DONORS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HOWARD COUNTY'S $1 MILLION LILLY ENDOWMENT INC. GIFT MATCH INITIATIVE

May 20, 2016 -- Thanks to donors in Howard County, a $1 million match initiative has reached successful completion for the Community Foundation of Howard County.

Lilly Endowment Inc. announced the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) match initiative for Indiana community foundations in August 2014, with a completion date of March 31, 2016. 

“As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, it is exciting to also announce the success of the $1 million match campaign,” said Hilda Burns, president of the Community Foundation of Howard County. “Our donors have been steady givers for 25 years and they really stepped up to make sure the match funds became permanent assets to support Howard County’s future. This was a great opportunity to hear from longstanding friends and to make new ones.  We look forward to continuing those relationships.”

The match initiative was offered by Lilly Endowment to build community endowment unrestricted funds. Simply put, these funds support current needs in the community and make sure money is available for future needs. The successful match brings in more than $2 million in grants over the next 25 years and more than $4 million over the next 50 years.

Examples of recent projects supported through grantmaking from community endowment unrestricted funds include:

-$50,000 to Bona Vista Programs to help cover costs of rebuilding and expanding the Imagine That! Innovation Center destroyed in the November 2013 tornado.

-$10,000 to Carver Community Center for supplies for the art, tutoring and drama programs.

-$15,000 to the Housing Authority of the City of Kokomo to help purchase and install playground equipment at Garden Square housing.

-$25,000 to the Howard County Promise that encourages kindergarten students to participate in the College Choice 529 Savings Plan.

The match also benefitted other types of Foundation funds.  These endowed funds support charitable organizations as identified donors.

The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc. was formed as a not-for-profit public charity in March 1991. The Foundation seeks to serve donors and make grants to benefit the citizens of Howard County.  For more information about the Community Foundation, contact Hilda Burns at 765-454-7298 or hilda@cfhoward.org. The Web site www.cfhoward.org contains information about making gifts to endowment funds, scholarships and grantmaking.