Grants

Fayette County 911 received a $2,000 mini grant from the following endowments: Fayette County Foundation Community Impact Fund, Dr. Jack Lockhart Community Wellness Endowment, and US Bank Community Education. This grant was used in support of their Public Awareness Program.

The Community Sharing Foundation: $2,000

The Community Sharing Foundation received a $2,000 mini grant from the following endowments: Fayette County Foundation Community Impact Fund, Feeding Children’s Success, and Dick & Joanne Guttman Helping Fight Hunger. This grant was used to purchase refrigerator/freezer units for their Food Pantry.

Eastview Elementary School: $2,500

Eastview Elementary received a $2,500 mini grant from the Country Club Endowment Youth Recreation and Matching Community Grants Fund. This grant was used for new, ADA compliant, inclusive playground equipment thanks to the help and hard work of their PTO.

City Of Connersville Festivals Committee: $2,500

The Festivals Committee received a $2,500 mini grant from the following endowments: Fayette County Foundation Community Impact Fund, and Community Festivals. This grant was used to help with the upcoming Celebration In The Ville 2024 Scavenger Hunt.

Connersville Youth Football League, Inc: $2,500

Connersville Youth Football League, Inc. received a $2,500 mini grant from the Country Club Endowment Youth Recreation and Matching Community Grants Fund. This grant was used to replace old helmets and recertify existing ones.

Fayette County School Corporation: $2,500

Fayette County School Corp received a $2,500 mini grant from the Country Club Endowment Youth Recreation and Matching Community Grants Fund. This grant was used to improve safety at the softball fields.

Connersville Parks Department: $2,500

The Connersville Parks Department received a $2,500 mini grant from the Fayette County Foundation Community Impact Fund. This grant was used to make some fun additions to the Family Aquatic Center.

Pathway to Damascus: $1,500

Pathway to Damascus, Whole Family Initiative, Inc., received a $1,500 mini grant from the Fayette County Foundation Community Impact Fund This grant was used to help with an event they hosted for the whole community.

Higher Praise Worship Center: $1,850

Higher Praise Worship Center’s Food Pantry recently received a mini grant from the Fayette County Foundation Community Impact Fund. This grant was used to purchase electronic office equipment to support their expansion.

Healthy Fayette County: $2,000

Healthy Fayette County, in partnership with General Federation of Women’s Clubs, received a $2,000 mini grant from the Fayette County Foundation Community Impact Fund. This grant was used in support of their collaboration project to provide training for upcoming community opportunities.

Mount Zion Baptist Church of Connersville: $2,000

Mount Zion Baptist Church of Connersville received a $2,000 mini grant from the Fayette County Foundation Community Impact Fund. This grant was used to purchase a refrigerator for their new community food pantry, Zion’s Cupboard.

St. Gabriel Catholic School: $2,500

St. Gabriel Catholic School received a $2,500 mini grant from the following endowments: Community Education Fund and Bill & Nancy Wilson Community Enhancement Endowment. This grant was used to bring a guest speaker to Fayette County, focusing on on leadership development to empower students and the community to grow and thrive.

Total Mini Grants Awarded in 2024: $26,350

Fayette County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management was awarded a $14,000 grant from the following endowments: Juanita Hornsby Community Impact and Fayette County Foundation Community Impact. This grant was used to purchase radios, car fire blankets, pump brush backpacks, and other equipment.

Discover Connersville: $4,320

Discover Connersville was awarded a $4,320 grant from the following endowments: Father Robert Mazzola Downtown Beautification, John and Bea McFarlan Unrestricted, and Fayette County Foundation Community Impact. This grant was used to install a concrete foundation for the future covered shelter in the Oasis.

Grandview Elementary: $2,425.36

Grandview Elementary was awarded a $2,425.36 grant from the Gene and Jane Guttman Early Childhood Literacy endowment. This grant was used to assist in updating the non-fiction section of their library.

Fayette County Sheriff’s Department: $8,750

Fayette County Sheriff’s Department was awarded a $8,750 grant from the following endowments: Jean and Leo Risch Community Impact and Fayette County Foundation Community Impact. This grant was used to restore the padded cell in the County Jail.

Indiana Audubon: $17,658

Indiana Audubon was awarded a $17,658.00 grant from the following endowments: Class of 1951 Education, Fayette County Wildlife Heritage Fund, Mike Ledford Memorial, and Community Education. This grant was used for Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary’s educational campus expansion.

Firefly Children and Family Alliance: $5,000

Firefly Children and Family Alliance was awarded a $5,000 grant from the following endowments: Barbara Bowden Early Childhood Development, Lady Bug, and Community Education. This grant was used to support the car seat clinic portion of their Safe Kiddos in Fayette County initiative.

Love Makes Cent, Inc.: $5,000

Love Makes Cent, Inc. was awarded a $5,000 grant from the following endowments: Gene and Jane Guttman Unrestricted and Fayette County Foundation Community Impact. This grant was used to establish a Barrier Reduction Fund.

Imagine Performing Arts: $30,000

Imagine Performing Arts was awarded a $30,000 grant from the following endowments: Brett and Brook Adams Community Impact and Fayette County Foundation Community Impact. This grant was used to begin the roofing projects portion of the renovation of their new home in downtown Connersville.

Neighborhood Health Center: $7,000

Neighborhood Health Center was awarded a $7,000 grant from the following endowments: Ryan and Tina O’Neal Elderly Care Support in Memory of Della Lawrence, Charles and Jackie Heck Family Community Impact, and Fayette County Foundation Community Impact. This grant was used to provide transportation assistance for their patients.

Connersville Band Boosters: $6,000

Connersville Band Boosters was awarded a $6,000 grant from the following endowments: ER and Mary Bowden Performing Arts, Judy (Caldwell) & Bill Flanigan Arts for Everyone, Sue and Melvin Dice Cultural Fund for Visual and Performing Arts, Anonymous 2019 Unrestricted, and Fayette County Foundation Community Impact. This grant was used for the revitalization of their Color Guard Program.

Bentonville Volunteer Fire Department: $9,899

Bentonville Volunteer Fire Department was awarded a $9,899 grant from the following endowments: Andy Yaryan Family Community Impact and Fayette County Foundation Community Impact. This grant was used for a PPE Express Drying Cabinet that will reduce the turnaround time for utilizing PPE from days to hours.

New Horizons Rehabilitation, Inc.: $3,350

New Horizons Rehabilitation, Inc. was awarded a $3,350 grant from the following endowments: Ben and Reita Brunsman Embracing Hope and Respecting Diversity, Class of 1994 Community Impact, and Fayette County Foundation Impact. This grant was used to create a sensory room in their Connersville facility.

City Of Connersville – Winterfest: $2,405

City Of Connersville was awarded $2,405 from the Fayette County Foundation Community Impact Endowment. This grant was used to install a commercial-grade artificial tree at Winterfest in downtown Connersville, along with expanding other branded elements.

Alquina Blue Arrows Park: $22,000

Alquina Blue Arrows Park was awarded a $22,000 grant from the following endowments: Fayette County Foundation Unrestricted Endowment, Duane and Patti Keaffaber and Family Community Impact, and Anna Dungan Family Community Impact. This grant will fund the construction of a much-needed restroom facility, offering clean, accessible amenities that promote public health and safety, while enhancing the park experience for all.

Total Grant Awarded in 2024 Grant Cycle: $137,807.36

The Fayette County Drug Court received a $866.29 mini grant from the FCF Community Impact endowment to obtain protective equipment for their full-time case manager to better ensure their safety.

Connersville High School Theater Program: $2,500

Connersville High School’s Theater Program received a $2,500 mini grant from the ER and Mary Bowden Performing Arts fund, the Sue and Melvin Dice Cultural Fund for Visual and Performing Arts fund, and the Community Education fund to purchase a new Lavalier Sound System.

The City of Connersville: $2,500

The City of Connersville received a $2,500 mini grant from Dr. Jack Lockhart Community Wellness Endowment and the FCF Community Impact Fund. This grant was used to purchase binder lifts that will allow first responders to safely lift individuals up to 800lbs without causing injuries to EMS first responders and/or the patient.

Fayette County Department of Homeland Security: $2,500

The Fayette County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management received a $2,500 mini grant to purchase emergency preparedness and response tools and equipment. This new equipment will better prepare the response capabilities of the DHSEM in efforts to prepare for, respond to, and recover from any all-hazard emergency incident.

Soldiers in the Army of the Lord Ministries: $784.95

Soldiers in the Army of the Lord Ministries Corp received a $784.95 mini grant from Marguerite and Lester Thiebaud Memorial Fund for the Poor and the FCF Community Impact Fund. This grant was used to purchase computer equipment and accessories to elevate their programs and provide better support to their donors and those that use their services.

Fayette County School Corporation: $1,600

Little Spartan’s Preschool received a $1,600 grant from the Fayette County Education Fund. This grant was used to provide financial support for educational activities and projects for which funds are not readily available. Each year, the Fayette County School Corporation allows teachers and support staff to apply to receive support from this fund. Two teachers from Little Spartans Preschool were selected to have their projects funded this year and will be using this grant to purchase STEM materials and establish an outdoor sensory space.

City of Connersville: $2,500

City of Connersville received a $2,500 mini grant from Father Robert Mazzola Downtown Beautification, Community Festivals, and the FCF Community Impact fund. This grant was used to purchase a scaffolding break down shelter to be used by the Festivals Committee. The structure was used for different events throughout the year to prevent damage to the historical buildings downtown.

Fayette County School Corporation: $1,841.51

Fayette County School Corporation received a $1,841.51mini grant from the Science and Technology Fund and the Community Education Fund. This grant was used to purchase equipment for the Engineering and Technology Department to use in their technology and dual credit courses.

Ew Tatman Underprivileged Children’s Christmas Fund: $2,500

Ew Tatman Underprivileged Children’s Christmas Fund received a $2,500 mini grant from the FCF Community Impact fund to support their 2023 Children’s Christmas Party. The grant was used to pay for the meal that they provide for all the children and the family’s that attended the event.

Connersville Fire Department: $1,500

Connersville Fire Department received a $1,500 mini grant from the FCF Community Impact fund to purchase a training mannequin. The training mannequin will help their firefighters participate in more life-like training scenarios to better prepare them for emergency situations.

Frazee Elementary School: $2,500

Frazee Elementary School received a $2,500 mini grant from Gene and Jane Guttman Early Childhood Literacy and the Community Education Fund. This grant was used to support their Fall in Love with Reading family literacy night. They hope that this literacy night will encourage the love of reading and writing in their students and their families.

New Horizons Rehabilitation-Connersville: $2,500

New Horizons Rehabilitation-Connersville received a $2,500 mini grant from the Community Education Fund and the Ben & Reita Brunsman Embracing Hope & Respecting Diversity. This grant was used to support their new Marketplace.

Families Helping Families: $2,500

Families Helping Families received a mini grant from the FCF Community Impact endowment. This grant was used to support their Christmas Event. The event was held December 16th and 17th and they passed out meal boxes and Christmas gifts (for children – 18 years and younger) to families in need at the Jaycee’s building!

Historic Connersville Downtown Winterfest: $2,500

Historic Connersville Downtown Winterfest received a $2,500 mini grant from the FCF Community Impact endowment to support their efforts in giving our community a magical winter experience each year.

Sharp Shooters 4-H Club: $2,500

Sharp Shooters 4-H received a $2,500 mini grant from the Country Club Endowment Youth Recreation and Matching Community Grants Fund and Fayette County Wildlife Heritage Fund. This grant helped provide archery equipment for use in their youth education program. We are excited to see and encourage the growth for this club.

Calvary Baptist Church: $2,500

Calvary Baptist Church received a $2,500 mini grant from the Community Education Fund. This grant was for a program that focuses on improving their center’s quality by advancing to a level 3 provider, offering professional development and educational support for staff, using high-quality Montessori materials, and implementing a consistent curriculum to enhance education and childcare in Fayette County.

Total Mini Grants Awarded in 2023: $34,092.75

Everton Volunteer Fire Department Inc was awarded $7,000 to purchase equipment to aid them in swift water/river rescues. 

Higher Praise Worship Center – $15,500

Higher Praise Worship Center was awarded $15,500 to install a cooler add-on for their community food pantry.

Historic Connersville, Inc – $20,000

Historic Connersville, Inc was awarded $20,000 for the restoration of Canal House. 

Hope Center – $6,000

Hope Center was awarded $6,000 to update security at their new facility.

Junior Achievement – $5,000

Junior Achievement Of OKI Partners/Eastern Indiana was awarded $5,000 to help increase career readiness in Fayette County by preparing local partners to teach volunteer-led career readiness classes.

Love Makes Cent Inc – $4,000

Love Makes Cent was awarded $4,000 to assist in providing financial education to Fayette County residents.

Whitewater College Programs – $13,300

Whitewater College Programs Inc/The Link was awarded $13,300 to support the Teen Link’s mental health programing, which will concentrate on reducing teen driving anxiety through group workshops, hands-on driving simulators, and connection sessions with mental health professionals. 

Total Grant Awarded in 2023 Grant Cycle: $70,800

The Fayette County Senior Center was awarded a $450 mini grant from the Ryan and Tina O’Neal Elderly Care Endowment.

Fayette County Garden Club: $1,016.50

The Fayette Garden Club was awarded a $1,016.50 mini grant from the James Herdrich Beautification Endowment and the Father Robert Mazzola Downtown Beautification Endowment. This money was used to plant flowers in the city’s 17 large pots located on Central Avenue, between 4th Street and 8th Street.

City of Connersville: $1,500

The City of Connersville was awarded a $1,500 mini grant from the Community Festivals Endowment and the Community IMPACT Endowment. This grant went towards advertising supplies for the Celebration in the Ville event.

Hope Center: $2,500

Hope Center was awarded a $2,500 mini grant from the Lady Bug Endowment and the Community IMPACT Endowment. This grant went towards renovation supplies for their new building.

Fayette County Community Voices: $1,395

Fayette County Community Voices was awarded a $1,395 mini grant from the Mike Ledford Memorial Endowment and the Community Education Endowment. This funding was used to support their upcoming summer health series.

Fayette County: $2,500

Fayette County was awarded a $2,500 mini grant from the Community IMPACT Endowment. This funding was used by the Fayette County Cemetery Commission to purchase ground penetrating radar for mapping and recording of grave locations.

Fayette County Drug Court: $2,500

Fayette County Drug Court was awarded a $2,500 mini grant from the Community IMPACT Endowment. This funding was used to enhance substance screening.

Connersville High School: $1,825

Connersville High School was awarded a $1,825 mini grant from the Community Education Fund, the Country Club Youth Recreation Endowment, and the Class of 1951 Education Endowment. This funding was used to better educate teachers and staff and provide Positive Supports for students that help them better cope with the trauma that they may be enduring or have endured in life. Funding helped purchase recourses to better equip the Reset Room for students at CHS.

Discover Connersville: $2,500

Discover Connersville was awarded a $2,500 mini grant from the Community IMPACT Endowment. This funding was used to put the Santa house on wheels! A trailer was built for the house to sit on and transport. This decreased damage to the house that occurs every year during transport.

Connersville Parks & Recreation: $1,500

Connersville Parks & Recreation was awarded a $1,500 mini grant from the Ryan and Tina O’Neal Elderly Care Endowment, Youth Recreation Endowment, and Community IMPACT Endowment. This funding was used to purchase an accessible lift chair for the aquatic center.

VKB Ministries, Inc: $2,500

VKB Ministries, Inc. was awarded a $2,500 mini grant from the Community IMPACT Endowment! This grant was used to support the VBM Children’s Christmas.

Connersville High School: $2,000

Connersville High School received a $2,000 mini grant from the Fayette County Education Endowment. The funds were used for the school’s emotional support dog to go through a two week residency program in which she will learn basic commands and behaviors through Fetch K9.

Eastview Elementary: $500

Eastview Elementary was awarded a $500 mini grant from the Community Education Fund. This grant was used for the Family and Community Engagement Initiative.

Fayette County Soil and Water District: $2125.38

Fayette County Soil and Water District was awarded a $2,125.38 mini grant for the native wildflower installation project.

Total Mini Grants Awarded in 2022: $24,811.88

Hotel stays, transportation expenses, fees to receive birth certificates and other documents, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Alquina Blue Arrows Park Inc. – $30,000

Revitalization of the basketball court.

Fayette County Community Voices – $14,000

2023 Outdoor Education Program at Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary.

Neighborhood Health Center, Fayette County Medical Center – $5,850

Remote patient monitoring kits for high risk patients in Fayette County.

Firefly Children & Family Alliance – $5,000

Emergency aid for Fayette County Families in need.

Connection Cafe – $8,000

The fiscal sponsor for Earned Never Given to purchase new equipment, key fob entry technology, and computer software.

Indiana Audubon Society – $4,100

Interpretive nature trail signage at the Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary.

Interlocal Community Action Program, Inc. – $10,000

Replace the roof on the Fayette County Service Hub building.

Grandview Elementary – $4,500

Purchase an Inch Worm book vending machine.

Hope Center – $10,000

10 week Leaders in Training class.

Total Grant Awards 2022 $102,450

Grandview Elementary School was awarded a $1,000 mini-grant from the Mike Ledford Memorial Endowment and the Kenneth and Martha Caldwell Conservation Endowment. This funding will help establish a pollinator garden at Grandview Elementary.

Whitewater Valley Arts Association: $250

The Whitewater Valley Arts Association was awarded a $250 mini-grant from the Sue and Melvin Dice Cultural Arts Endowment. Funding was used to support the May Regional Art Competition.

Connersville Street Department: $1,275

The Connersville Street Department was awarded a $1,275 mini-grant from the Julie Yake Beautification Fund. This funding was used to plant perennial beds bordering the courthouse parking lot.

Discover Connersville: $1,000

Discover Connersville was awarded a $1,000 mini-grant from the James and Ruth Herdrich Beautification Endowment and the Robert Mazzola Downtown Beautification Endowment. This funding was used for materials to paint a mural on the north wall of the Oasis.

Whitewater Valley Railroad: $1,475

The Whitewater Valley Railroad was awarded a $1,475 mini-grant from our Community IMPACT Fund. This funding was used to install a brick platform at the museum site on Veterans Memorial Drive.

The Shelter, Inc: $1,500

The Shelter, Inc. was recently awarded funding from the Robert Wissel Homeless Endowment and the Theibaud Homeless & Needy Endowment. This grant went towards new software that will enable the shelter to move from paper intake forms to a digital tracking process.

Connection Café: $700

The Connection Café was awarded a $700 mini grant funded by the Dr. Jack Lockhart Healthy Community Endowment. This grant went towards materials and supplies.

Fayette County Public Library: $1,700

The Fayette County Public Library was awarded two grants! Funding from the Gene and Jane Guttman Early Childhood Literacy Endowment will go towards providing a book for every child in Fayette County under the age of 5. Funding from the Reita & Ben Brunsman Diversity & Hope Endowment will help purchase and promote diversity materials at the library.

Historic Connersville: $1,500

Historic Connersville, Inc. was awarded a $1,500 mini grant funded by the Duane & Patti Keaffaber Family Community Impact Endowment and the Charles & Jackie Heck Family Community Impact Endowment. This grant went towards getting a new printer and monitors for the Historic Museum.

Imagine Performing Arts: $1,950

Imagine Performing Arts was awarded a $1,950 mini grant funded by the E.R. and Mary Bowden Performing Arts Endowment and the Sue and Melvin Dice Cultural Fund for Visual & Performing Arts Endowment. This grant helped improve their capacity for technical production by purchasing microphones and lights.

Purdue Extension: $200

Purdue Extension was awarded a $200 mini grant funded by the Howard Orschell Agriculture Endowment. This funding went towards agricultural programming in Fayette County.

Fayette County Salvation Army: $1,200

The Fayette County Salvation Army was awarded a $1,200 mini grant funded by the Feeding Children’s Success Endowment and the Richard & Joanne Guttman Helping Fight Hunger Endowment.

Fayette County School Corporation: $1,450

The Fayette County School Corporation was awarded a $1,450 mini grant from the Gene and Jane Guttman Early Childhood Literacy Endowment and the Barbara Bowden Early Childhood Development Endowment. This grant went to the Little Spartans Preschool to purchase supplies and equipment that support fine and gross motor development and early literacy for the Developmental Preschool program.

Total Mini Grant Awards 2021: $15,200

New air packs and bottles that will provide the firefighters and the public that we protect a safer environment to work in and will help the fire department stay in compliance with NFPA and OSHA.

Glenwood Volunteer Fire Department – $13,679.96

Replace firefighter turnout gear and helmets that were starting to become outdated per NFPA standards. Turnout gear provides protection for the firefighters as they enter burning buildings or hazardous situations. Helmets protect the firefighters from falling debris while performing their duties.

NATCO Community Empowerment Center – $1,800

2 poverty simulations in Fayette County that will give participants the opportunity to experience a “month” in
poverty, allowing them to begin to understand the constant problem solving, frustration and challenges of living in the poverty environment.

Fayette County Sheriff’s Department – $9,161

 Accident reconstruction equipment that will consist of a drone, workstation, software, and an ipad. The purpose of the equipment is to speed up the time currently required of the FCSD to reconstruct an accident scene.

Total Grant Awards 2021 Cycle II $54,640.96

Junior Achievement of Eastern Indiana, with the partnership of the Fayette Community Foundation, will serve 8 classrooms or 200 students by presenting traditional volunteer-led classroom programs and delivering the new JA Virtual Career Exploration Fair for elementary students.

Connersville High School Athletic Department (CHS Gymnastic Team) – $3,264

New uneven bars.

Total Grant Awards 2021 Cycle I $7,404

Strategic Planning and Road mapping Consulting Services.

Whitewater Career Center – $3,454

Criminal Justice Program Equipment.

Fayette County 911 – $4,500

Fayette County 911 Equipment Upgrade Project.

Creative Steps Learning Center – $10,000

Building and curriculum updates in order to become the first Paths to Quality Level 2, full year/full day child care center in Fayette County.

Alquina Blue Arrows Park – $2,000

Birds, Butterflies, and Bees Habitat; Bluebirds Initial Phase.

Total Grant Awards 2020 Cycle II $21,954

Online screening tool that measures both risk factors (depression, anxiety, victimization) and protective factors (resiliency, grit, hope) to help counselors better help students.

Our New Friends Program / Central Christian Church – $4,500

Teaching budgeting, banking, self sufficiency, and financial help with utilities and rent,.

Whitewater Career Center – $9,149

4 Lincoln Power Mig Welding Technology program students will become trained and certified and ready for employment.

Whitewater Adult Education – $1,800

Online High School Equivilency learning and pretest.

Total Grant Awards in 2020 Cycle I $21,649

Instrument Updates, $5,000

CMS Gardening Club

Greenhouse and supplies for courtyard, $1,500

Fayette County Community Voices

Outdoor Education, $9,250

Everton Volunteer Fire Department

Water tanker repairs, $24,750

Grace United Methodist Food Pantry

Food and other supplies, $4,000

Hope Center

Technology updates, $2,100

Imagine Performing Arts

Oliver! the musical for all ages, $5,725

The Shelter

Bathroom renovations, $6,000

Whitewater Adult Education

Orientation coordinator, $2,500

Total Grant Awards 2019 Cycle II $60,825

Media Resources, $776

Discover Connersville

The Oasis, $10,000

Junior Achievement

Learning materials, $1,500

Masonic Temple

Conditions Assesment, $4,750

The Haven

Van, $10,000

CHS Arts Department

2 Kilns, $6,152

CHS Today

Video Cameras, $28,903

Total Grant Awards in 2019 Cycle I $62,081