Wayne County Foundation Awards $107K in Third Grant Cycle

The Wayne County Foundation is pleased to announce that eleven different local organizations have been awarded a total of $107,000 through its Grant Cycle III. The funding is to support local programs or projects that enhance the spirit of the community and improve the quality of life across Wayne County.

"The Foundation is proud to support the efforts of our nonprofits who serve our community every day," said Executive Director Rebecca Gilliam. "We are very enthusiastic about this slate of programs and projects." 

Grant Cycle III is the third and final cycle offered by the Foundation throughout 2022 to support programs and projects for local nonprofits. Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded eighteen different organizations a total of $146,015 through Grant Cycle I and thirteen more organizations $132,783 through Grant Cycle II. 

The Wayne County Foundation’s grantmaking is made possible by income from unrestricted and endowed field-of-interest funds. Below is the list of the grant awards approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors at their September meeting:  

• A Better Way Services ($11,000) to support the organization's mobile advocacy for women in crisis.
• Birth-to-Five ($10,000) to defray the cost of new staff during training period and for the unexpected cyber insurance expense.
• Bridges for Life ($6,500) to support the organization's 'Dinner at the Lamp' program.
• Centerstone of Indiana ($5,000) to support the improvement of the Center in Richmond’s outdoor space (picnic tables, basketball hoop, shelter).
• Girls, Inc. ($7,500) to support the delivery of the Healthy Sexuality program in schools and onsite during the 2022-2023 school year.
• Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana ($15,000) to support the organization's mobile food pantry in Hagerstown and Richmond.
• Hand-in-Hand Adult Daycare ($15,000) to support their scholarship program which helps defray the cost of services for low-income clients.
• JACY House ($12,000) to support the cost of delivering the Safety Matters and Stewards of Children prevention programming.
• Richmond Art Museum ($10,000) to support the Museum’s 125th anniversary publication.
• Richmond Shakespeare Festival ($10,000) to support the production of The Christmas Carol at the Reid Center this holiday season.
• The Reid Center ($5,000) to support for the transition from a congregation to a performance venue and community center.

Since 1979, the Wayne County Foundation has existed to foster and encourage private philanthropic giving, to enhance the spirit of community and to improve the quality of life in the Wayne County, Indiana, area now and for future generations.