The Brown County Community Foundation has the best interests of the community at heart. We are concerned with many different areas affecting the well being of people who live and work here. By supporting charitable organizations in broad areas of community need – education, social services, health care, arts and humanities, and environment – we help build a stronger, healthier Brown County.
Grants shall be made for specific requests under broad areas of interest. The current BCCF grant focus areas are defined as childhood education, environment, health and wellness, housing, and arts and culture. Preference will be given to grant requests that support BCCF Board of Trustees’ current identified community initiative focus area(s).
Our 2022 Community Grants Program awarded over $81,000 to 21 organizations serving Brown County.
In past years, we have funded grants supporting the focus areas of arts and humanities, education, social services, health and the environment. We support charitable organizations that include a broad range of community needs in order to help build a stronger and healthier Brown County.
Grant applications are available in February. Applications are due in mid-March, with decisions announced in late June. For more information, contact the Brown County Community Foundation at 812-988-4882.
Access Brown County Veteran Transportation
$6,000.00
Many of our veterans in the community utilize what are called Community Based Outpatient Clinics and those clinics are located in Bloomington, Martinsville, and Camp Atterbury. The main VA Medical Center is located in Indianapolis. We are looking to partner with Access Brown County in a way that would secure transportation for veterans to all four locations. This type of transportation access is needed for our elderly Veterans and it will be soon in the future that we will begin to see the numbers of veterans being transport rise due to aging veterans and the need for transportation because they cannot physically get themselves there or have no family to help give them a ride.
Donor & Collection Software Project
$2,985.88
In 1975, upon the death of Marie Goth, an irreplaceable collection of paintings was bequeathed to the Guild. Thankfully, she also gifted a sum of money to renovate and expand the Guild building including the addition of a vault. The collection remains central to our mission today. Over the years, the artwork has been photographed and cataloged; however, it is kept in an Access database that is rudimentary and clumsy to use. Similarly, Guild supporters and donors are recorded on an Excel spreadsheet. While the information is critical and helpful, there is little ability to study it in a useful way. We propose to purchase new software that can advance both entities. By doing so, it helps to further the Guild’s purpose and mission. The Midwest Artist Colony was the cornerstone of Nashville’s beginnings in the early 20th century. The Guild is indelibly linked to that history. Cataloging artwork and managing donors more efficiently helps to tell ensure that the story is not forgotten for future generations.
2022 Home Build
$15,675.47
Brown County Indiana Habitat for Humanity (BCHfH) is planning to build its 22 nd home this year for a mother and father who have 6 children, ranging in age from 2-16 years old: currently living in a one-bedroom, one-bath house. Typically, we build 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom homes for approximately $150,000 but given the current high cost of building materials, to build a home in 2022 it is estimated to cost about $185,000. According to the National Association of Home Builders publication of February 18, 2022, building wood and paint prices alone have risen 28.7% since January 2020.
Brown County Weekend Backpack
$750.00
We desire to have a working refrigerator for the pantry room so we will be able to store the fresh fruit that we include in the bags of food each week. Right now the volunteer buying the fruit must do so each week (in excess of 100 bags are packed each week) because the refrigerator in the pantry room (and owned by the church) does not cool appropriately.
Play Therapy Supplies for Brown County Schools and Students
$2,263.00
Centerstone is requesting funding from the Brown County Community Foundation to purchase play therapy supplies that will support our services in five Brown County Schools. Play therapy supplies are critical to promoting healing and supporting outcomes for children with mental illness. These services increase the chances that an individual will recovery from trauma, mental illness, and addiction and develops the skills and hope necessary for recovery.
Indoor Sports Floor
$2,000.00
We use our community building for all kinds of partnerships. We use it for food distribution, Club 5018 (indoor soccer and Basketball), triad, clarity, and others. Our man need and focus at the current moment is to put in a sports court (flooring). We have a concrete floor and with the different ministries that use our facility throughout the year we desire to better equip each of them with a softer floor and a floor that is practical for every use. There are times in our food pop up that vehicles and pallet jack’s are used. A sports court would still be durable for any of these occations as well as the sporting events taking place!
Trauma Reboot
$4,000.00
Trauma is the root that bears the fruit of addiction. We have found that in recovery if we can get to the root of trauma, then we can help the person gain freedom. In addition, if we can train people how to recognize and minister to the trauma as it happens, helping people develop healthy coping mechanisms, we can then begin to prevent the use of drugs and alcohol that leads to addiction. It is a way to minister to the person, through the training of trauma informed counseling. If we can get people free from their trauma, we can begin to see people free from addiction. As well, if we can prevent people from being overwhelmed by trauma before it becomes an addiction, then we help the community get healthy.
Brown County Christkindl Market
$2,500.00
In keeping with the rich history of our arts culture, in the heart of the arts village, the Brown County Christkindl Market will commence once again the first week-end in December and feature any local artist who applies and wants to be included. The market will be located in Coach Light Square and we will once again invite vendors to share their wares.
Parking lot/Walking track repairs
$900.00
Two of our goals is to provide a meeting place for various groups in the community and to promote health and welfare of community members. The refinishing of the walking track,drive and parking lot is necessary in order to continue to provide a safe and quality experience for our visitors. Having a paved walking track provides an apportunity for exercise for community members particularly those who might not be able to walk on rough or uneven terrain; Having a paved parking space is safer and more convenient for our community members especially our elderly and those who use assistive mobility devices.
Brown County Art and Artists
$1,000.00
Brown County Art and Artists is a documentary-style film about Hoosier artists who are keeping alive the beauty of Indiana’s landscape and its people. The film takes its inspiration from the Permanent Collection owned by Indiana Heritage Arts and on public display. Three artists among the 25 represented in the Collection are filmed in their studios. The interviews contain stories, painting techniques and anecdotes about careers. Indiana’s rich art legacy is also explored. The mission is to expand and encourage the heritage of Indiana’s art history to all Hoosiers and future generations. This film takes Indiana art to homes, schools, organizations — anyone — free and available anytime. The film will be available on the film’s social platform which is the interactive website — YouTube, FaceBook, Twitter and email. The film can also be seen on television.
Project: A View for All
$5,873.00
Jackson Township Fire Department is dedicated to serving in a variety of ways. We see our position in the community not just a fire, medical and emergency provider, but a organization that serves our commuity in a variety of ways. In this we have participated in and created events that have become more than just festivities, but a link between us and the people we serve. Project “A View For All” became a dream of our department, when we realized the need of community outreach and connection as a result of the current situation in our nation. More than ever before, do we need to be more that just “good neighbors”, we need to commit, to strive and to grow whenever and wherever we can. Many of our projects are focused on our children but fall short when offering things that ALL children can participate in. Imagine a place where ALL can experience nature, see birds, and watch the train rolling along the tracks. Imagine this place right in your own neighborhood. This is what the department is striving to provide. With help from our volunteers and supporters, we have completed the sidewalk, ramp and platform. The railings are the final component in this part of our project. Once completed, we can open this part of our trail and a “View for All”.
Dumpster and Electronic Days
$4,480.00
The need for having a free day to bring trash to dump is very much needed in Brown County. These events are so helpful in keeping our county clean. By keeping trash off of roadsides and privated property we are keeping Brown County cleaner. This saves the Solid Waste District from going and picking up furniture, mattrresses, televisions and other items left along side the roads. It is a beginning to help us give residents an outlet to get rid of their trash and electronics they have to pay for. Awareness is the first step in education.
Operation Purpose and Pantry
$2,900.00
Project Purpose & Pantry Purpose The project of Living With Purpose Girls Outreach Ministry Inc. is two-part. The first part is to reach and serve more young ladies between the ages of 12-14 in the Brown Community. We strive to meet social and emotional needs by creating a feeling of purpose and belonging during our quarterly gatherings; one being a full weekend getaway retreat. For this age group we also distribute amenity bags to young ladies in need at our quarterly gatherings as well as at the Brown County Middle School and High School (nurses and counselors distribute @ the schools as they see fit). Financial needs for this first part is money for those girls who can’t afford to pay or can only do so in part for the weekend retreat/events, purchasing craft/ team building materials, resource books, paper products, food, and the toiletry products we put into the amenity bags. Pantry The second part is to keep our toiletry pantry filled which is an ongoing operation. The pantry meets health and wellness needs of both families and individuals of Brown County. We distribute bags filled with large/economy size lotion, shampoo, soap, deodorant, fingernail clippers, cotten balls, q-tips, razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, footies, bath sponge etc. The cost is ongoing as we pass out these items once a month. We also pass out our toiletry items upon request for special circumstances outside of normal operating hours.
2022 4-H Camp Enrollment Subsidization
$3,000.00
We subsidize the cost of 4-H trips and camps for our members. These trips are opportunities for our members to learn leadership and life skills.
Cemetary Neglected Jewels in Brown County
$1,271.22
Why do we think history is important? Why do we repeat the stories about the settlers and their families? If our historical cemeteries have no value then what does? Did we just wake up one morning and there was a local government, or did we decide the Civil War veterans had no importance in the fight? Who decided that Dr. Carson who traveled from Tennessee to take care of the sick in a poorly populated county in Indiana should have no importance and the beautiful monument should be in the dirt. Or is daughter Charlotte’s tombstone should remain completely buried under the dirt. Apparently decades of residents never gave him or others a thought. You, the committee for grants, decided he deserved more. Just like last year you decided Wm. Browning deserved more. And now they do, through your grant money they have the respect that should have been awarded throughout the fifteen or so decades. PVH will continue to recognize everyone, regardless of status, in Southview
ChamberFest Brown County
$3,500.00
We believe classical music performance of the highest quality can be transformative. It can inspire audiences, and build community by reaching across social, political and economic divides. By offering a week-long festival of chamber music each August in beautiful Brown County, Indiana, played by world-class musicians, we aspire to bring people together in Brown County and the surrounding areas.
St. Vincent de Paul Back to School Program
$3,000.00
This program has been offered to the community since 2004 and seeks to provide partial relief to families in need with the cost of their child or grandchild’s return to school expenses. Vouchers valued at $60 each to be redeemed at Walmart are used by the families and students to purchase shoes, socks, school supplies, back packs, and other school related items. Gas cards for $5.00 were also offered as were ear buds at the time of registration.
St. Vincent de Paul Building Project
$2,500.00
St. Vincent de Paul plans to build a small building (30′ by 30″) adjacent to its current Warehouse/Food Pantry to provide a safe and secure place for houshold furniture, appliances, and household items where families can make selections without the overlapping foot print of the food pantry and other storage encumbering their access. Small building will also be well insulated and climate controlled so mattresses and furniture can be maintained free of dust and other contaminants. This is especially important for items that families will use for infants, children and/or vulnerable adults. This will also allow us to open and publicize opportunities for families to come and check out what we have at times independent of the food pantry hours.
CNA Certification Scholarships
$7,000.00
Our proposal addresses the need to promote social and economic advancement through education. Obtaining a scholarship for our Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program will allow the people in our community an opportunity to increase their skills, obtain a certification; all of which lead to increased employment opportunities and higher wages.
Laptop for Brown County Community Services Director
$1,950.00
Turning Point Brown County’s Community Services Director is currently located within the agency’s administrative offices in Columbus, it is crucial to be able to communicate with survivors/program participants and community partners electronically. It is also important for this staff person to have a reliable, working source of work, especially when it comes to technology. At this time, the Community Services Director’s laptop is outdated and in need of an upgrade. Turning Point is requesting funds for a new laptop for this staff person in order to be able to effectively and efficiently continue to reliably provide services and collaborate with community partners.