OCCF Awards Grants to 16 Nonprofit Organizations

Over $55,000 in Community Grants were awarded during the first grant cycle of 2023.

(Rising Sun, Ind.) - The Ohio County Community Foundation awarded a total of $55,425 in Community Grants to 16 local non-profits during the first grant cycle of 2023. Each organization could request up to $5,000.

The following grants were funded through Ohio County Today & Tomorrow Endowment Fund, created by the City of Rising Sun and Ohio County, to fund the pressing needs in Ohio County.

• Laughery Valley Fraternal Order of Police #146 has been awarded $5,000 for Ohio County families to participate in the 2023 Cops and Kids Shopping program.
• Rising Sun Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded $3,000 to purchase a Multi Gas Detector to detect hazardous chemicals and gases during a fire and a Lunar Camera, battery charger & batteries.
• People Helping People, Inc. has been awarded $5,000 to purchase canned goods to be distributed from the Rising Sun Church of Christ Christian Outreach Food Pantry and towards support for the Ohio County Services from the Heart program.
• Rising Sun/Ohio County First, Inc. has been awarded $5,000 towards the implementation of the 2023 Rising Sun Navy Bean Festival on September 15th &16th.
• Life Time Resources has been awarded $5,000 towards matching funds to obtain a federal grant 5339 to purchase a replacement Catch-A-Ride minivan.
• City of Rising Sun for the Rising Sun Ohio County Parks has been awarded $3,000 to replace worn out banquet tables at the Community Center.
• Denver Siekman Environmental Park has been awarded $1,000 towards Ceil’s Learning Tree program which provides back to school supplies for Ohio County students.
• Noah O’Banion Post 59 American Legion has been awarded $5,000 to purchase kitchen equipment to upgrade and expand the Legion kitchen.
• Ohio County Rescue Services, Inc. has been awarded $1,500 to purchase rain gear for emergency responders.
• Citizens for a Drug Free Ohio County has been awarded $4,000 to create a new website for Drug Free Ohio County.
• Ohio County Tourism, Inc. has been awarded $5,000 to provide entertainment for the 2023 Rising Sun Stars & Stripes Celebration on July 1, 2023.
• Rising Sun Ohio County Community School Corporation has been awarded $2,500 to purchase books for the school libraries.
• Shiner Pride Band Boosters, Inc. for the Rising Sun High School Marching Band has been awarded $4,925 to purchase a baritone saxophone and timpani drum heads.
• Phi Beta Psi Theta Lamda Chapter has been awarded $1,000 towards the implementation of their 2023 Fall Card Party fundraiser.
• Ohio County Youth Development, Inc. has been awarded $2,500 to create a storage area in the Brown Building at the fairgrounds to expand the storage needs for the 4-H Fair.

The following grant was funded through the Barbara Ruxton Community Fund in Memory of Bert A. & Sada Hickman established by the Ohio County Community Foundation Board of Directors to honor Barbara Ruxton for her years of service as an OCCF Board Member. It was Mrs. Ruxton’s wish that the grant funds benefit the senior citizens of Ohio County.

• Rising Sun Ohio County Senior Citizen’s Housing, Inc. was awarded $2,000 to allow Rising Sun High School Art students to paint murals within the interior of the Hoosier Boy and Hoosier Girl apartment buildings under the guidance of the high school art teacher, Amberley King.

Endowment funds are established within the Ohio County Community Foundation by donors with a vision to create perpetual, charitable funds to be distributed in the form of grants to non-profit organizations whose projects and programs benefit the Ohio County community.

Donations to help grow an endowment fund established within the Ohio County Community Foundation can be made in memory or honor of a loved and are tax-deductible in most cases. The Ohio County Community Foundation is located at 330 Industrial Access Drive, Rising Sun. To learn more about the Ohio County Community Foundation, please visit the Foundation website at occfrisingsun.com or contact the Foundation staff at 812-438-9401.