2009 ANNUAL REPORT - Community Foundation of Howard County

2009Annual Report
Seeing is believing, and donors to the Community Foundation don’t have to look very far to see the
difference their gifts are making in Howard, Clinton, and Carroll counties. Call it the hometown advantage;
the evidence of local philanthropy is everywhere. To see examples of projects supported by Foundation
grants:
• Drive by the Community Garden and see volunteers working to grow and harvest tons of fresh
vegetables that are donated to numerous not-for-profit organizations serving local residents;
• Go by the park in Michigantown and watch children enjoying the new playground equipment; and
• Visit the Delphi Public Library to see the new Early Literacy Station that children are using every
day.
Among the many benefits of hometown philanthropy is the ability to enjoy the programs that
donor dollars support. Thousands of people enjoyed weekly performances by the Kokomo Park Band
during the summer; a new activity bus at the Paul Phillippe Resource Center will be enjoyed by center
participants; and the history of Carroll County will be shared by the Carroll County Historical Society - all
thanks to funding made possible through the Community Foundation serving Howard, Clinton and Carroll
counties.
To ensure that this process is ongoing, the Foundation continues to follow three long-standing
practices:
First, we encourage donors to share with us their charitable dreams and to make gifts so that we can
address even more community needs in the future.
Second, we take a broad approach to grantmaking because we support efforts on behalf of arts and
culture; community development; education; health and human services; and youth development.
Third, we continue to be good stewards of the community resources that have been entrusted with
us. With our permanent endowment funds, we invest the gifts received and use the income from those
gifts for grantmaking. Our goal is to preserve the gift so that it will provide income for community needs
forever.
As you review this annual report, we hope that you share our enthusiasm for a successful year of
serving you and our communities. During 2009, collectively we:
• Awarded grants and scholarships of $834,169;
• Administered the Lilly Endowment Scholarship Program in all three counties for a total of
$511,112;
• Received gifts of $1.45 million; and
• Completed the fourth year of Sustaining Resource Development work in all three counties.
Thank you to the donors who have trusted us with their “Charitable Dreams for Community Needs.”
Volunteers work in the Community Garden that was
established to provide produce for donation to several food
pantries in Howard County. The Community Foundation of
Howard County provided funding to purchase equipment to
help maintain the garden.
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