort of the Community Foundation and Smithville Charitable Foundation. Grant recipients were honored at a special event on Monday, January 9.

Fourteen grants were awarded from an original field of 53 applicants. Grants range in size from $10,000 to $38,500 for a total of $325,650. Community Impact Grants focus on funding charitable efforts that address pressing problems, have the potential for encouraging change, and create solutions to the issues that impact our community. Funding requests for projects that “empower youth to reach their potential” received priority in the evaluation process this year. Several quality-of-life grants were also awarded for impact projects that benefit all age groups in the community.

“Indiana has the 15^th largest population of children in the United States with more than 1.5 million children younger than 18 living in our state,” said Tina Peterson, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County. “Yet many of our children live in conditions that are less than ideal and struggle with issues beyond their control.”

Indiana ranks:

• 30^th for the well-being of its children
• 32^nd for family and community strength
• 44^th for the number of residents with Bachelor’s degree or higher
• 4^th for the number of children who have thoughts of suicide
• 10^th for the number of children attempting suicide
• 39^th for per capita income
• 31^st for overall health
• 44^th for obesity and smoking

“We believe the best way to move the needle relative to these significant issues is by focusing on the potential of young people,” added Peterson. “This year, we asked for grant projects designed to allow nonprofits and other exempt organizations to prepare young people for success and provide them with the skills, knowledge, and awareness to inspire and equip them to reach their full potential.”

“The response to our request for grant projects that empower youth was overwhelming” added Peterson. “We would have doubled the number of grant awards if we’d had the funding to do so. We are, however, pleased and hopeful about the potential of the projects we were able to support this year. From prevention of substance abuse and addiction, character and leadership development, and career awareness to tolerance and acceptance of others, the substance of the grants funded is timely, essential, and relevant to our community.”

This year represents the sixth year that Smithville Charitable Foundation joins the Community Foundation in funding the Community Impact Grants. “We continue to welcome the opportunity to work with the Community Foundation in funding this important grant initiative and helping to enrich the lives of the people in Monroe County,” said Darby McCarty, a governor on the Smithville Charitable Foundation Board of Directors and President/CEO of Smithville Communications.

2017 Community Impact Grant Recipients (*denotes youth program):

Bloomington Hospital Foundation for Bloom360°* – This program is designed to give infants a healthy start through prenatal and postpartum care, as well as encourage and support healthy behaviors among children and adults throughout their lives.

Bloomington Playwrights Project for its youth programs* – These programs provide students ages 5-17 a variety of opportunities to get involved in the theatrical process, from writing their own plays to performing original works. 

Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington for a new program* to expose youth to a variety of careers and skill sets. – This program will enable youth to make more informed decisions about education pathways and post-secondary opportunities.

Centerstone for the Nurturing Parenting Program* – As an alternative to abusive and neglectful parenting practices, this program is an evidenced-based and family-centered curriculum designed to foster positive parenting skills, intentional family nurturing time, and activities to promote brain development in children from birth to young adult.

Communities in Schools for site coordinators at Templeton and Fairview Elementary Schools* – CIS is the largest dropout prevention organization in the U.S. dedicated to keeping kids in school and helping them succeed. Through partnerships with schools, community organizations, health care providers, social services and businesses, CIS coordinators assess student needs and provide resources such as food, school supplies, health care, counseling, academic assistance and positive role models so that students can focus on learning. 

Ellettsville Main Street for parking at the Heritage Trail – The grant will help to fund the purchase of an adjacent parcel of land that will allow users a safer way to enjoy and access the trail.

Girls Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana to expand and strengthen the Girls Inc. mentoring program* – The program will match 50 high-risk girls with 50 caring Big Sister adult mentors during 2017.

Harmony Education Center for Rhino’s Youth Center* – This grant will support of the Center’s afterschool programming that connects youth with adult mentors, art, music, media projects and more.

Middle Way House for Support YES! Youth Empowerment Services* – For school-age youth residing in its facilities, Support YES! allows Middle Way House to provide after-school and holiday care, remedial education and academic enrichment, and experiences designed to foster social-emotional growth.

Monroe County Community School Corporation for the FIRST Robotics program* – This competitive international robotics program for high school students actively promotes STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education.

Monroe County Fair Association matching grant to hire an engineering firm to assess its infrastructure – The MCFA is evaluating and mapping its electrical, communications, speaker system, gas, storm water, water and sanitary sewer systems to support future development and events.

New Hope Family Shelter to provide seed funding to hire a development professional – By securing a professional fundraiser, New Hope hopes to focus on the critical work before them, while securing future funding to enable the organization to move to a new location and continue to thrive into the future.

Ohio River Foundation for its Youth Conservation Teams* – This work-study program will support local high school students who will work to protect and restore habitats in Hoosier National Forest in the summer of 2017.

The Project School for Maker Space equipment* – In addition to classroom use, The Project School will invite the community into its downtown Bloomington location for special events throughout the year and to use its Maker Space as a hub for creative exploration.

Several 2017 grant recipients shared how these grant funds will impact their organizations and communities:

“The Project School was so pleased to be selected as a first-time Impact Grant recipient,” said Amy Jackson, Philanthropy & Outreach Director at the Project School. “It was very exciting to see this year’s focus on youth-serving organizations. We cannot wait to build a creativity space that will be accessible to youth throughout our community, and thanks to the Community Foundation’s generosity, this will now be possible!”

“The Impact Grant will have a tremendous impact on our organization and its ability to serve the Bloomington community,” said Chad Rabinovitz, Producing Artistic Director with Bloomington Playwrights Project. “Arts education not only teaches how to think differently, but also why people think differently. Now more than ever, it’s important to provide students with a strong foundation of acceptance and creativity.  We’ll be able to use the funds to increase capacity in our sold-out programs and launch new and exciting arts education opportunities that build this foundation.”

“The Quadrangles are thankful to be recipients of the Impact Grant award this year,” said Cindy Kvale, FIRST Robotics Program Coordinator and teacher at Bloomington High School South. “We appreciate its support in not only helping us improve the engineering of our robots but also in strengthening the community through our youth STEM initiatives.”

 “Boys and Girls Clubs of Bloomington will be able to establish a program that will expose youth early to many different career paths and post-secondary education programs,” said Leslie Abshier, Resource Development Director. “This is a great opportunity for our youth to develop job skills early and to think critically about their plans for the future. We could not be more grateful that CFBMC stands with us as we prepare our youth for lives filled with purpose and productivity.”

“Ohio River Foundation is thrilled to be awarded an Impact Grant for its Youth Conservation Team program, Career Youth Training: Conservation in Hoosier National Forest,” said Rich Cogen, Executive Director, Ohio River Foundation. “ORF’s YCT program was in Hoosier National Forest in summer 2013 with a Bloomington-area high school student crew performing 44 projects over a 3-week period. HNF personnel were so impressed that they nominated the YCT crew for a US Forest Service award! We’re looking forward to another award-winning performance by Bloomington high school students in summer 2017.”

“This grant will help the Monroe County Public Health Clinic address some of the most difficult health concerns, such as infant mortality, tobacco and substance abuse and mental health among our children and mothers through collaboration and innovative approaches in our community,” said Amy Meek, Program Manager with Indiana University Health Bloomington.  “Thank you for helping us to set the stage for generational change.”

“With a deep understanding of the impact of domestic violence and trauma on children, the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) program helps children heal and overcome the effects of domestic violence that without intervention can lead to a cycle of generational domestic abuse,” said Middle Way House Executive Director Debra Morrow. “With this award, the Foundation has shown a commitment to ensuring that children, whose families are receiving services at our agency due to domestic violence, will have access to supportive services and enrichment activities from our YES program.”

“Ellettsville Main Street saw a need for parking next to the new Heritage Trail, so the elderly and handicapped won’t have to cross busy State Road 46 to get to the trail,” said Jeana Kapczynski, President of Ellettsville Main Street. “This grant will help to purchase a property for parking so the trail can be enjoyed by all. We are delighted the Foundation saw the benefit of this for Ellettsville.”

“The Monroe County Fair Association is very thankful to the Community Foundation for awarding us a grant that will help locate and appraise the condition of all the different utility lines on the fairgrounds,” said Tony Schershel, past president of the Monroe County Fair Board. “Completing this project will help us move forward with the Master Plan which will allow the fairgrounds to better serve the Monroe County community.”

About the Community Foundation: Created by individuals, families, and businesses who share a passion for Monroe County and a vision for its future, the Community Foundation has granted nearly $25 million to more than 400 local nonprofit organizations. Our $27 million endowment is growing and so is the difference we make by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.

About the Smithville Charitable Foundation: Inspired by altruism, the Foundation’s main goal is to enrich the lives of those around them by creating opportunities and bringing necessities to communities in its areas of service. As a private foundation, it works closely with community foundations in surrounding counties and supports a variety of causes related to religion, education, health, relief of poverty or distress and various public organizations.