News Archives - Page 12 of 18 - Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County

Twenty-two local high school seniors selected as semifinalists for the 2019 Monroe County Lilly Scholarship

Twenty-two local high school seniors have been selected as semifinalists for Monroe County’s 2019 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. The semifinalist round is new this year for Monroe County’s Lilly Endowment scholarship selection process. Semi-finalists were selected from applications submitted by students from each Monroe County high school. The number of semifinalists selected is reflective of the relative size of each Monroe County high school’s senior class.

Congratulations to Monroe County’s 2019 Lilly Scholarship semi-finalists:

Reeahna Abraham, Indiana Academy
Jerrett Alexander, Bloomington High School North
Sarah Cassidy, Edgewood High School
Caroline Cherry, Bloomington High School North
Aidan Crowley, Bloomington High School South
Jenna Deckard, Bloomington High School South
Christian Gettelfinger, Bloomington High School North
Logan Gillenwater, Edgewood High School
Grace Golden, Bloomington High School North
Hope Gummere, Bloomington High School South
Nidhi Krishnan, Bloomington High School South
Thomas McEvilly, Bloomington High School South
Anonya Mitra, Bloomington High School North
Jordan Monson, Bloomington High School South
Rose Nicholson, Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship
Calvin Prenkert, Bloomington High School South
Jonathan Rickert, Bloomington High School North
Noelle Simoneaux, Edgewood High School
Caleb Waugh, Edgewood High School
Esther Whitney, Lighthouse Christian Academy
Xinyi Zhou, Bloomington High School North
Wilson Zinkan, Bloomington High School South

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 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.

Read Monroe County’s full Lilly Scholarship eligibility requirements.

This year’s 22 semifinalists were selected from among 69 applicants. Applications for the 2019 scholarship were blindly reviewed and independently scored by members of a scholarship committee at each Monroe County high school to identify semi-finalists. Next, the Community Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee, which is made up of members of the community and former Monroe County Lilly Scholars, will blindly review and score applications from the semi-finalists to select ten finalists. Finalists for the scholarship will be identified in October.

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 2019 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars will be named in December 2018.

Since 1998, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program has assisted more than 4,400 Indiana high school graduates statewide with more than $372 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].

Btown: A day with Hoagy & Lemon Limestone

Meet Hoagy and Lemon Limestone! Together they the take us on a journey in “Btown: A Day with Hoagy & Lemon Limestone.” In dedication to Bloomington’s 200^th Anniversary, the creative team at Authors Solutions has published this book to commemorate our great city using a celebration sestina poem to guide the adventure.

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

For only $10, you can get your own copy of Btown to share this unique story with your loved ones. Get your copy today by emailing [email protected].

The Community Foundation would like to thank the great team at Author Solutions for all of their creativity and hard work in bringing to life such a unique book to commemorate Bloomington!

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

Transitional housing program changing lives while keeping families together

Centerstone Logo
“I truly appreciate all the things Y’all have done and do for me, turning me into the woman I always wanted to be. God bless all.” – a current resident of the Centerstone Transitional Housing and Treatment Program for Women

In January, the Community Foundation awarded a proactive grant to Centerstone for a new transitional housing and substance abuse treatment program for women. The six-bed program is Bloomington’s first to serve women recovering from substance abuse disorders who are pregnant or who have young children. This recovery option enables mothers to keep their young children with them, rather than leave children with family members or in foster care.

We are happy to share that all six resident beds are occupied, with five potential clients on the waitlist. Since the program’s launch in April, Centerstone has served 13 women in recovery from substance use disorders, including one pregnant woman. During her time in the program, her case manager helped her obtain baby care items such as clothing, a car seat, a pack-n-play, and other essentials that she could take with her when she left. Centerstone program directors were also able to connect her to a recovery coach, health coach, rehab specialist, and psychiatrist. This young woman will continue to have access to Centerstone care teams to connect her to additional services to further her recovery and safely care for her new child.

“Our work with our community’s most marginalized and vulnerable children and families is possible thanks to funding from the Community Foundation,” said Beth Rodriguez, Centerstone Director of Advancement. “At Centerstone, we see firsthand the power of the Community’s Foundation’s generosity and the passion of their leadership and donors. They are truly changing and saving lives and, for that, we could not be more grateful.”

Grant Spotlight: So much more than fencing

People & Animal Learning Services, Inc. (PALS) is on a mission is to promote joy, health, and empowerment through therapeutic programs with horses. But, we think they are also on a mission to make dreams possible!

“For my entire life, my wheelchair has always been my mode of transportation. ‘Walking’ away from it on a horse has not only become symbolic of the freedom PALS has given me, but the direction I feel my life has taken since I began taking part in the program.” – Jennifer T.

Jennifer’s story is just one of many incredible stories shared by PALS clients and parents over the years. Since 2000, PALS has provided over 13,000 hours of equine therapy with adults and children with disabilities, seniors, at-risk youth, and veterans.

A horse’s unique movement, similar to the natural human gait, challenges the rider’s posture, balance, and righting reactions to improve the level of body awareness and adjustment. These movements, coupled with the warmth of the horse’s body, are often credited for producing physical improvements related to balance, muscle symmetry, motor function, coordination, and posture. Therapeutic riding also impacts self-confidence and enhances cognitive, social, and emotional well being.

Earlier this year, the Community Foundation awarded a Community Impact Grant to PALS to help fund the construction of new fencing in areas used for therapeutic riding. We’re thrilled to share that this additional fencing will allow PALS to nearly double the number of individuals it can serve. Thanks to the generosity of donors that make Impact Grants possible each year, this grant is about so much more than fencing. It will enable PALS to make dreams a reality for many more children and adults for many years to come!

Learn more about PALS.
Learn more about the Community Impact Funding Initiative.
Read about other Impact Grants awarded this year.

CFBMC Newsletter, August 2018

Subscribe to the CFBMC Newsletter.

Happy New Year! Community Foundation to grant $1.5 million this year.

July 1 marks the beginning of the Community Foundation’s fiscal year and the start of a new round of community initiatives. Thanks to generous donor support and a growing endowment, the Community Foundation of will distribute $1.5 million through granting initiatives this year!

The Community Foundation exists to make our county the best it can possibly be; to give those that live here the best opportunities for happy, successful lives. We strive every year to increase our capacity to achieve these fundamental but lofty goals.

For almost three decades now, individuals, families, and organizations have given to the Community Foundation to support these overarching goals, and that generosity is paying dividends for friends, neighbors, and all who call our community home. Our endowment has grown by $13.7 million since 2012 (an 80 percent increase), which translates to more funding, more possibilities, and more opportunity to make our community what we all hope it can be for today and for tomorrow.

As this New Year begins, we look forward to another great year of using our resources to connect caring people with compelling causes. What better way to start a new year!
-Tina

56 children receive On My Way Pre-K grants! Spots still available!

We’re proud to share that more than $660,000 On My Way Pre-K grants have been awarded to 56 families with 4-year-old children to attend FREE pre-kindergarten from one of 33 approved high-quality early childhood sites in Monroe County.

On My Way Pre-K is Indiana’s first state-funded pre-kindergarten program for low-income children. Grants for FREE, high-quality pre-K programs are available for children who turned 4-years old, but not yet 5-years old by August 1, 2018, and will be attending kindergarten in the 2019-2020 school year. On My Way Pre-K is a program of the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration and is locally supported by the Community Foundation and its Monroe Smart Start initiative.

On My Way Pre-K grants are still available for Monroe County families! Please share details about this amazing opportunity with families who live or work in our county. Go to www.OnMyWayPreK.org for more information or call (812) 230-1983 for assistance.

View On My Way Pre-K Eligibility Info

Update: Transitional housing program changing lives while keeping families together

Advancing regional opioid abuse prevention & education initiatives

At the Community Foundation, we are proud to serve as a collaborator and convener on important topics and issues that affect our community. We have convened and participated in many events and discussions on the evolving opioid epidemic that has affected Hoosiers from all walks of life in all corners of our communities. This year, we are broadening our collaborative efforts through two opioid prevention and education initiatives that will impact Monroe County and our broader region.

The Community Foundation is serving as a lead sponsor and organizer for the 2nd Annual South Central Opioid Summit, happening September 18-19 at Monroe Convention Center. This event brings together elected officials, public health experts, and community leaders from across our region to learn about the science of addiction, treatment options, harm reduction, abuse prevention, legislation, family support, and the many faces of recovery. This year’s event that will serve as a catalyst for collaboration and action on a critical issue that affects all of our communities.

This year, we will also focus the Community Foundation’s Precision Health Granting Initiative on prevention efforts in schools to help students avoid substance abuse and improve students’ social and emotional well-being. The Precision Health initiative serves Brown, Daviess, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Orange, and Owen Counties. More details on the Precision Health grant opportunity will be announced soon.

Grant Spotlight: So much more than fencing

People & Animal Learning Services, Inc. is on a mission is to promote joy, health, and empowerment through therapeutic programs with horses. But, we think they are also on a mission to make dreams possible!

Earlier this year, the Community Foundation awarded a Community Impact Grant to PALS to help fund the construction of new fencing in areas used for therapeutic riding. We’re thrilled to share that this additional fencing will allow PALS to double the number of individuals it can serve. Thanks to the generosity of donors that make Impact Grants possible each year, this grant is about so much more than fencing. It will enable PALS to make dreams a reality for many more children and adults for many years to come!

Learn More About PALS

Applications open for 2019 Community Impact Grants

Impact is the purpose, funding is the vehicle, and local nonprofits are the change agents. The Community Foundation is now accepting letters of intent for this year’s Community Impact Funding Initiative. This competitive granting initiative, co-funded by the Foundation and Smithville Charitable Foundation, will award grants to nonprofit organizations in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to address pressing community problems or compelling opportunities in Monroe County.

Community Impact Grants aim to strengthen the community by supporting innovative projects with lasting impact. Innovation, collaboration, and sustainability are the highest priorities in grant evaluation, and solution-based approaches are the target of this funding initiative.

Interested nonprofits are asked to submit a two-page (maximum) letter of intent to the Community Foundation by September 12, 2018.
View Impact Grant Guidelines & FAQs

Legacy Spotlight: Leaning forward

This is the first of many stories we would like to share with you about people who inspire us. Individuals, couples or groups who care for our community with deliberation. Sometimes these stories will be about people who are known to us. Other times we will be introducing you to those who are quietly giving back. In every instance, the subjects of our stories will be leading by example, giving, doing, sharing, and leaning forward to ensure our community is the best it can be, not just today, but also for tomorrow.

Mark & Katy Bradford: 5% makes a big difference

For Mark and Katy Bradford, giving back to the community is more than a hobby, it’s a passion. Between the two of them, they have served as volunteers and supporters of 16 different local organizations and nonprofits.
Because they have given back in so many diverse ways, the Community Foundation was a perfect vehicle for Mark and Katy to create a lasting philanthropic legacy that would provide for many of the nonprofits they love.

“Our number one estate-planning priority is to assist our children and grandchildren, but we determined they would not miss the 5% of our estate we are investing in the Community Foundation,” said Mark. “Bloomington has been very good to us as we raised our children, and we are enjoying being ’empty nesters,’ so we wanted to give back to this wonderful community.”
Read More about Mark & Katy

Charitable Gift Annuity: A gift that pays you back

There’s never been a better time to make a gift to support a cause you love through the Community Foundation while guaranteeing retirement income. A charitable gift annuity (CGA) is a great way to support our community while also creating a secure source of income for the rest of your life or the life of your loved one.

Establishing a CGA is simple and quick. You donate cash, securities or other assets. You choose the amount, the purpose for the charitable gift, and the frequency of payments — either quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. We invest your gift and begin making fixed payments immediately.

Now, your payments can be even larger. For the first time since 2012, the American Council on Gift Annuities has increased the payout rates for Charitable Gift Annuities. Effective July 1, the rates have raised by 0.30% to 0.50% for most ages! Give us a call if you would like to know more. Contact Meagan Niese, Director of Development, at (812) 333-9016 or [email protected].

Thank you, Dennis McGuire, Dottie Frapwell, & Dan Moore

Three Community Foundation board members completed their terms on June 30th. We want to extend a special thanks to Dennis McGuire, Dottie Frapwell, and Dan Moore for their incredible service to Monroe County and dedication to improving lives in our community!

Each of them has made lasting contributions to the Foundation as exceptional leaders, generous donors, and selfless advocates for Monroe County. They will always be an important part of the Community Foundation family.

New Monroe Smart Start website: Monroe County’s #1 early learning resource

Check out the new Monroe Smart Start website! This new website provides tons of new resources for families to learn about high-quality early learning, find child care, and access kindergarten readiness materials to prepare children to thrive by age five. It also has resources for early childhood educators to learn about quality and Child Development Associate training cohorts, view professional development opportunities, and see available jobs. You can also learn about our leadership and advocacy initiatives to grow access to affordable, high-quality early learning in our community.

A leadership initiative of the Community Foundation, Monroe Smart Start works on behalf of Monroe County’s youngest learners, helping to ensure children are ready for school and ready for learning. The Community Foundation & Monroe Smart Start support high-quality early learning in Monroe County through advocacy, training, education, parental engagement, and child-centered initiatives.

Why Early Learning Matters

When children have high-quality early learning experiences, it impacts the prosperity of the entire community. Check out the Monroe Smart Start websiteto also learn how you can help make quality learning a reality for more kids in our community.

Go to MonroeSmartStart.org

Save the date: Nov 1 Annual Report to the Community

2017 Annual Report to the Community
Join us November 1st at Ivy Tech Community College’s Shreve Hall to celebrate the past year of caring people, important causes, and community resources. Our annual event provides an opportunity to honor difference makers in Monroe County and recognize the Monroe County finalists for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship! We also will provide updates on the Foundation’s endowment, fundraising, granting and leadership initiatives. Stay tuned for more details on this event and reception.

Upcoming events and important dates

September 12: Letters of Intent due for the 2019 Community Impact Funding Initiative. More information.
September 18-19: The 2nd Annual South Central Opioid Summit. More information.
September 19: 50+ Men Who Care Quarterly Meeting. More information.
September 29: Never Lose Hoop Fund Golf Outing. More information.
Save the Date – November 1: Annual Report to the Community. Stay tuned for details.
November 7: 100+ Women Who Care Quarterly Meeting. More information.
Save the Date – December 6: Community Foundation Grant Reception. Stay tuned for details.

Community Foundation grant initiatives to total $1.5 million this year

Letters of Intent for Community Impact Funding Initiative now being accepted

Thanks to generous donor support and a growing endowment, the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County announces $1.5 million in granting initiatives for the current fiscal year that began July 1, a 6.5% increase over the previous year.

“The Community Foundation exists to make our county the best it can possibly be; to give those that live here the best opportunities for happy, successful lives,” said President and CEO Tina Peterson. “We strive every year to increase our capacity to achieve these fundamental but lofty goals.”

“For almost three decades now, individuals, families, and organizations have given to the Community Foundation to support these overarching goals, and that generosity is paying dividends for friends, our neighbors, and those who call our community home,” added Peterson. “Our endowment has grown by $13.7 million since 2012 (an 80 percent increase), which translates to more funding, more possibilities, and more opportunity to make our community what we all hope it can be for today and for tomorrow.”

Founded in 1990, today the Community Foundation’s total assets of $33.3 million include a growing $30.8 endowment and over 220 funds benefiting Monroe County organizations and residents. From early childhood development to aging, from basic needs to charitable economic development, from the arts to the environment, Community Foundation donors create lasting impact by fueling innovative ideas that make Bloomington and Monroe County a better place for all who call it home.

The Community Foundation’s grant initiatives include both competitive and proactive granting opportunities, donor-advised fund grantmaking to area nonprofits, agency fund distributions to nonprofits and designated fund distributions, educational scholarships, and leadership grants in areas of particular significance to Monroe County.

Competitive & Field of Interest Granting

This year’s grant initiatives include three competitive grant opportunities for nonprofit organizations. Competitive grant initiatives are funded through unrestricted funds, collaborative funding from regional partners, and field of interest funds established by donors to support specific areas of focus.

Community Impact Funding Initiative – Programs funded through this competitive grant cycle aim to strengthen the community by enabling local organizations to address pressing problems or pursue compelling opportunities in Monroe County. This year’s grant initiative, co-funded with the Smithville Charitable Foundation, will award grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to area nonprofits. 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. Letters of Intent are now being accepted for this initiative, and are due September 12. View details.
Precision Health Granting Initiative – Precision Health Network Fund grants assist with the proactive development or enhancement of community health education and health outcomes in Brown, Daviess, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Orange, and Owen Counties. Programs selected to receive grants have stated goals that include prevention of disease, self-management of chronic disease, and/or promotion of health and healthy lifestyles that relate to wellness and disease management/prevention. This year, the Foundation will focus on prevention efforts in schools to help students avoid substance abuse and improve students’ social and emotional well-being. More details on the Precision Health grant opportunity will be announced soon.
Innovation Grants – As an extension of the Community Impact Funding Initiative, the Community Foundation will conduct a pilot grantmaking cycle in early 2019 that will incentivize innovative proposals by encouraging local nonprofits to think creatively in addressing solutions to our community’s needs and opportunities. The innovation grantmaking cycle will award a total of up to $50,000 and incorporate a short written application process in the initial stage, followed by a “pitch-style” presentation for invited applicants. Donors and the community will be invited to attend the pitch competition event that will result in five grants of up to $10,000 each.

In addition to these competitive granting initiatives, grantmaking also occurs throughout the year from more than 20 Community Foundation field of interest funds. Community Foundation staff use their expertise to identify, evaluate, and award grants to the most qualified and deserving organizations and programs in areas identified by each field of interest fund.

Leadership Initiatives

While many granting initiatives address areas of urgency and opportunity, the Community Foundation Board may also elect to provide proactive funding in other areas of particular significance to Monroe County. Over time, our pool of endowed and flexible resources allow us to address different areas as community needs dictate. This year, the Community Foundation will distribute more than $200,000 to support strategic leadership initiatives.

“The Community Foundation is uniquely positioned to convene common voices around issues, take risks, and support innovative programs that improve the quality of life in our county,” said Jennie Vaughan, president of the Community Foundation Board of Directors. “Our leadership initiatives allow us to partner with civic, private, and nonprofit organizations to leverage resources to create a better future for all that call Monroe County home.”

Monroe Smart Start – The Community Foundation will once again provide proactive funding to Monroe Smart Start, its early childhood education initiative. Funding will be used to grow preschool capacity, increase high-quality early education, provide professional development for educators, support family engagement and community partnerships, and facilitate enrollment for On My Way Pre-K, Indiana’s pre-K program for 4-year-olds from low-income families.
Community Development Finance – Leadership funding will also be used to support strategies to attract community development financing to Bloomington. You can learn more about this partnership initiative with the City of Bloomington and the Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association by reading the March 28, 2018 announcement: Bloomington Launches New Strategy for Attracting National Financing for Community Development.
Advancing Out-of-School STEM Learning Grants – This grant opportunity was made possible by Regional Opportunity Initiatives, a supporting organization of the Community Foundation. In 2017, ROI granted $25,000 to each of the 11 counties in the Indiana Uplands to advance K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs that engage youth through hands-on activities that add value and extend the school experiences. Out-of-school STEM learning occurs outside of the traditional school day, including before and after school and summer programs, and may be provided by school districts, community organizations, nonprofits, and cultural institutions such as libraries and museums.

Monroe County has a wealth of quality STEM programming but lacks the resources to advance coordination, collaboration, and shared training to make the ecosystem as valuable as it could be for local students. This year, the Community Foundation will grant $25,000 to support out-of-school STEM learning by providing resources and professional development to local educators.

Be More Awards – Additional leadership funding will support the Be More Award recipients. The City of Bloomington Volunteer Network Be More Awards recognize outstanding community volunteers each year. In recognition of their selfless contributions, the ten recipients are awarded $500 checks from the Community Foundation that they can use to support the nonprofit organization of their choice.

Donor-Advised Distributions

The Community Foundation’s endowment includes over 45 donor-advised funds that will distribute more than $210,000 this year to support charitable and nonprofit organizations. These funds give donors the opportunity to play an active, personal role in their charitable giving. Each year, donors recommend recipients for grants from the fund while relying upon the Foundation’s staff for expertise in fund administration, record keeping, investing and grant making. These funds offer the ability to involve an entire family, group, or organization in making grant recommendations.

“The primary reason that I started a Donor Advised Fund was to teach my children the importance of helping others,” said John Hurlow or Hurlow Wealth Management. “When the time came to make annual distributions, I let the kids pick where they wanted the money to go. My daughter has had chronic migraines, and she wanted half of the money to go to the Riley Hospital Children’s Neurology Department to help other children suffering from migraines. My son is a huge animal lover and wanted half to go to the Monroe County Humane Society to help animals that have been abused. The kids talked about how awesome it was that we are doing this and they felt it was the first ‘adult’ thing they have ever done. The kids now look forward to picking a cause each year, and they also understand compounding interest and how this money will continue to grow and give back forever.”

Agency and Designated Funds

Over eighty Community Foundation funds are designated to benefit local nonprofit agencies every year. These endowed funds may have been established by the organization or by a donor with a particular affinity for a specific agency. Agencies may use designated grants to support their charitable operations in any way they feel appropriate. This year, the Community Foundation will distribute over $400,000 in agency and designated funds.

“Our relationship with the Community Foundation is about 20 years old,” said Monroe County Court Appointed Special Advocates Executive Director Kristin Bishay. “The Community Foundation has helped us become stronger and more financially stable. Our agency endowment fund has been a reliable source of annual support for us, while the Foundation has also provided support of their resources and expertise. We’re grateful that the Community Foundation has always been willing to be innovative with us in fitting their services to meet our needs.”

Educational Scholarships

The Community Foundation administers over 20 scholarships each year to support the educational aspirations of community members. Scholarship funds can be used to support students across the spectrum of educational attainment. This year, the Community Foundation will distribute more than $20,000 to help members of our community pursue educational opportunities.

Additional Programmatic Initiatives

In addition to this year’s grant initiatives totaling $1.5 million, the Community Foundation will also support the following programs and organizations this year:

Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship – The Community Foundation will once again administer the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship program on behalf of Monroe County. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are awarded four-year, full tuition scholarships to pursue baccalaureate degrees at colleges or universities in Indiana. Funding for this scholarship program is provided by the Lilly Endowment, and the Community Foundation collaborates with Independent Colleges of Indiana to award this scholarship each year. Applications are currently open for this scholarship opportunity through August 26, 2018. View details.
Regional Opportunity Initiatives – The Community Foundation will also continue its commitment to support Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Inc.

In 2014, the Southwest Central Indiana steering committee released The Strategic Plan for Economic and Community Prosperity in Southwest Central Indiana, which identified key strategies and action steps essential to the success of our region. In 2015, Lilly Endowment awarded ROI a $25,870,000 grant for its education and workforce initiatives and a regional opportunity fund to support key strategies.

In 2016, ROI was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a supporting organization of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County. Housed in the same office space, the Community Foundation and ROI also share executive leadership, accounting services, and communication and marketing resources.

ROI’s mission is to advance economic and community prosperity in the 11 counties of what is now called the Indiana Uplands region. Through education and workforce initiatives and quality of place development, ROI is supporting progress in the region that encompasses Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen and Washington counties.

“Monroe County has a symbiotic relationship with the other ten counties in the Indiana Uplands,” added Peterson. “Through the work of ROI, we have the opportunity to address challenges and opportunities like workforce attraction and retention, and advancing economic prosperity in a way that is exponentially more impactful than going it alone.”

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 $30.8 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.

Legacy Spotlight: Mark & Katy Bradford

For Mark and Katy Bradford, giving back to the community is more than a hobby, it’s a passion. After moving to Bloomington in 1990 for Mark’s work at Monroe Bank, now Old National Bank, they did not hesitate to go to work volunteering and supporting their new home.

In fact, between the two of them, they have served as volunteers and supporters of 16 different local organizations and nonprofits. The Bradfords did this all while raising their three sons, Matt, Mike, and John. Mark first got involved with the Community Foundation when it was just being formed in 1990, and later became a board member. He was drawn to the sustainability the Community Foundation could offer Monroe County.

“I think it is important to have a strong Community Foundation, and the dollars are particularly helpful during difficult economic times,” Mark said. “During a recession, the Foundation is able to support the community and local nonprofits in a relatively consistent manner at a time when charitable giving typically decreases.”

Mark also led the Community Foundation in its first corporate campaign with the goal of raising $1 million from local businesses. Because of Mark’s leadership, the Foundation exceeded its goal and raised $1,037,000.

“Old National Bank made a $100,000 multi-year pledge to the Community Foundation, and in doing so, we wanted to leverage the contribution for the greatest benefit,” said Mark. “We reached out to leaders in the business community to tell them why ONB made the decision to support the Community Foundation, and ask if their business would consider a corporate gift. I was blown away by the generosity of the local businesses.”

Because they have given back in so many diverse ways, the Community Foundation was a perfect vehicle for Mark and Katy to create a lasting philanthropic legacy that would provide for many of the nonprofits they love. Katy and Mark chose to create a legacy through a gift in their estate by naming the Community Foundation as a beneficiary of a retirement plan.

Mark said,“Our number one estate-planning priority is to assist our children and grandchildren, but we determined they would not miss the 5% of our estate we are investing in the Community Foundation. We determined that Bloomington has been very good to us as we raised our children, and are enjoying being ‘empty nesters,’ so we wanted to give back to this wonderful community.”

Katy and Mark know they aren’t alone in caring deeply for Monroe County. Mark hopes that others will join him and Katy in looking to improve our community both now and in the future.

“Don’t put it off the way I did,” Mark said. “We are currently working with an attorney in updating our estate planning documents, but the process is very simple. The Community Foundation provided us with a relatively short document to review, sign and incorporate into our will. It has been exciting to think that Katy and I will be leaving a small legacy to benefit the community long after we are gone.”

Katy and Mark have been married for 37 years and have three sons – Matt (35), Mike (33) and John (32). Matt is married to Sara Cotner, and they have two sons – Henry (7) and Tate (5). Matt and Mike live in Austin, Texas, and John lives in Los Angeles.

Katy has been a board member and/or active volunteer for the following Bloomington organizations – YMCA, Boys & Girls Club Auxiliary, Bloomington Country Club, Childs School PTO, Cutters Soccer, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Habitat for Humanity. Mark has been a board member and/or active volunteer for the United Way, Bloomington Hospital Foundation, Bloomington Hospital (IU Health Bloomington), Boys and Girls Club, Community Foundation of Monroe County and Bloomington, Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI), Bloomington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), Monroe County Community School Corporation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and Ivy Tech Community College.

August 26th announced as application deadline for Monroe County’s 2019 Lilly Scholarship

Community Foundation updates scholarship criteria and adds semi-finalist round.

The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) has opened applications for the 2019 Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. Interested high school seniors have until Sunday, August 26 to submit their applications to be considered for the scholarship program. Monroe County’s two Lilly Scholarship recipients will be announced in December.

New this year, the Community Foundation Board of Directors approved changing the scholarship criteria to remove the requirement that Monroe County applicants be U.S. citizens. The number of years students must attend high school in Monroe County was also reduced from four to three consecutive years.

“As a community, we benefit greatly from the diverse backgrounds and experiences of individuals and families who have chosen to make Monroe County their home,” said President and CEO Tina Peterson. “We believe that the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program should be reflective of that diversity and offer many young people the opportunity to compete for this prestigious award. The changes to our criteria are very simply meant to more clearly align with the realities of who we are as a community.”

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. Finalists for the scholarship will be identified in October, and the two 2019 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars for Monroe County will be named in December 2018.

“To ensure that every eligible student has the opportunity to apply, we want students and families in Monroe County 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.”

Lilly Scholarship 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 2019 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 2019.

In addition to criteria changes, the Community Foundation Board of Directors also approved a new semi-finalist round for 2019. Applications will be 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 will be reflective of each school’s senior class size.

The Community Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee will evaluate the scored 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 recipients, will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. Independent Colleges of Indiana will affirm the scholarship recipients for Monroe County prior to announcement in December.

“The Community Foundation is honored to work with Independent Colleges of Indiana to award this scholarship each year,” added Peterson. “The Lilly Community Scholarship Program has allowed 60 Monroe County Lilly Scholars to pursue education opportunities in Indiana. Our hope is that this opportunity increases the odds that talented young people stay here, in Indiana, to become the citizens and leaders we need to ensure a bright, prosperous future for our communities.”

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.

Take advantage of new Charitable Gift Annuity rates

Gifts to our community – that pay you back for life!

Exciting news! For the first time since 2012, the American Council on Gift Annuities has increased the suggested maximum payout rates for Charitable Gift Annuities. Effective July 1, the rates have raised by 0.30% to 0.50% for most ages.

There’s never been a better time to make a gift to support a cause you care about most through the Community Foundation while generating retirement income for yourself and/or your loved ones.

What is a Charitable Gift Annuity?

A charitable gift annuity (CGA) is a gift made to a nonprofit organization that can provide you with a secure source of fixed payments for life.

How does it work?

You make a one-time gift to the Community Foundation, and we agree to pay you a fixed amount every year for your lifetime. You can also choose to name up to two people you love to receive the annuity payments. The older you are, the better the payment rate. After your lifetime, any unused gift amount will go to the Community Foundation.

How do I benefit?

You make a significant gift to the community without compromising your financial security.
Fixed income payments are free from market volatility with rates superior to standard long-term accounts.
You receive a charitable tax deduction for the one-time gift you make and typically a portion of the annuity payments are tax-free.
If you make a gift of appreciated securities to fund your annuity, you can avoid a portion of the capital gains tax.

How do I get started?

The Community Foundation offers current CGA life income to beneficiaries of age 60 and older. A deferred CGA can be established as early as age 55. You can start a CGA today with a gift of $10,000 or more.

Download CGA Brochure

We would love to talk with you about how CGAs can help you accomplish your charitable and income goals. For a personalized illustration of how a CGA can benefit you and our community, contact Meagan Niese at 812-333-9016 or [email protected].

First annual scholarship awarded in honor of Carl Deal, Jr.

Scholarship recipient Wolfe Allen (middle) with Tommy Richardson, longtime friend of Carl Deal, Jr., Carl’s wife Berit Deal, Community Foundation Program Director Marcus Whited, and Jeff Baldwin, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bloomington.

Wolfe Allen, a senior at the Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship, has been awarded the first Carl Deal, Jr. Memorial Scholarship. Established at the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, this scholarship will be presented annually to a current, or former Boys & Girls Club member for post-secondary education or training. Carl Deal’s wife Berit with longtime friend Tommy Richardson were joined by Community Foundation Program Director Marcus Whited and Boys and Girls Clubs Executive Director Jeff Baldwin to award the scholarship to Allen at the school’s Senior Awards Breakfast ceremony on May 16, 2018.

“Having the Carl Deal, Jr. Scholarship awarded to me was a pleasant surprise, and I am very grateful to have this opportunity,” said Allen, who will be attending Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington this fall.

Born in 1959, Carl “King” Deal Jr. grew up in the Crestmont neighborhood on Bloomington’s northwest side. He attended Fairview Elementary and Dyer Jr. High, and was a graduate of Bloomington High School North. Carl also worked for over 25 years at General Electric in Bloomington. As a child, his father coached youth sports at what was then the Boys Club, where Carl and his brother Steve were active members. Carl developed lifelong friendships through his involvement with the Club. He appreciated the commitment and impact that the Boys and Girls Club had on his life and wanted to give back to the young people of this community. Carl was known for his big personality, for his generous nature, and as an advocate for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington and the families they serve.

After his unexpected death in 2012, Carl’s wife Berit, friends, family, and co-workers launched an annual fundraiser to support the Boys & Girls Club and to create a scholarship in Carl’s memory. Held in August, the King’s Blues, BBQ & Funk Fest at Upland Brewing Co. has drawn 400 people each year since 2013.

“Carl was a strong believer in the power of education, and it is my hope that, through this endowment, kids who wouldn’t normally receive such an award, will be able to achieve things that might not have been possible before,” said Berit Deal. “Like Carl, you can be ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. We are so excited for Wolfe, and look forward to seeing his future unfold.”

“Carl and Berit understood fully what it means to ‘pay it forward,’” said Jeff Baldwin, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bloomington. “They both recognized the value in the Club and what it did for them and for other youth in the community. Thanks to them, and the scholarship they have provided, Wolfe Allen will take a bolder step forward into his future – exciting for him, our community, and the Boys and Girls Club.”

The next King’s Blues, BBQ & Funk Fest is scheduled for August 4 at Upland Brewing Co.

Information and eligibility requirements for the Carl Deal, Jr. Memorial Scholarship can be found at https://cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply-for-a-scholarship/deal/. The application deadline for the 2019 scholarship is March 15, 2019.

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 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.