SIDNEY – The Community Foundation of Shelby County recently awarded more than $49,500 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 foundation’s Operations Reserve, Community Impact Fund, Roscoe Beanblossom Fund, John Douglas Long Blind Fund, The Memory Fund and Shelby County Medical Services Fund.
Funding was awarded as follows:
• Alpha Community Center, $12,050 to purchase a double-decker convection oven, a stovetop and griddle to be installed in its new facility to continue its meals and those from Holy Angels Soup Kitchen.
• Bridges Community Action Partnership, $7,000 to support the cost of temporary housing for homeless individuals and families.
• Gateway Arts Council, $4,000 to support its 2021-22 Presents performance series.
• Morgan’s Place Cemetery, $10,000 for fencing around the property.
• New Choices, $10,000 to assist in purchasing a vehicle to transport clients to the shelter, workplaces and appointments.
• Shelby County Agricultural Society, $4,512 to purchase new chairs for the Fairgrounds’ Beige Building.
• Shelby Soil & Water Conservation District, $500 to provide the Boonshoft Museum’s Star Lab mobile planetarium for this summer’s Conservation Day Camp.
• Sidney-Shelby County YMCA, $1,500 for music education items including outdoor chimes for the playground, curricular materials for infants through grade six and instruments to use in their classrooms.
The foundation will open its Fall Community Grant cycle in June, with applications due by Aug. 5 and final grant awards announced in October. Organizations in or serving Shelby County may apply for more than $51,000 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.
Applicants 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.
