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Our Community Foundation awards grants from funds it administers to charitable, educational, religious, or public entities to address the charitable goals of the donors it serves and the charitable needs of Daviess County, Indiana. The Board of Directors holds final authority to award grants to eligible organization for charitable purposes in alignment with the organization’s mission.
2024 Fast Grant Program
- Applications are being accepted through May 1, 2024 for Foundation Fast Grants. These grants of up to $750 provide one-time assistance for unplanned charitable projects that are small in scale, help the organization meet an unanticipated need or opportunity, or provide support for new and innovative projects that positively impact the lives of people living in Daviess County. The turnaround time for the grants is quick with applications due May 1, 2024 and grants awarded by May 20, 2024.
Important to know:
- Our grant committee will be receiving many grant applications for consideration. To stand out, you will need to be clear and compelling in your request! Use the fillable pdf to complete the request. Handwritten requests are discouraged.
- Be very concise and specific in describing the impact that the grant will have, either on your organization or those you serve.
- Avoid phrases like “helping those in need”, “empowering youth”, or “feeding the hungry” as these are too general. Be specific.
- It is very helpful if you can put into numbers how the grant will impact your organization or operations.
Requirements:
- Applications are accepted for charitable activities serving Daviess County people.
- Organizations eligible to apply are:
- Existing 501(c)3 organizations in good standing with the IRS
- Existing government/quasi-governmental agency applying for an extraordinary project that is not funded by tax revenue
- Faith-based organizations requesting funding for non-sectarian activities
- Civic groups that are not 501(c)3 organizations requesting funding for a charitable community cause
Additional Requirements:
- The application process may include an interview by the Foundation’s Grant Committee or a Grant Committee member.
- The application is due May 1, 2024 and must be submitted in pdf form, either electronically or printed. Hand written applications are not accepted.
- Grants must be used by December 31, 2024.
- A follow-up grant report is required.
Our Community Foundation generally does not make grants from unrestricted funds for the following:
- Annual campaigns, special event fundraisers or sponsorships
- Religious purposes
- Political or partisan purposes
- Activities taking place before grant decisions are made
- Trips for schools or clubs
- Deficit funding or debt retirement
- Individuals (except through scholarships for education)
Click here to access and download the application.
Please email mary@localforever.org if you have questions.
WHERE SHOULD I SEND MY COMPLETED APPLICATION?
Submit your application by email to: mary@localforever.org
Or print and mail to Our Community Foundation, Inc., PO Box 84, Washington, IN 47501
2024 Teaching Innovator Grant Program
Our Community Foundation wants to support innovative Daviess County teachers to prepare Daviess County youth for the future.
Our new 2024 Teaching Innovator Grant program provides grants of up to $250 to support teachers in our Daviess County schools. The Foundation believes providing grants to teachers for innovative in-school or in-class projects is a strategic investment in the education of Daviess County youth. By empowering educators to create dynamic learning environments that meet the diverse needs of their students, our Daviess County youth are better prepared for success in our ever-changing world.
The Teaching Innovator Grant program has two grant cycles – one for projects to be completed during the first semester of the 2024-25 school year and the second for projects to be completed during the second semester of the 2024-25 school year.
The first grant cycle of the Teaching Innovator Grant program is now accepting applications for first semester 2024-25 in-school or in-class projects that take an imaginative and innovative approach to teaching Daviess County students. Applications are due June 1, 2024. Please note that funding for field trips or regular classroom costs like textbooks is not available.
How to get started:
- Find a project.
- Get principal approval. As part of the application, you will be asked to upload a signed form from your school’s principal, approving the project.
- Fill out the simple fillable pdf application and submit the application and the signed principal approval form via email to mary@localforever.org or print and mail to Our Community Foundation, PO Box 84, Washington, IN 47501. Emails and postmarks must be on or before June 1,2024. Please note that handwritten applications will not be accepted.
Please note that teachers may receive one award per school year.
For more information, contact Mary Smith, Executive Director at mary@localforever.org.
2023 Grant Program – Housing Stability
Through Our Community Foundation’s 2023 Daviess County Stable Housing Grant Program, a $10,000 grant was awarded to the Salvation Army – Daviess County Service Extension – to help Daviess County residents with rent, lodging, or utility bills during times of financial setbacks and emergencies that may cause them to lose their homes.
During the program, the Foundation accepted proposals from charitable organizations that provided housing assistance, emergency rent assistance, rent vouchers, household repair programs, and other forms of support. After a detailed review by the Foundation’s Grant Committee, the 22-member local Board selected the Salvation Army’s proposal for funding.
Travis Schaffer, Foundation Board member and Chair of the Grant Committee says the Foundation selected the focus of the grant program based not only on national trends but on trends in Daviess County. “We reviewed data and trends and that told us there are more and more people in our community who are at risk of losing their home. That’s because of increased costs for the basics, like rent, food and household supplies, transportation, and childcare. This need for stable housing for families and seniors is a pressing need. Because Our Community Foundation is flexible, we can direct funding to causes like this one, where it is most needed in Daviess County.”
Through Our Community Foundation’s 2023 Daviess County Stable Housing Grant Program, a $10,000 grant was awarded to the Salvation Army – Daviess County Service Extension – to help Daviess County residents with rent, lodging, or utility bills during times of financial setbacks and emergencies that may cause them to lose their homes.
During the program, the Foundation accepted proposals from charitable organizations that provided housing assistance, emergency rent assistance, rent vouchers, household repair programs, and other forms of support. After a detailed review by the Foundation’s Grant Committee, the 22-member local Board selected the Salvation Army’s proposal for funding.
Travis Schaffer, Foundation Board member and Chair of the Grant Committee says the Foundation selected the focus of the grant program based not only on national trends but on trends in Daviess County. “We reviewed data and trends and that told us there are more and more people in our community who are at risk of losing their home. That’s because of increased costs for the basics, like rent, food and household supplies, transportation, and childcare. This need for stable housing for families and seniors is a pressing need. Because Our Community Foundation is flexible, we can direct funding to causes like this one, where it is most needed in Daviess County.”
Mini Grant Recipients
Rotary Club of Washington
The Rotary Club of Washington received a $250 mini-grant for the construction of the new Rotary Park located on the southwest corner of Meridian Street and National Highway in Washington. The grant will help provide improvements to …
Little Warrior Wishes
Little Warrior Wishes received a $250 mini-grant to provide memories, moments and connections to families and children ages 0-5 with a terminal or life-limiting diagnosis in Daviess County. The grant assists families in creating lasting memories when …
Guardians of the Garden Master Gardeners
Following the groups’ first grant for the construction of an educational pollinator garden at the Odon Winklepleck Library, a second $250 mini-grant was awarded to Guardians of the Garden Master Gardeners to provide educational …
Daviess County Partnership
A $250 mini-grant awarded to Daviess County Partnership expanded their ability to track assistance provided to residents living in Odon and Elnora by adding the services provided by St Vincent DePaul in Bramble to their Charity Tracker database. The Bramble …
Daviess County Family YMCA Water Safety Program
Our Community Foundation awarded a grant to the Daviess County Family YMCA for a program that helped 3 to12-year-old children in Daviess County learn to swim and adopt safe practices around water. The grant helped provide water safety goggles to …
Washington High School’s Life Skills Classroom
Our Community Foundation awarded a grant to Washington Community Schools to improve Washington High School’s Lifeskills classroom. The grant will help purchase light covers for the room. The covers filter the light to lessen the impact on students …
