SIDNEY — The Sidney-Shelby County Chamber of Commerce is again inviting its member school systems and other chamber-member organizations involved with the education of Shelby County youth to make application to its foundation for an education grant.

According to Jeff Raible, president of the Sidney-Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, “The Chamber Foundation is an important component to our overall mission. Through the generosity of chamber members, we are able to financially support many wonderful education based programming supplements each year throughout Shelby County. These are education enrichment programs that might not otherwise occur if not for our foundation’s support.”

Last year, 23 education-based grants were funded to chamber member schools and organizations totaling nearly $19,000. Recipients of these grants included Anna Schools, Botkins Schools, Fairlawn Schools, Hardin-Houston Schools, Sidney City Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Gateway Arts Council, Shelby County Historical Society, Wilma Valentine Creative Learning Center, Midwest Regional Educational Service Center, Lehman Catholic High School, Christian Academy Schools, and Fort Loramie Schools. Additional funding was provided to the Workforce Partnership of Shelby County as well to help offset the ordinary operating expenses of the organization and for the purchase of an Airstream mobile career lab.

To request a 2015 grant application, interested chamber members can call the Chamber Foundation at 492-9122, email [email protected], or download an application on the Chamber website at www.sidneyshelbychamber.com. The deadline for submitting an application this year is Oct. 15.