December 2016
ELKHART — The Community Foundation of Elkhart County approved $2.3 million in Key Initiative Grants to end the first grant cycle of the 2016-17 fiscal year. The competitive grant awards come from the Community Foundation’s unrestricted fund, Fund for Elkhart County. This is the third year under the new grant model which was established in July 2014.
Key Initiative Grants are awarded to organizations whose requests are above $250,000 and whose work is related to the Community Foundation’s three priorities: Youth Development, Vibrant Community and Quality of Life.
These grant requests begin in the Community Investment Grant (CIG) process and upon approval of the respective CIG committee are forwarded to the Key Initiatives Committee. The Key Initiatives Committee is comprised of the chairpersons of the CIG committees, current board members and former board members. “The Key Initiative Committee was pleased with the transformative nature and high quality of programming these projects have,” Jill Sigsbee, KIC chairperson, said in a news release.
“As local agencies work to advance their mission, so too does the Community Foundation work to improve the quality of life in Elkhart County.”
DR. PETE MCCOWN – PRESIDENT
AWARD RECIPIENTS:
- Friends Of The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail — $150,000 (Fulfillment of two-year Challenge Grant) for construction of the trail between C.R. 33 and C.R. 20
- Goshen Theater — $1 million for the ongoing renovation project (2:1 challenge)
- IUSB Elkhart — $300,000 for Elkhart Center health sciences graduate school programs
- Walnut Hill Early Childhood Center — $350,000 for new child care center building
- Wa-Nee Community Vision 2020 — $520,000 for collaborative project between The Boys And Girls Club Of Nappanee, City Of Nappanee, Elder Haus Senior Center, Family Christian Development Center And Wa-Nee Community Schools (2:1 challenge)
