How To Receive a 200% Return On Your Investment In The Community
The Portland Foundation has received a grant of $500,000 as part of Lilly Endowments Inc.'s seventh phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) Initiative. With GIFT VII, the Endowment is making up to $125 million available to help Indiana community foundations strengthen the towns, cities and counties they serve.
The Portland Foundation is using this matching grant to build unrestricted endowment, which allows current and future boards to address the ever-changing needs of the community. Lilly Endowment will provide $2 for every $1 gifted during the matching period, October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020. The matching funds are available on a first-come first-served basis.
If you are interested in creating a philanthropic legacy for yourself or your family, and receives a 200% return on your investment in the community, please contact Executive Director Doug Inman at 260-726-4260 or tpf@portlandfoundation.org.
2019 Winter Grant Recipients
THE PORTLAND FOUNDATION
The Portland Foundation Announces Winter 2019 Grant Recipients
Out of the requests from 27 different projects totaling $522,666 the Board of Trustees of The Portland Foundation has approved grants totaling $220,447 for 18 Jay County projects for the first half of 2019. $208,593 comes from unrestricted funds and $11,854 from field of interest funds. Those grants are as follows:
Arts Place - $30,000 to fund the MusicWorks program
Down Syndrome of Indiana, Inc. - $350 to fund supplies for New Parents Packets. Funding comes from the Robert and Frances Gillespie Endowment, which supports the education of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities
Dunkirk Glass Days Festival - $5,000 to fund glass blowing demonstrations
Jay Community Center - $30,000 to fund the Boomer Sports program
Jay County Archers - $5,000 to fund the purchase of 3D archery targets
Jay County Fair Association - $34,000 to fund construction of a new Farmer’s Building
Jay County Fourth of July Committee - $9,000 to fund the Fourth of July celebration
Jay County Historical Society - $5,000 to fund the Jay County Heritage Festival. $1,376 comes from unrestricted funds and $3,624 comes from the Clyde E. Geeting Memorial Trust, which provides funding for historical facilities
Jay County Humane Society - $1,047 to fund the purchase of exterior kennel dog doors. Funding comes from the Mel and Evelyn Hanlin Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Fund and the Harold Rex and Kiku Hardwick Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Fund
Jay County Special Olympics - $5,000 to fund entry fees and hotel expenses for Jay County Special Olympians. $3,167 comes from unrestricted funds and $1,833 comes from the Robert and Frances Gillespie Endowment and the Jean Leslie Jaqua Endowment, which are designated to support individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities
Jay-Randolph Developmental Services - $5,000 to fund the development of a client computer lab
John Jay Center for Learning - $5,000 to fund the Speakers Series and Symposium
John Jay Center for Learning - $15,000 to offset tuition costs for students in the SkillsTrac Industrial Maintenance Training Program
John Jay Center for Learning - $5,000 to fund Robotics Camp
John Jay Center for Learning - $5,000 to fund the Senior Learning Series. Funding comes from the Elizabeth A. Starbuck Fund for the Elderly
Pennville Community Center - $50,000 on a $2 for $1 match to fund the renovation of the two Pennville Community Center buildings
West Jay Community Center - $6,050 to fund roof repairs and thermostat replacement
Youth Service Bureau - $5,000 to fund the Keeping At Risk Students in School (KARSS) program
“As always, The Portland Foundation is very pleased to be able to award these grants. The funds would not be possible if not for the countless gifts from Jay County citizens over the last 68 years. These programs help support our mission; to enhance the quality of life for the people in Jay County,” said Foundation Executive Director Doug Inman.
The next grant application deadline is June 1, 2019 by 5:00 p.m.
2019 Winter Teacher Creativity Mini-Grant Recipients
THE PORTLAND FOUNDATION
The Board of Trustees of The Portland Foundation has approved Teacher Creativity Mini-Grants totaling $6,146.54 for 22 projects for the first half of 2019.
Teacher Creativity Mini-Grants are to help cover the costs ($300 or less) of learning experiences which teachers feel are important to their students, yet are outside the budget of their school. This program is funded by the Virgil and Josephine Thomas Educational Fund, a component fund of The Portland Foundation, as a way to increase funding for educational projects and programs.
This program funds grants for field trips, classroom supplies, class projects, programs, music or art instruction, speakers, educational materials and seminars. The purpose is to allow teachers to become more creative in their teaching styles and methods, without being hindered by cost.
The grants awarded are as follows:
Ms. Kerri Andreshack – Westlawn Elementary School Grade 1 - $300 to fund the performance of “Junie B Jones First Grader at Last”
Ms. Carol Bantz – Westlawn Elementary School Grade 1 - $300 to fund the performance of “Junie B Jones First Grader at Last”
Ms. Tavia Boolman – East Jay Middle School Grade 6 - $249 to fund the purchase of Flocabulary, Kid Blog and Dropbox programs
Ms. Kelly Bricker – Redkey Elementary School Art - $300 to fund the purchase of rocket kits
Ms. Kelly Bricker – Westlawn Elementary School Art - $300 to fund the purchase of rocket kits
Ms. Gina Brockman – East Jay Middle School Grade 8 - $210.68 to fund the purchase of STEM instruction materials
Ms. Megan Byard – East Jay Middle School Grade 8 - $300 to fund the purchase of a 31-class set of the novel “All American Boys”
Ms. Stacy Campbell – Redkey Elementary School Kindergarten - $287 to fund the purchase of a sensory table
Ms. Tracy Christman – Westlawn Elementary School Grade 2 - $300 to fund the performance of “Junie B Jones First Grader at Last”
Ms. Lisa Cook – Jay School Corporation Speech - $289.80 to fund the purchase of speech and language instruction materials
Ms. Holly Farr – Westlawn Elementary School Grade 4 - $300 to fund the purchase of an Amazon Echo, an Amazon Dot, and related items
Ms. Cathy Fugiett – Redkey Elementary School Library - $300 to fund the purchase of Lego Chain Reaction kits
Ms. Cathy Fugiett – Westlawn Elementary School Library - $300 to fund the purchase of Lego Chain Reaction kits
Ms. Kristen Gibson – Bloomfield Elementary School Grade 5 - $81.51 to fund the purchase of fluorescent light covers for the classroom
Mr. Giles Laux – Bloomfield Elementary School Grade 5 - $280 to fund the purchase of a VEX IQ starter kit
Ms. Nicci Littler – Westlawn Elementary School Library - $275 to fund the purchase of a child sized picnic table made of recycled plastic cups
Ms. Beth Mathewson – Jay School Corporation Speech - $296.36 to fund the purchase of Prokoque2Go posters
Ms. Lindsey Peterson – East Elementary School - $280.19 to fund the purchase of materials to decorate the interior of the school
Ms. Jacqueline Rinard – Redkey Elementary School Kindergarten - $300 to fund the purchase a new sight word initiative
Ms. Christa Robinson – Westlawn Elementary School Reading Recovery - $300 to fund the purchase of leveled books
Ms. JoAnn Scott – Jay School Corporation Special Education - $297 to fund the purchase of three IPEVO 4K Ultra High Definition USB Document Cameras to assist visually impaired students
Ms. Sara Wolf – Westlawn Elementary School Kindergarten - $300 to fund the purchase of “Reading Reading” books
The next Teacher Creativity Mini-grant Application deadline is June 1, 2019.
2019 Lilly Endowment Winner
Congratulations, Clare! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and education.
2019 Lilly Endowment Scholarship Finalists
2019 Lilly Scholarship Finalists
Each finalist should be proud to have made it this far, and we wish them all the best!
Clare Dirksen, Kaitlyn Dow, Daniel Bracy, Dillon Muhlenkamp
2018 Lilly Endowment Winner
Congratulations, Gabby! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and education.
2018 Lilly Endowment Scholarship Finalists
2018 Lilly Scholarship Finalists
Each finalisht should be proud to have made it this far, and we wish them all the best!
Gabrielle Kunkler, Lucy Laux, Kayla Dirksen, Tucker Pearson
2017 Lilly Endowment Winner
Congratulations, Lillian! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and education. She plans on attending Indiana University majoring in nursing.
2017 Lilly Endowment Scholarship Finalists
2017 Lilly Scholarship Finalists
Each finalist should be proud to have made it this far, and we wish them all the best!
Jacob Geesaman;
parents Jeff & Lisa Geesaman- Rose-Hulman, biomedical engineering
Lillian Rogers;
parents Denny Rogers & Kirsten Brown- Indiana University, nursing
Erika Kunkler;
parents Brian & Becky Kunkler- Saint Francis, secondary education
Kaitlyn Carpenter;
Amie Carpenter & the late Shane Carpenter -Indiana University, biology/premed
Jay County 20/20 Vision
The Portland Foundation hosted the Implementation Committee of the Jay County 20/20 Vision project - a comprehensive strategic plan for the community. The plan was originally published in April 2010 and was updated in May 2017. To see the updated plan, click here. To see the original plan, click here.
