The Community Foundation has awarded COVID-19 Rapid Response grants to 17 Monroe County nonprofit organizations. This grant opportunity was established to immediately support Monroe County nonprofits with grants of up to $2,500 through a streamlined 24-hour evaluation process. These funds will be used immediately for supplies, equipment, remote-work technology, staffing, and to enable our local nonprofits to sustain capacity to serve our community.
Grant recipients include:
• All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center • American Red Cross Southeast Indiana Chapter • Bloomington Playwrights Project • Bloomington Symphony Orchestra • Community Kitchen of Monroe County • Courage to Change Sober Living • Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County • Healthnet • Hoosier Hills Food Bank • Middle Way House • Monroe County History Center • Monroe County United Ministries • Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard • New Leaf New Life • People and Animal Learning Services • WFHB • WonderLab
“The Community Foundation is proud to be working in parallel with our philanthropic partners to address the emergent needs of local organizations during this early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said President and CEO Tina Peterson. “Both the large grant the Foundation made to the United Way COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund and the Rapid Response Grants are meant to ensure that essential organizations have the capacity to lean in during this time of crisis. The Foundation is exploring everything possibility for creatively deploying its resources to support those who call our community home.”
The Community Foundation received 32 Rapid Response grant requests totaling more than $66,000 in requested funds. The first round of Rapid Response Grants has closed. The Community Foundation is developing its Phase 2 response to the COVID-19 pandemic and will release more information as soon as it is available. If you have questions, please contact Program Director Marcus Whited at marcus@cfbmc.org.
The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund, recently launched by United Way of Monroe County, in partnership with the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Moroe County, has announced next steps in the coordinated effort to direct funds towards basic needs and emergency services.
To date, the Relief Fund has received $295,508 in community donations from individuals, businesses, local government, and foundations.
Organizations serving the basic needs of Monroe, Owen, and Greene counties interested in applying for funding in Phase 1 may complete the application now available here. Applications are due Thursday, March 26 at noon.
It’s been a week. A week of unfathomable news, of growing anxiety, of answers to questions we never thought we would have to ask.
Our team at the Community Foundation has been listening and learning. We do not have a pandemic playbook to follow, so we have been asking lots of questions. We have been reaching out to our partners in philanthropy, elected officials, community leaders, school officials, employers, early learning providers, and our investment consultant.
Most importantly, however, we asked local nonprofits to help us understand the implications of the current crisis on their organizations. In the midst of rapid-fire challenges coming their way, so many of them took the time to talk with us by phone or responded to our survey. These organizations that represent the heart of our community and often define our vibrancy are facing a multitude of challenges. For example,
Those that address basic needs and healthcare are trying to scale up rapidly despite losing many of their volunteers and, at the same time, implementing new protocols to keep people safe.
Those that serve children are trying to answer the “what’s next?” question in a world of at-home learning and social distancing.
Those that serve people with disabilities, animals, or the elderly, plus others like community radio, museums, and arts organizations, for example, join their charitable colleagues in the angst of decreasing programming, laying off staff, and just staying financially solvent.
From these nonprofit professionals, we learned a lot about how we might help and where philanthropy can be an answer, and where it cannot. They helped us understand that more than half of their organizations are likely to face financial challenges in the next six weeks. Others reminded us that support will be needed over the coming months and that we shouldn’t use up all our capacity to help at once. They also affirmed what we already knew; nonprofits are always focused on the needs of others.
Amid their woes, many nonprofits are not only serving you, me, and often those who need support the most; they are finding ways to solve problems that aren’t their own. They are offering their unused spaces to other causes, redeploying now underutilized staff in delivering food to children who would normally be eating at school, and offering their excess capacity and expertise to other nonprofits. For example, an arts organization is helping to hand stitch masks.
It’s been a week. A week that none of us wanted, but all of us are facing together. A week that reminds us that Bloomington is blessed with many exceptional assets, not the least of which are our big-hearted, usually resilient, but sometimes fragile nonprofits. We are going to help them where we can; I hope you will too. Each nonprofit, in their own way, will be part of the answer to what lies ahead, even if in ways we could not have imagined.
The Community Foundation’s Phase I COVID-19 Response Plan as of March 22, 2020
1. The Community Foundation is partnering with the United Way of Monroe County and Bloomington Health Foundation to deploy the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund and made an initial $25,000 grant to support this effort. This fund will address basic needs for shelter, food, and medical care. Nothing is more important as COVID-19 escalates.
2. The Community Foundation is working with many partners to advance a community strategy for addressing the childcare needs of essential employees, such as those working in healthcare, community safety, medical production, elder care, and other critical areas.
3. The Community Foundation is working with current grantees and nonprofit fund holders to identify ways to repurpose unused dollars to meet emerging needs resulting from COVID-19.
4. The Community Foundation is also extending deadlines and deliverables for existing grantees.
5. The Community Foundation is offering small Rapid Response Grants (up to $2,500) to help nonprofits with immediate needs, such as:
analyzing and planning for financial challenges resulting from COVID-19;
adjusting to alternative work strategies resulting from social distancing;
scaling up to meet increased demand for services as a result of COVID-19;
overcoming lost income and sunk costs from fundraisers scheduled in March, April, or May that have been cancelled; and/or,
purchasing services or supplies necessitated by COVID-19.
6. The Community Foundation is engaging our donor advisors and fund founders with information about a new fund we have established, the COVID-19 Community Sustainability and Recovery Fund.
7. The Community Foundation is re-evaluating how to deploy our annual impact granting strategy to best serve the community this year.
8. The Community Foundation will offer the 80 nonprofits who benefit from an annual designated fund distribution the opportunity to receive that distribution earlier.
The Community Foundation was created 30 years ago to support Monroe County communities in addressing pressing needs and compelling opportunities. In moments like these, we are humbled by the generations of donors that have and continue to make it possible for our organization to serve those who call this community home. Even as we put our Phase I strategies in place, we are beginning to design what must come next in Phase II and are working closely with our partners to ensure our response as a community is aligned.
We will continue to keep you updated and encourage you to contact us with any questions you have via phone at (812) 333-9016 or via email.
Fund will support critical human service needs during economic distress associated with the virus
United Way of Monroe County and nearly 30 local organizations are partnering to launch the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to support immediate economic stability and basic needs in Monroe, Owen, and Greene counties in light of the pandemic.
The Fund will launch with $250,000 committed by individual donors and key partners including Bloomington Health Foundation, Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, Monroe County Government, City of Bloomington, Monroe County Community Schools Foundation, Bloomington Township, Perry Township, Van Buren Township, Duke Energy, Cook Group, Old National Bank, and Owen County State Bank. United Way will seek donations from other organizations and individuals in the weeks ahead.
Bloomington Health Foundation is offering to double the impact of individual donations with a matching grant up to $25,000.
“Bloomington Health Foundation stands beside our local health and social service partners in these uncertain times. This initial investment will help our partners address urgent needs. Moving forward, we are committed to listening to our partners as we seek to understand our community’s developing needs and where help is needed in the days and weeks ahead,” said President & CEO of Bloomington Health Foundation Jonathan Barada.
Grants will be distributed to human service organizations in Monroe, Owen, and Greene counties best positioned to meet the emerging needs resulting from this crisis. Priority needs for the fund will focus on:
1) sustaining operations and levels of service of area nonprofits meeting community members’ basic needs;
2) developing safe, temporary residential programs for at-risk individuals currently unsheltered, or in mass shelters or group homes;
3) funding temporary staffing or volunteer mobilization efforts in response to loss of volunteer base critical to daily operations; and
4) increasing capacity of local food security systems and financial assistance programs at area townships and nonprofits
The launch of this fund builds on the experience of the Tornado Relief Fund of 2019, as well as United Way’s Flood Relief Fund of 2008. Following the flood recovery, the structure for the Monroe County Community Organizations Active in Disaster response (MOCOAD) group, which convenes regularly in order to coordinate community-based responses to disasters, was set in place. Those funds also provided similar support for organizations and individuals during recovery from major natural disasters.
“In our community, 1 in 3 households teeter above the edge of poverty, financially stretched by ever-rising costs of housing, childcare, transportation and more. Additionally, 1 in 5 live in full-blown poverty with more significant challenges,” said United Way of Monroe County executive Director Efrat Feferman. “This means that nearly half of our population cannot easily weather prolonged economic turmoil. Many already turn to our social services and nonprofits for supports which allow them to remain economically stable. It is imperative that programs including affordable childcare and after-school care, food and nutrition, transportation, physical and mental healthcare, shelter and housing, and temporary financial assistance for mortgage, rent, and utilities are sustained and even increased at this time.”
In addition to sustaining the capacity of area nonprofits to serve human needs, United Way and its identified the pressing need for temporary housing options for at-risk individuals showing symptoms of illness and residing currently in shelters such as Shalom Community Center’s Friend’s Place, New Hope for Families, Wheeler Mission, and Middle Way House, as well as those residing in group home settings such as through LifeDesigns and Stone Belt. Executive Director of New Hope for Families Emily Pike, whose agency serves families impacted by homelessness, stressed the significance of this particular need, noting that, ”as inconvenient as it may be to isolate ourselves in our homes, not everyone in our community has a home to go to. We’ve got to prioritize finding places for those experiencing homelessness to isolate, convalesce, and recover from this illness and others which may come. It’s important for our community’s health and for our community’s character. This is the time to show up for people in need.”
Community leaders recognize the potential for economic distress, particularly for workers in jobs in the service and hospitality industries, is high. Organizations that serve populations in need every day will find themselves under-resourced to serve a growing demand for those services. Additionally, the network is actively working together to find new and innovative ways to provide services that incorporate concepts of social distancing into service practices.
“We can think of no greater priority today than for us, as a community, to ensure that the basic needs of all our friends and neighbors are being met,” shared Tina Peterson, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington Monroe County added, “the Community Foundation is grateful for the opportunity to join organizations and individuals from across the community in supporting the United Way’s Emergency Relief Fund. In the coming days, we will be exploring other emerging needs that are becoming apparent and will determine what else we should be doing during this critical time for our community.”
A coalition of cross-sector community partners is working to identify critical needs and resource gaps, while determining the best approach to disseminating emergency funds with the appropriate sense of urgency. Given the evolving nature of this situation, the fund is designed to be flexible and get funds to organizations serving those in need in the weeks ahead.
In authorizing monies to the Relief Fund, a joint statement by Julie Thomas, President of the Monroe County Board of Commissioners, and Eric Spoonmore, President of the Monroe County Council, noted, “Monroe County Government is unified in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our community. The safety, health, and well-being of Monroe County residents is always the highest priority for the Board of Commissioners and the County Council. This swift action we are taking today will immediately provide urgent resources to affected residents and will further assist our local social service agencies working at ground zero of the corona virus public health emergency. We thank United Way of Monroe County for stepping up, as always, in this critical time of need.”
“While United Way serves as the trusted vehicle for relief funding at this time of need, it is indeed the entire community powering this effort,” added Feferman. “Together we are assuring that our safety net is strengthened to better meet the challenges underway.”
Community members needing assistance should search HelpingBloomingtonMonroe.org or call 2-1-1 to connect with needed resources.
United Way has established an opportunity for individuals to donate via text or online. Text COVIDRELIEF2020 to 44-321or visit www.monroeunitedway.org/COVIDRelief to make a contribution.
FUND LAUNCH SUPPORTERS:
Bloomington Health Foundation
Bloomington Township
City of Bloomington
Community Foundation of Bloomington Monroe County
Cook Group
Duke Energy
MCCSC Foundation
Monroe County Government
Old National Bank
Owen County State Bank
Perry Township
Private individuals
United Way of Monroe County
Van Buren Township
COALITION PARTNERS:
Bloomington Economic Development Corporation
Bloomington Health Foundation
Bloomington Township
CDFI Friendly Bloomington
City of Bloomington
Community Foundation of Bloomington Monroe County
Cook Group
Ellettsville Chamber of Commerce
Financial Stability Alliance of South Central Indiana
Our Agency Endowment Matching Program completed Jan 31st with 100% of participating nonprofits meeting their fundraising goals!
We’re working together to make Monroe County an even better place to live!
Thanks to the generosity of our community, our Agency Endowment Matching Program completed Jan 31st with 100% of participating nonprofits meeting their fundraising goals! Each of the agencies will receive $.50 for each $1 raised for their endowments! Agencies received more than $267,000 in total match funds towards their endowments, helping to ensure they can sustain their critical work for the future.
Congratulations to the following agencies. We’re proud to support these the work they do in Monroe County today and forever!
With support from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., the Community Foundation launched this matching opportunity for nonprofits to create or build endowments in 2019. Local nonprofits were invited to apply for this opportunity. All agencies that applied were invited to participate. The participating nonprofits raised funds from February 1, 2019, through January 31, 2020.
Help us get the word out to high school seniors and families. Deadlines: March 1-April 15.
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: March 1, 2020 Amount: Up to $2,000
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: March 1, 2020 Amount: Up to $1,300
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 22, 2020 Amount: Varies, Up to $1,500
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 31, 2020 Amount: $1,000 minimum
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. View more information about the Carl Deal, Jr., Memorial Scholarship.
Thomas Moeller Memorial Scholarship
Deadline to apply: April 15, 2020 Amount: Up to $700
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 marcus@cfbmc.org or 812-333-9016.
Monroe County among 15 Indiana communities selected to receive Strong Start Community Grant funds to develop plans to strengthen kindergarten transitions
Monroe County among 15 Indiana communities selected to receive Strong Start Community Grant funds to develop plans to strengthen kindergarten transitions
The Community Foundation of Monroe County and Monroe Smart Start were collectively announced as a recipient of a statewide grant opportunity for communities interested in strengthening kindergarten transition programs and practices. The Strong Start Community initiative, funded by Indiana’s Preschool Development Grant and powered by Early Learning Indiana, supports the creation of locally driven plans to ensure more Hoosier children move effectively into the kindergarten classroom, setting the stage for success in their first year of elementary school and beyond.
A
smooth transition into kindergarten creates a foundation for children to build
upon throughout the rest of their education journey. Without the right
supports, children struggle to manage new expectations and the uncertainty of a
new environment. Intentional programs that encourage family engagement and
strengthen the connection between pre-K and K-12 are linked to academic gains,
with the greatest gains made by children who experience social and economic
risks.
Monroe
County is one of 15 Indiana communities awarded $25,000 through the Strong
Start Community Grant. As a grant recipient, the Community Foundation and Monroe
Smart Start have committed to developing and implementing kindergarten
transition plans using specific criteria. That criteria, informed by national
best practices and local innovation identified through the Strong
Start for Kindergarten Prize
competition, includes:
Key stakeholder representation and public and private partnerships forged to support community participation
Joint participation by early childhood education and K-12 stakeholders
Engagement of early learning and kindergarten teachers through exposure opportunities and joint professional development
Activities that engage families in the kindergarten transition planning process
Supports for at-risk or vulnerable populations with a specific outcome goal
Data use to set current level of kindergarten readiness and establish plan goals
“An
increasing body of evidence suggests that effective kindergarten transitions
can reduce academic fadeout, improve outcomes, encourage family involvement and
allow children to navigate a significant period of adjustment,” said Early
Learning Indiana CEO and President Maureen Weber. “By bringing all of the right
stakeholders to the table and creating plans that leverage high-impact
practices, communities can signal a genuine commitment to giving Hoosier
children the best start possible in their elementary education journey, paving
the way for future success.”
Indiana’s
Preschool Development Grant, awarded to Indiana FSSA’s Office of Early
Childhood and Out-of-School Learning in January 2019, supports a formal
evaluation of the state’s birth-to-5 early childhood education programs and
strategic planning to strengthen them. The Strong Start Community Grant builds
upon these efforts.
The Community Foundation has opened a request for grant proposals for projects that activate or create public spaces to advance a more vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive community.
The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County has opened
a request for grant proposals for projects that activate or create public
spaces to advance a more vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive community. Up to
$20,000 in grant funds is available for one or more projects. Funding for this
initiative is made possible by a field of interest fund established by a Community
Foundation donor to address community aesthetics and beautification. Proposals
are due on February 29.
The
Better Together – Creative Places Grantmaking Initiative is designed to
support Monroe County’s “maker mindset.” “Monroe County has a long history of industrious
people driven to build, create, and innovate together,” said President and CEO
Tina Peterson. “This grant opportunity gives us a chance to continue that tradition
of creativity and produce a placemaking asset that continues to grow our local
quality of place and brings people to our communities.”
In 2019, hundreds of individuals participated in the creation of
a community-informed quality of place and workforce attraction plan for Monroe
County. Through focus groups, surveys, interviews, and town hall meetings,
county stakeholders learned a great deal about where we succeed and where we
could be better. We also learned that the communities within our broader
community are very willing to engage and that being better requires working
together.
Monroe County’s ability to attract and retain talent is greatly
increased by taking advantage of unique placemaking assets in its communities.
Building upon both the spirit and findings from the community design process
that resulted in the Monroe
County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan, the Community
Foundation is seeking proposals for creative placemaking projects that, through
deliberate and thoughtful collaboration, will make us better together.
Funding and Eligibility
The Community Foundation has $20,000 to allocate to this
initiative. Grant amounts will range between $5,000 and $20,000. Organizations
must match 50% of the grant provided by the Community Foundation.
Examples of the match
requirements follow:
Project total:
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
Grant from CF:
$6,667
$13,334
$20,000
Organization Match:
$3,333
$6,666
$10,000
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.
Project Proposal Goals and Examples
Projects proposed should:
Advance community aesthetics and
beautification
Address quality of place in one
or more Monroe County communities
Create welcoming, inclusive
space(s), accessible to all
Promote a sense of ownership and
pride in the community
Bring community together in all
phases of the project
Contribute to community vibrancy
Activate underused public spaces
or create new ones
Be completed and open to the
public within one year of receiving CFBMC funds
Have a sustaining impact
Some examples of the types of projects or programs that may be
eligible for grant funding include, but are not limited to:
Streetscape beautification and
walkability
Alley activations
Public plaza development
Innovative public space amenities
that encourage people to interact
Community art projects
Farmer’s markets
Amphitheaters and band shells
Bike and pedestrian pathways
Events are not eligible projects,
but expenses for convenings may be considered as part of the development
process. For instance, expenses to bring community members together to
participate in creating, installing, or building a place-based improvement may be
considered.
Grant Timeline
February 29, 2020: Application deadline
March 2020: CFBMC reviews
applications & selected applicants will be invited to pitch the project in
person.
For more information on eligibility and application procedures, contact CFBMC Program Director Marcus Whited at (812) 333-9016 or marcus@cfbmc.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 $30 million to more than 400 local
nonprofit organizations since its incorporation in 1990. With a growing $33.5
million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring
people, important causes, and community resources.
Applications now open for the Better Together – Creative Spaces grant opportunity
Announcing a new Community Foundation grant opportunity! Now seeking proposals for projects that activate or create public spaces that advance a more vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive community. Up to $20,000 in funds available for one or more projects. Proposals due Feb 29!
The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe Country has announced Monroe County’s 2020 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipients. Nicholas Graef and Sekou Noble-Kuchera will each receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to an Indiana public or private college of their choosing. In addition to the cost of tuition, they will receive a $900 annual stipend for books and other required materials.
Nicholas Graef of Edgewood High School is
the son of Daniel and Michelle Graef. His
activities have included Edgewood High Student Council, National Honor Society,
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Edgewood Leadership Academy, Environmental
Club, and Monroe County Youth Council. He has participated in many athletic
programs, including Edgewood High School swimming and soccer, Cutters Club
Soccer, and Bloomington Swim Club. Nicholas is regarded as a passionate leader
inside and outside of school. Six years ago, he launched an annual neighborhood
food drive to help community families struggling with food insecurity. To date,
more than 600 bags of food have been collected thanks to his compassion and
leadership. Nicholas is planning to attend Purdue University in the fall with a
major in industrial engineering.
“I am incredibly blessed to be named a Lilly Scholar of Monroe
County by the Community Foundation,” said Nicholas Graef. “I am especially
grateful for Edgewood’s education and values that have motivated me to give
back — specifically intermediate teacher Mrs. Crawford who explained that your
life’s ambitions begin in 5th grade. I truly look forward to continuing a
lifetime of service that Edgewood urges all of its students to pursue.”
Sekou
Noble-Kuchera of Bloomington High School North is the son
of Jenny and Peter Noble-Kuchera. His
activities have included Bloomington High School North Science Olympiad Team,
Academic Superbowl Team, and interning in the Indiana University Kehoe Biology
Lab, and with WonderLab’s Science Summer Camp. His athletic activities have
included Bloomington High School North Soccer and Cutters Club Soccer, both as
a player and referee. With more than 400 volunteer hours at WonderLab, Sekou is
recognized as a motivated and dedicated leader passionate about sharing his
love and excitement of science with people of all ages. Sekou plans to attend Indiana University in the fall with a
major in biology.
“I am incredibly honored to be able to give back to my community
as a Lilly Scholar, said Sekou Noble-Kuchera. “I wouldn’t be here without the
support of my amazing family, teachers, and mentors over the years. I also want
to thank the Community Foundation and the Lilly Endowment for making this
opportunity possible.”
“In Monroe County, our Lilly Scholarship Finalists are chosen
not just for their academic success, but also for how they give back to their
communities,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Tina Peterson.
“Through their deeds and actions, Nicholas and Sekou have exhibited leadership,
integrity, and depth of character. We look forward to following each of their
journeys and invite them back to seek out careers in Monroe County or the
Indiana Uplands region after they complete their educations.”
The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County has
also announced that the eight other 2020 Lilly Scholarship finalists will
receive $1,000 scholarships to use at a college or university of their
choosing:
2020 JPMorgan Chase Bank Scholarship Recipients
Joelle Jackson, Bloomington High School North
Ava Crees, Bloomington High School South
2020 Community Foundation Scholarship Recipients
Hadley Abram, Bloomington High School North
Marielle Berin, Bloomington High School North
Joy Sera Bhattacharya, Bloomington High School North
“There are so many incredible young people doing amazing things
in our community,” said Jessika Hane, chair of the Community
Foundation’s Scholarship Selection Committee. “Every
year, we are blown away by the quality of applicants for the Monroe County’s Lilly
Scholarship. While the selection process is no easy task, we are
inspired by the potential of all these graduating seniors and the phenomenal
difference they will make in our communities.”
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 were interviewed, and their interview scores
combined with scoring from the written application. The finalist’s rankings,
along with the committee’s recommendations for scholarship recipients, were
submitted to the statewide scholarship administrator Independent Colleges of
Indiana for final selection of Monroe County’s two 2020 Lilly Endowment
Community Scholars.
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
4,769 Indiana high school graduates statewide with more than $405 million in scholarship
tuition to pursue baccalaureate degrees at Indiana colleges and universities.
The
primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are 1) to
help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase
awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in
their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and
past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with
Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to
improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities
throughout the state.
The
program is administered by Independent Colleges of Indiana and community
foundations in each of Indiana’s 92 counties.
Previous Lilly scholarship recipients from Monroe County
include:
2019
Christian Gettelfinger (BHSN); Indiana University Calvin Prenkert (BHSS); Butler University
2018
Aaron Nunes (BHSS); Purdue University Greta Stephenson (BHSN); Indiana University
2017
Betsy Beggs (BHSS); DePauw University Frances Kincaid (BHSN); Indiana University
2016
Greer King (BHSN); Indiana University Brian Emmons (BHSN); Indiana University
2015
Sidrah Din (BHSS); Rose-Hulman Riley Callahan (Lighthouse Christian Academy); Rose-Hulman
2014
Emma St. John (BHSN); Indiana University Winston Winkler (BHSN); Indiana University
2013
Hannah Alani (BHSS); Indiana University Shannon Jager (BHSN); DePauw University
2012
Evelyn Bauman (BHSS); Notre Dame Alex St. John (BHSN); Indiana University
2011
Maha Elsarrag (BHSN); Indiana University Lynne Bauman (BHSS); Notre Dame
2010
Bhavin Patel (BHSN); Indiana University Stephen Zerfas (BHSN); Notre Dame
2009
Miranda Arthur (Edgewood); Butler Audrey Ernst (Edgewood); University of Indianapolis
2008
Ashley Larason (BHSS); Purdue University Thomas Weakley (Edgewood); DePauw / Indiana University
2007
Meehan Lenzen (BHSN); Notre Dame Kristen Miller (BHSS); Indiana University
2006
David Kim (BHSN); Notre Dame Jenna Beasley (BHSN); Indiana University
2005
Manisha Patel (BHSN); Indiana University Jesse Pontius (BHSN); Purdue University
2004
Ryan Hodge (Indiana Academy); Rose-Hulman Isaac (Ike) Dolby (BHSN); Purdue Jennifer (Laird) Black (BHSS); Butler Tara Langvardt (Edgewood); DePauw University Caitlin (Odya) Homenda (Edgewood); Indiana University Mark Strother (BHSN); Indiana University
2003
Amber (Knowlton) Todd (BHSS); Indiana University David Courtney (BHSS); Earlham Jennifer Richardson (BHSN); Indiana University Robert (Matt) Hawkins (Edgewood); Rose-Hulman Abram Hess (Indiana Academy); Indiana University Anand Patel (BHSN); Indiana University
2002
Theodore (Tio) Savich (BHSN); Earlham Aliese Sarkissian (BHSN); DePauw University Virginia Chappell (BHSS); Indiana University Michael Kruszynski (Indiana Academy); Rose-Hulman James Moynihan (Edgewood); Butler Andrea (Stalcup) Wallace (Edgewood); University of Evansville
2001
Lindsay Kile (Edgewood); Purdue Ruthie (Willsey) Sterrett (BHSS); Purdue Ann Marshall (BHSN); Indiana University Elizabeth Sloan (BHSN); Indiana University Reed Carmichael (BHSN); DePauw University Talialin Fehrenbach (BHSS); Butler
2000
Andrew Krebbs (Edgewood); Indiana University Michael Goodman (BHSN); Indiana University Alison O’Malley (Edgewood); Butler Morgan Volrich Riggs (BHSN); Indiana University
1999
Kathleen Tran (BHSS); Indiana University Aaron Ray (Edgewood); Indiana University Amanda Horvath (BHSS); Notre Dame Nathan Fuller (BHSN); Rose-Hulman
1998
Amber (Martindale) Yount (BHSS); Butler Rebecca (Strain) Spriggs (Edgewood); University of Evansville
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 $30 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.
