Foundation awards $75,880 in grants

SIDNEY — The Community Foundation of Shelby County recently awarded $75,880 to local organizations during its Spring Community Grants cycle.

Grant money comes from several sources, including gifts to the annual Community Foundation Partners program and earnings from the Community Impact, Roscoe Beanblossom, Prime the Pump and Shelby County Medical Services Funds.

Funding was awarded to:

• Alpha Community Center, $5,000 for increased food needs.

• Anna Civic Association, $10,000 toward a splash pad in their community park.

• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County, $1,000 to purchase Big Buddies program curriculum.

• Compassionate Care of Shelby County, $5,000 for a plan to redevelop unused space into a patient wellness center.

• Gateway Arts Council, $5,000 to support its 2022-2023 Presents performance series.

• Midwest Regional Education Service Center, $2,180 for parenting classes.

• New Choices, $2,500 to purchase outdoor playground equipment.

• Sidney Alive, $15,000 for the downtown Sidney revitalization project.

• Sidney-Shelby County Economic Partnership, $10,000 for a feasibility study to redevelop the former Wagner Manufacturing site.

• Wilma Valentine Childcare, $2,700 for toys and storage tubs.

• Wilson Health Foundation, $15,000 to assist in the purchase of a mobile coach for a mammography unit.

• Wrapped in God’s Love, $2,500 for fabric to make blankets given away by local healthcare and human service organizations.

The Foundation’s Fall Grant cycle is open, with applications due by Aug. 4 and final grant awards announced in October. Organizations in or serving Shelby County may apply for more than $137,000 in grant amounts of up to $15,000. Some funding is open to all types of requests, while others are limited to needs specified by a fund’s establishing donor.

Applicant organizations should have a 501(c)(3) tax status, be a governmental entity or collaborate with a fiscal agent. A fiscal agent is a 501(c)(3) or governmental entity that is willing to receive grant dollars on behalf of another organization and oversee its appropriate use.

Those interested in applying should first contact Juli Smith, Scholarships and Grants administrator at the Community Foundation at [email protected] or call 937-497-7800 to request permission to apply. Applicants should be ready to briefly explain the intended grant request and dollar amount. Grant information is available on the Foundation’s website at commfoun.com.