Community Foundation of Howard County Makes a Difference in Local Community with Over $235,000 in Grants to Nonprofits

In the face of increased uncertainty and difficulty in attaining funding, the Community Foundation of Howard County is committed to providing continuing support to local nonprofits. The Foundation proudly stands in partnership with these organizations whose services keep the community strong.

During the Foundation’s four competitive grant cycles each year, nonprofits can apply for funding to support their specific programs that serve the Howard County Community. The Foundation’s Grantmaking Committee then carefully evaluates each application and makes funding decisions, ensuring that funds are allocated in alignment with community needs identified in the Foundation’s “Community Conversations” reports, publicly available at cfhoward.org.

“We are proud to partner with a wide variety of nonprofit organizations in their dedication to strengthening our community,” said Todd Moser, President of the Community Foundation. “Because of the generosity of current and past donors, we are able to continually support initiatives that create meaningful change.”

From January to June 2025, the Foundation awarded over $235,000 in grants, primarily from its Unrestricted Community Endowment Funds. Some grants were also supported by other fund types, such as Field of Interest Funds. Through these combined resources, local nonprofits can continue to enrich their community through their unique programs and services.

The Committee awarded the following grants:

$1,525 to CAM, Inc. Drop-In Center for Strategy in Grantseeking program

$5,000 to Howard Co. Historical Society for Seiberling Mansion Gutter Repair

$5,000 to American Red Cross for Home Fire Relief in Howard County

$25,000 to Valley of Grace for a transitional house on Park Avenue

$7,000 to Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association, Inc. for Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Teacher Training

$10,000 to Habitat for Humanity for the 68th Habitat Home build in Kokomo

$34,000 to Kokomo Rescue Mission for a strategic consultant

$6,000 to Kokomo Park Band, Inc. for Enriching our Community Through Music

$10,000 to Meals on Wheels Howard County for technology updates

$5,000 to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry for the Meat4Forks program

$10,000 to Turnabout Community Resource Center for Pathways to Recovery: Expanding Hope and Healing in Our Community

$5,000 to Kokomo Civic Theatre for the Diamond Jubilee Concert

$3,000 to Ivy Tech Community College for the 2025 Doing the Dream Community Workshop

$5,000 to the City of Kokomo for the First Arriving Digital Dashboard for the Kokomo Fire Department

$2,400 to Kokomo Art Association, Inc. for the Jumpstart Program and a Tuskegee Airmen Exhibit for Black History Month

$2,000 to Gilead House for “Network for Good” system support

$3,000 to ConneXion Church for AED Safety

$4,800 to Helping Achieve Reality Together (H.A.R.T) to Heart Project Reach for music, dance, and art education facility rent

$2,000 to Howard County – CES Extension Homemakers for First Books

$975 to Servants at Work for ramp storage

$20,000 to Carver Community Center for Closing the Gap Summer Education Program

$10,000 to Fresh Start Barber School for a student development and empowerment project

$6,000 to Food Finders Food Bank for a mobile pantry in Howard County

$12,500 to Foster the Need for Teenage Resources and Storage Solutions

$3,000 to Friends of Howard Haven for roof and security needs

$2,500 to Howard County Memorial Corporation for their irrigation system

$562 for Fellowship of Hope Club, Inc. for books for recovery programming

$20,000 to Sagamore Council, Boy Scouts of America for Eliminating Barriers to Access through Scoutreach

$20,000 to United Way of Howard County for Buddy Bags

All the grants listed come from their Unrestricted Community Endowment Funds (To view each unrestricted fund, visit their funds page at cfhoward.org/funds) and Field of Interest Funds. Thanks to Lilly Endowment Inc., the Community Foundation of Howard County has an opportunity to receive a gift match of $2 for every $1 donated to Unrestricted Community Endowment Funds. This match runs until December 31, 2025, or until the match qualification of $750,000 in donations to Unrestricted Funds is met. Completing the match qualification will unlock $2.25 million of available grant dollars to support local nonprofits and community needs. To give to an Unrestricted Community Endowment Fund at the Foundation visit cfhoward.org. If you’re interested in establishing a named Unrestricted Community Endowment Fund, contact Senior Vice President, Emerald Blankenship, at emerald@cfhoward.org or (765) 454-7298.