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PCCF distributes $120,000 in Spring Grant Awards
Putnam County Community Foundation Board President Ken Eitel greeted an early morning crowd of nearly 75 Friday to celebrate the awarding of more than $120,000 in grants at the 2017 Spring Grant Awards Breakfast.
Susan Lemon, who chairs the Community Foundation Grants Committee, thanked donors to unrestricted and field of interest endowments that make grant awards possible. Lemon acknowledged and thanked the work of Grants Committee members who give many hours in making decisions for awarding grants. “Application requests generally total four times the amount available for grant awards,” she said.
Dean Gambill, director of Community Development, announced awards totaling $122,923.61 from the Community Foundation’s unrestricted and field of interest funds. Gambill explained that three different types of grants are awarded: Endowment Builder Grants, Community Grants and Youth Philanthropy Grants. Each has its own application and requirements.
Attendees had the opportunity to hear from representatives of three organizations who received grants and learn about their projects.
Michelle Boller, executive director of Beyond Homeless Inc., spoke about a Community Grant which was used to purchase a cash register system, baskets and pricing equipment which allowed them to open a new thrift store in the old Monon restaurant building.
Boller continued by telling those in attendance that she has been an advocate of endowments even before she interviewed over a year ago. The Endowment Builder Grant that Beyond Homeless has received allows the organization to grow its endowment fund more quickly. Both of these grants will help them with sustainability into the future by providing funding for the shelter.
Whitney Boswell, president of Putnam 4-H Horse & Pony Club, gave a presentation about the Spark 4-H Horse Education Day. At the camp, youth will be paired with a horse and handler as they go through the day learning about horse care, nutrition, handling and safety.
The final presentation of the morning was made by Bob Hershberger, president of the Family, Youth and Child Development Program. The organization was the recipient of a Community Grant from the Foundation in June 2016 to replace the roof and flooring of the Crown Street Community Center.
Using a PowerPoint presentation, Hershberger told how the grant was used to make the community center more weather proof and replace aging floors which allows the Community Center to hosts groups with dignity.
Organizations receiving 2017 Spring Endowment Builder Grants are:
-- AgriInstitute, $1,333.
-- Beyond Homeless Inc., $4,000.
-- Greencastle Civic League, $5,500
-- Heritage Preservation Society of Putnam County, $2,500.
To qualify for an Endowment Builder Grant an organization must establish or have an existing endowment with the Community Foundation and submit a fundraising plan to build the endowment. The Community Foundation matches one dollar for every two dollars that the organization raises.
Spring 2017 Community and Field of Interest Grants are:
-- Beyond Homeless, $2,000.
-- Friends of the Putnam County Public Library, $5,000.
-- Gobin Memorial UM Church, $2,000.
-- Gleaners Food Bank, $5,000.
-- Greencastle Presbyterian Church/SAWS, $10,000.
-- Mental Health America of PC, $2,500.
-- Mental Health America of PC, $2,000.
-- Putnam County Comprehensive Services, $2,500.
-- Putnam County Family Support Services, $5,000.
-- Putnam County Purdue Extension Services, $3,500.
-- Putnam County Youth Development Commission, $2,500.
-- St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (Non-food Pantry), $3,000.
-- PCCECA The Castle, $20,000.
-- Putnam County Nonprofits (Grant Workshop), $4,750
Two Youth Philanthropy Grants were recognized totaling $1,000. These grants are for youth-led community service projects.
The 2017 Spring Youth Philanthropy Grant recipients are:
-- North Putnam High School Key Club, $500.
-- Putnam 4-H Horse & Pony Club, $500.
Additionally, two previously awarded multi-year grants were presented.
-- Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center, $20,000.
-- Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association, $32,173.61.
President Eitel gratefully acknowledged the breakfast sponsor, First National Bank. The breakfast was catered by Almost Home and held in the Community Room of Area 30 Career Center.