Martin County Community Foundation Announces Grant Recipients

The Martin County Community Foundation Board of Directors awarded over $84,000 in Boost and Impact Grants to eleven local agencies in the first quarterly round of grants in the new Open Application Grant Cycle. With this new grant process, grantseekers can apply online year round; applications are pulled and evaluated quarterly.

The Community Foundation is governed by a volunteer board whose mission is to improve the quality of life in Martin County for this generation and generations to come.  The Community Foundation accepts and manages individual and business contributions made to permanent endowments, some of which fund the annual grant cycle.

Alan Lagree is chairing the MCCF Grants Committee, “This year we introduced an open application grant cycle and the response to our first round of applications was very positive. The Grants Committee did an excellent job reviewing each application and the Martin County Community Foundation Board awarded grants that will positively impact safety, education, and quality of life in Martin County.”

The Martin County Community Foundation is a public charity recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to be proactive in creating and growing an enduring source of charitable assets, and to identify and respond to the changing needs of Martin County.  For more information, contact Curt Johnson at (812) 295-1022 or mccf@cfpartner.org.

Below is a summary of how each organization will use the awarded funding:

BOOST GRANTS:

Loogootee United Methodist Church - $1,500 to provide toys for the Martin County Toy Store.

Martin County Historical Society - $798 to update their technology in the Genealogical Library Research Room and Office.

IMPACT GRANTS:

Behind the Wire Ministries - $3,000 for repairs and support.

Daviess-Martin Joint County Parks & Recreation - $7,500 to refresh the West Boggs Mini Golf Course.

Hoosier Hills Food Bank - $3,000 to put toward the cost of a new refrigerated truck that will serve Martin and surrounding counties.

Loogootee Parks & Recreation - $26,615 to renovate and refurbish the pool house at the Loogootee Pool and $1,159 to provide an additional adult bench swing at the city park.

Martin County Fire & Rescue ‑ $4,000 to provide essential medical gear bags and supplies for first responders.

Martin County Treasurer - 25,000 to purchase a cardiac monitor for the Martin County ambulance service.

New Beginnings Community Church – $3,000 to provide Saturday lunches for children in the county.

Shoals Beautification Board - $7,000 to provide picnic tables, 6-foot swings, benches, and trash receptacles at Overlook Park.

Shoals Community School Corporation - $2,000 to supply Jug Rox Robotics with parts, equipment, and hardware for their robotics program.

Martin County Community Foundation Announces Year Round Grant Applications

MCCF has adopted an open application cycle. With this new grant process, online applications can be submitted year round. Applications will be pulled and evaluated quarterly and recommendations presented to the board for approval.

The online application opened May 16, 2022, and will remain open. The first group of 2022 applications will be pulled July 31. The following batches of grants will be pulled October 31, 2022;  January 31, 2023; and April 30, 2023. This cycle will continually repeat. The process should take approximately six to eight weeks from the date applications are pulled to check distribution.

Applicants can choose to apply for a Boost or Impact Grant. Boost Grants are limited to $2,000 and can be used for small projects or administrative expenses. If awarded a Boost Grant, an applicant cannot apply for an additional Boost Grant in the next quarterly cycle but can apply in the following cycle. Impact Grants are for projects over $2,000. There are no restrictions on how often an applicant can apply for an Impact Grant. As always, grant funds cannot be used for salaries.

The open application cycle offers applicants the flexibility of applying when they have a project idea without having to wait for the annual cycle.

Prior to applying, grantseekers are strongly encouraged to watch the video “Martin County Open Application Grant Cycle” which fully explains this new grant process.

MCCF Fall/Winter 2021 Newsletter

Click here to read newsletter.

MCCF Announces Grant Recipients of 2021 Impact Grant Cycle

The Martin County Community Foundation Board of Directors awarded $115,036 to sixteen organizations through the 2021 MCCF Impact Grant Cycle.  Organizations were able to apply for Boost Grants, up to $2,000 each, or for larger Impact Grants.  The largest Impact grants were $19,209 awarded to the City of Loogootee for an event stage, and $20,000 awarded to Daviess-Martin Joint Co. Parks & Rec for critical maintenance at the Lakeview Golf Course.  Grantee organizations received their grant checks from members of the board in October; videos of the presentations may be viewed at www.cfpartner.org.

The Community Foundation is governed by a volunteer board whose mission is to improve the quality of life in Martin County for this generation and generations to come.  The Community Foundation accepts and manages individual and business contributions made to permanent endowments, some of which fund the annual grant cycle.

The 2021 grant cycle was funded by the Kenny and Ruth Greenwell Family Fund, Rich and Judy Kluesner Fund, Courter Family Fund, Tri-Kappa of Loogootee-Shoals Community Grants Fund, John T. and Elizabeth J. Chattin Community Fund, Michael B. and Beth A. Lett Fund, German American Bancorp Community Fund, Ken and Juanita Crane Fund, Expectant Mothers Assistance Fund, Old National Bank Unrestricted Fund, Donald and Janett Walton Fund, George M. and Barbara Cropp Fund, Smithville Charitable Foundation Fund, Leo Harding Family Unrestricted Fund, Loogootee Community Performing Arts & Cultural Events Fund, Gregory Family Humanitarian Fund, Al and Helen Friesenhengst Fund, Crane Credit Union Fund, Sarah Bowling Fuhrman Fund for Youth, Jeff and Nancy Meyer Fund, Wendell Bough Family Fund, and the Joseph and Mary Lannan Family Fund.

The MCCF Grants Committee, which makes grant recommendations to the board, is comprised of select board members and Martin County community representatives.  Jerry Braun, 2021 MCCF Grants Committee Chair, said “Even though the number of grant proposals were slightly down from last year, our Committee found it extremely challenging.  They did a wonderful job in making selections that will substantially impact Martin County. This year we decided to present the grants with a Grant Night at the Martin County Community Building where we took pictures and had some soup for them to take home. It was a small way for us to extend our appreciation for all of the good things that they are doing for our community. It was a very special night that we plan to continue in the future.”     

The Martin County Community Foundation is a public charity recognized by the IRS as 501(c)(3) whose mission is to be proactive in creating and growing an enduring source of charitable assets, and to identify and respond to the changing needs of Martin County.  For more information about the Martin County Community Foundation contact Curt Johnson, Director, at (812) 295-1022.

2021 Boost Grant recipients and projects include:

• Family Life Service, Nurse Skills Assessment

• Martin County 4-H Club Council, Delta

• Martin County Historical Society, Portable Displays

 2021 Impact Grant recipients and projects include:

• American Legion Post 61, Seeing Success

• City of Loogootee, Festival and Event Stage

• City of Loogootee, Community Pride Continued

• City of Loogootee, K-9 Officer Safety and Protection

• Daviess-Martin Joint County Parks & Rec, Lakeview Golf Course Lifeline

• Loogootee Musical, LHS Musical- "Let there be light"

• Loogootee Musical, Lights, Camera, Action

• Loogootee Public Library, Community Room Innovations

• Loogootee United Methodist Church, Martin County Toy Store

• New Beginnings Community Church, NBCC  Children's Lunches

• Shoals Volunteer Fire Department, SCBA Bottle Upgrade

• Town of Shoals, Let's Light Up "SHOALS"

• Shoals Community School Corporation, JugRox Robotix League Play 2021

• Shoals Jr/Sr High School, New Scoreboards

• Shoals Shop Class, Animal Handling Facility

• Shoals Public Library, Youth Programs, Clubs and Activities

City of Loogootee is Awarded a Grant for Community Development

MCCF awarded a $100,000 Vision Grant to the City of Loogootee for community development and infrastructure. The Indiana Uplands Regional Housing Study and the Martin County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan both identified a need for midsized housing in the area. Loogootee is located near Crane Naval Base, the third largest naval installation in the United States. This proximity to Crane has created a need for housing that continues to become more urgent. Over the years, many employees of Crane Naval Base or a contractor that supports Crane have looked at living in Loogootee but have chosen to live elsewhere due to the unavailability of midsized housing.

 The city was recently approached by private developers interested in expanding an existing housing development with an additional 40 homes on 30 acres. The homes will be approximately 2,000 square feet in size and be priced between $250,000 to $350,000. Before these houses can be built, infrastructure consisting of water, wastewater, stormwater, and roadway development will need to be installed by the city. Most of the funding for the infrastructure will come from private developers; the remainder of the funding will be provided by City American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding, City funds, and the MCCF grant.   

Martin County Community Foundation Announces Grant Recipients of 2020 Impact Grant Cycle

The Martin County Community Foundation Board of Directors awarded $135,732 to twenty-one organizations through the 2020 MCCF Impact Grant Cycle.  Grantee organizations received their awards from members of the board in October; videos of the presentations may be viewed at www.cfpartner.org.

The Community Foundation is governed by a volunteer board whose mission is to improve the quality of life in Martin County for this generation and generations to come.  The Community Foundation accepts and manages individual and business contributions made to permanent endowments, some of which fund the annual grant cycle.

The Board awarded $25,000 to the City of Loogootee and $25,000 to the Town of Shoals for downtown projects.  An additional $12,500 was awarded as a challenge grant to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. John’s Catholic Church for a delivery van.  Every dollar raised by the St. Vincent de Paul Society will earn a one-dollar match, with a maximum $12,500 award.  Once the challenge amount is raised, the grant check is presented to the organization.

The MCCF Grants Committee is comprised of select board members and Martin County community representatives.  Jerry Braun, 2020 MCCF Grants Committee Chair, said “The number of grant proposals were as high and diverse as they have ever been.  The Grants Committee did an outstanding job in assuring that the selected grants address community needs and in many cases will help the organization be more efficient and self-sustaining.”  He added, “I am excited about how the resulting activities will further improve the well-being and security of our community and anticipate that they will act as a catalyst for innovative ideas for future Impact Grant proposals.” 

The 2020 grant cycle was funded by the Wendell Bough Family Fund, Joseph and Mary Lannan Family Fund, Ken and Juanita Crane Fund, Michael B. and Beth A. Lett Fund, Crane Credit Union Fund, Gregory Family Humanitarian Fund, Al and Helen Friesenhengst Fund, German American Bancorp Community Fund, John T. and Elizabeth J. Chattin Community Fund, Old National Bank Unrestricted Fund, Donald and Janett Walton Fund, George M. and Barbara Cropp Fund, Rich and Judy Kluesner Fund, Smithville Charitable Foundation Fund, Courter Family Fund,  Jeff and Nancy Meyer Fund, Kenny and Ruth Greenwell Family Fund, Leo Harding Family Unrestricted Fund, Loogootee Community Performing Arts & Cultural Events Fund, Tri-Kappa of Loogootee-Shoals Community Grants Fund, and the Sarah Bowling Fuhrman Fund for Youth.

The Martin County Community Foundation is a public charity recognized by the IRS as 501(c)(3) whose mission is to be proactive in creating and growing an enduring source of charitable assets, and to identify and respond to the changing needs of Martin County.  For more information about the MCCF, or to learn about how your gift to the Community Foundation can earn a matching gift from Lilly Endowment Inc., contact Curt Johnson, Director, at (812) 295-1022.

2020 MCCF Annual Dinner Video Presentation

We weren’t able to fellowship together at our Annual Dinner, but we haven’t stopped making a positive impact in our communities. In this video, we present our 2020 impact grants, announce three $5,000 surprise grant recipients, and celebrate what we have been able to accomplish with our non-profit partners.

MCCF Awards $166,335 At 20th Anniversary Celebration

At Monday’s annual community gathering, the Martin County Community Foundation awarded grants totaling $166,335, including a $20,000 non-profit grant drawing.  A sell-out crowd was present to celebrate the Community Foundation’s twentieth year of serving the residents and non-profit organizations of Martin County. 

Eighteen organizations were named recipients of the 2019 Martin County Community Foundation Impact Grant Cycle.  Funding for the open-call grant cycle was provided by unrestricted endowments held by the MCCF.  These funds include the Courter Family Fund,  Donald and Janett Walton Fund for the Betterment of Martin County, Wendell Bough Family Fund, German American Bank Community Fund, Michael B. and Beth A. Lett Fund, Gregory Family Humanitarian Fund, Crane Family Fund for Martin County, Tri-Kappa of Loogootee-Shoals Community Grants Fund, Leo Harding Family Unrestricted Fund, Al and Helen Friesenhengst Fund, Rich and Judy Kluesner Fund, John T. and Elizabeth J. Chattin Community Fund, Old National Fund, Smithville Charitable Foundation Fund, and the MCCF Unrestricted Fund.  Additional funding was available from the George and Barbara Cropp Fund for Martin County, Expectant Mothers Assistance Fund, Sarah Bowling Fuhrman Fund for Youth, and the Martin County Community Foundation Education Fund.

Recipients of 2019 Martin County Community Foundation Impact Grants:

• Dover Hill Church of Christ in Christian Union, Happy Landings Part II, $900

• Haysville Community Volunteer Fire Department, Dress to be the Best, $8,000

• Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Holiday Purchasing, $1,500

• Loogootee Community School Corporation, General Music Class, $1,615

• Loogootee Musical, LCSC, Can You Hear Me Now?, $2,000

• Loogootee United Methodist Church, Martin County Toy Store, $1,000

• Martin County 4-H Club Council, Safety First, $3,595

• Martin County 4-H Club Council, Project:  Accessible & Secure, $5,979

• Martin County Community Corrections, Community Outreach and Education, $1,500

• Martin County Council on Aging, Expanded Storage for Meals on Wheels, $2,264

• Martin County Council on Aging, Right with the State, $3,300

• Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Community Outreach Room, $589

• Martin County SOAR, Promoting Family Literacy Program, $1,419

• New Beginnings Community Church, Children’s Lunch, $2,000

• Purdue Extension Martin County, Positive Strategies: Engaging and Building, $3,000

• Retired Senior Volunteer Program, “Ready Set Go” Disaster Preparedness, $1,500

• Samaritan Center, Shoals Students Get Schooled on Mental Health, $5,000

• Town of Shoals, Shoals Beautification Board, $7,000

• Shoals Church of the Cross, Community Safety, $1,299

• Trinity Springs Mustering Elm, Park Improvements, $7,875

• Youth First, Youth First in Martin County, $5,000

Four groups were presented $20,000 grants:

• City of Loogootee, Parks Board

• Loogootee Public Library

• Shoals Public Library

• Town of Shoals, Park Board

In addition, ten organizations were chosen for grants during the evening, nominated by attendees.  Recipients of a $2,000 grant were:

• Friends of Shoals Public Library

• Martin County Humane Society

• Loogootee Elementary School

• Shoals Church of the Cross

• Loogootee Parks Board

• Center for Women’s Ministries, Martin County

• Loogootee High School

• Shoals Senior Citizens

• Shoals Scholarship Foundation (Dollars for Scholars)

• Loogootee Public Library

Board member Jenell Hoffman and Dan Gregory, President of Community Foundation Partnership, Inc. and the Martin County Community Foundation, announced grants totaling over a quarter of a million dollars will be distributed in 2019.  The keynote speaker for the evening, NSWC Crane Technical Director Dr. Brett Seidle, encouraged attendees to serve their community and heralded the Community Foundation’s twenty years of serving the residents of Martin County.

Curt Johnson, Director, reminded the crowd that a Lilly Endowment GIFT VII initiative is under way.  Donations to MCCF unrestricted funds will be matched $2 to $1; gifts to other permanent endowments will be matched $1 to $2.

The Martin County Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to responsibly build endowed funds and provide grants to worthwhile projects, improving the quality of life in Martin County and enhancing the value of the foundation to the community.  For information on ways to give back to Martin County through the Community Foundation, contact MCCF Director Curt Johnson at mccf@cfpartner.org or (812) 295-1022.