The Rush County Community Foundation’s most recent grant cycle awarded funds to benefit eight excellent community projects and organizations. This is the first of the year’s two cycles in which non-profit organizations doing charitable work in Rush County can apply for funding through RCCF’s Community Grants Program.

The Foundation’s unrestricted endowment funds provide funding to this program. Thank you to the generous donors and funds that made the most recent distribution of $34,273.55 possible to important causes within and for our community:

• Laura May & Howard H. Brown Memorial Fund
• Kenneth and Kathleen Dean Fund
• H. N. (Doc) Thelma Jaggers Fund
• Wayne L. and Evelyn J. Miller Community Fund
• Gerald W. and Anita J. Mohr Community Fund
• Charles E. and Jane Power Niccum Fund
• Martha Perin Community Fund
• Pioneer Hi-Bred Fund
• Rush County Community Fund
• George Patrick “Pat” Todd Memorial Fund

Rush County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2016 Cycle I Community Grants. Congratulations to the following organizations:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rush County: This grant provides funding for the purchase of a laptop for the case manager and to sponsor the monthly outings organized by BBBS for matched Littles-and-Bigs, and all children waiting to be matched. To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters in our community please visit bbbsrushcounty.com.

• Heart of Rushville, Farmers and Artisans Market: This grant will match food stamp, WIC, and Senior Nutrition benefits spent by recipients for fresh produce, eggs, grains, nuts, and baked goods at the Rushville Farmers Market. The grant not only covers the “Market Match” funds but also helps fund the supplies to run the program.

• Town of Carthage: RCCF has awarded $6,000.00 from the community grants program and from the Ercell Bever, Jr. Memorial Fund to assist with the Carthage Downtown Improvement Project. The project includes sidewalk improvements, decorative street lights, trash receptacles, planters and benches for the downtown area of Carthage.

• Down Syndrome Indiana, Inc.: This grant funds Down Syndrome Indiana’s mass outreach effort of down syndrome information and resources to Rush County, including New Parent Packets. For more information about down syndrome, and about Down Syndrome Indiana’s resources and services, please visit www.dsindiana.org.

• East Hill Cemetery Corporation: RCCF has awarded East Hill a $1:$1 matching grant up to $13,500.00 to assist with fundraising efforts to do major reparation of the beautiful historic arch entrance to the cemetery. This reparation effort will be the first time the arch will have such major work done since it was constructed in 1901.

• Southern Indiana Housing & Community Development Corp.: SIHCDC is developing the Campaign Flats, an affordable housing facility for seniors, located at 103 N. Main St. in Rushville. The grant will fund start-up equipment for their on-site nonprofit book store with proceeds benefiting literacy programs and services for the county. The bookstore is scheduled to be open for business this winter!

• Rushville Consolidated High School Broadcasting: This grant will provide the funds needed for RCHS Broadcasting in cooperation with the City of Rushville to acquire Comcast broadcast equipment, which will allow Rush County to have a public access television station on the basic Comcast network.

• Arlington East Hill Cemetery Association: Arlington East Hill has been awarded a grant for a portion of the funds needed to purchase a new tractor mower.

As a reminder, you can make a difference in Rush County by contributing to the funds that support the Community Grants Program! If you are interested in learning more or applying to these funds, please contact RCCF for additional information. 2016 Cycle II Community Grant letters of intent are due on September 1^st and once accepted, applications are due September 15^th.  In celebration of RCCF’s 25^th anniversary the Foundation will also make a $25,000.00 “Grand Idea” grant this fall.

Meeting the philanthropic needs of Rush County since 1991, The Rush County Community Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit public charity established to serve donors, award grants and scholarships, and provide leadership to enrich and enhance the quality of life in Rush County, Indiana, not only today, but for our future generations. Visit the Foundation office at 117 N. Main St., Rushville, IN 46173, call 765-938-1177, or browse www.rushcountyfoundation.org.