Wayne County Foundation Awards $259,350 in Grant Cycle II

The Wayne County Foundation has shared that eight local organizations have been awarded $259,350 in funding through their final grant cycle of the year. These awards will help fund programs and projects that strengthen their community and enhance the quality of life for residents across Wayne County.

“Our second cycle under the new guidelines brought in a high number of quality proposals for impactful local projects,” said Brian Schleeper, Director of Nonprofit Engagement. “Together with Cycle I, we’ll award more than $550,000 in 2025, and we look forward to seeing the impact these organizations will have on our community.”

The following grants were awarded through a combination of unrestricted and field of interest funds. These are made possible by donors who place no restrictions on their gifts, allowing the foundation board to allocate resources where they are needed most across Wayne County. 

• Birth to Five ($25,020) to provide Conscious Discipline training for staff
• Bridges for Life ($25,000) for Dinner at the Lamp meals and VIP wraparound services program
• Girls Inc. of Wayne County ($50,000) to make facility upgrades that enhance safety, technology, and usability of spaces
• Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana Inc. ($50,000) to support hunger relief efforts in Wayne County, including mobile pantries, network partners, school-based pantries, and Gleaners2Go
• Hand-in-Hand Adult Day Care ($30,000) to provide transportation for program participants
• Historic Centerville, Inc. ($39,330) to update and repair their building and log cabin
• Junior Achievement of Eastern Indiana ($15,000) for curriculum access and the purchase of Education Experience Kits for career readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy programs
• Whitewater Valley Pro Bono Commission ($25,000) to fund a part-time staff attorney

In addition, the foundation awarded a delayed Grant Cycle I grant of $17,000 to HELP The Animals Inc. for facility and electrical system upgrades, as well as Rapid Response grants of $4,400 to Richmond Friends School to conduct a feasibility study for their childcare expansion and $5,600 to Nettle Creek School Corporation, funded by the Hagerstown Hometown Fund, to enhance reading comprehension for K-3 students. Rapid Response grants support smaller projects, short-term programs, or unplanned opportunities that require immediate funding.

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. For more information, visit the Foundation website.