At the December Board meeting, the Hendricks County Community Foundation's Board of Directors approved grants totaling over $64,000 to organizations serving every corner of Hendricks County. These grants were made from the Community Foundation's largest unrestricted fund, the Deedee Daniel Opportunity Fund, as well as from its 35 Family Legacy Funds--unrestricted funds created by families for a better Hendricks County now and in the future.
In 2016, the Community Foundation restructured its unrestricted grantmaking program to focus on capacity building for nonprofits serving Hendricks County. Generally defined as strengthening management systems and governance, capacity building grants recognize that organizations need to build effective management, governance, marketing and sustainability as well as programs.
Grants from HCCF unrestricted funds include: Professional Capacity (professional development) Grants; Functional Capacity (capital purchase) Grants; Organizational Capacity (strategic planning, board development, or evaluation) Grants; and finally Community Project Grants. The overall program also includes a monthly Nonprofit Learning Series (free-of-charge) as well as support for the Community Foundation's annual Get Involved volunteer fair which connects nonprofits to potential volunteers.
Grant recipients include:
Hendricks County Arts Council, $25,000
Organizational Capacity - Consultants for the Plainfield Cultural Arts Center
Hendricks County Head Start, $25,000
Functional Capacity - Parking lot paving
Hendricks County Humane Society, $4,194
Functional Capacity - Dog kennels
Susie's Place Child Advocacy Center, $10,000
Functional Capacity - Development officer hire
"The Community Foundation is proud to support the capacity of these impactful organizations," said HCCF President and CEO, William Rhodehamel. 'We are also grateful to the generous donors who give to our unrestricted funds and enable us to make a lasting difference in the quality of life here in Hendricks County."
You can learn more about HCCF's grantmaking and upcoming dates for the Nonprofit Learning Series on the HCCF website at www.hendrickscountycf.org.
