Five donor advised funds of the Community Foundation of Shelby County recently awarded nearly $20,000 in grants requested during the Spring Community Grants process. Donor advised funds are charitable funds created by an individual, family or company that allow continued involvement in recommending grants and investments.
“Donor advised funds and Gift Accounts have an added perk of receiving a summary of requests submitted to us during the Community Grants semi-annual grant cycles,” executive director Marian Spicer said. “Supporting any of the proposals is optional, but donors have told us that this insight shows them needs in local organizations that they otherwise would not know of or fund.”
Donor advisors selected eight grant proposals for full or partial funding out of 20 submitted this spring.
The Edward and Merilyn Borchers Family Foundation funded a $3,000 request from Russia Local Schools for a Normatec Full Body Compression device to aid in the recovery of injured students and a $650 request from the Midwest Regional Education Service Center’s for its Fine Motor Bootcamp program for students in multiple school districts who need help with their fine motor, sensory and visual skills.
The Emerson and Janet Koenig Family Fund provided $5,000 to each the Gateway Arts Council Presents Series and the Sidney Civic Band’s free summer concerts. The fund is also supporting improvements to Cole Field in Botkins with a $5,000 grant to Botkins Youth Baseball and Softball.
Grants for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County program Guys in Ties and Girls in Pearls were supported with $600 from the AAA Shelby County Cares Fund and $250 from the Tim Bickel Gift Account. The program for select students at Sidney Middle School was also awarded an $1,150 grant from the Foundation’s Roscoe Beanblossom Fund for youth.
The Right Hand Fund issued a $1,000 grant to Elizabeth’s New Life Center to add furnishings and technology to the Women’s Center Sidney men’s mentoring room. The proposal received another $3,000 from the Foundation’s Community Impact Fund and will provide meeting space for male partners of women coming to the center.
The Community Foundation administers 52 Donor Advised Funds, which are long term or permanent funds and 32 Gift Accounts, a short-term or nonpermanent type of advised fund. Donors often request grants to their favorite charities throughout the year from the funds.
Information on all types of funds available through the Community Foundation of Shelby County is available at commfoun.com.
