HARRISON COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC

OUR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE AND ASSIST EVERYONE TO EXPERIENCE PHILANTHROPY, PRODUCING POSITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN HARRISON COUNTY. OUR VISION IS TO GROW HARRISON COUNTY INTO THE BEST COMMUNITY TO LIVE, WORK AND RAISE A FAMILY. WE VALUE GENEROSITY, INTEGRITY, SUSTAINABILITY, STEWARDSHIP, INNOVATION, COLLABORATION, INCLUSION, AND EXCELLENCE. HCCF HAS A UNIQUE HISTORY. IN A RIVERBOAT GAMING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT DATED MAY 15, 1996, RDI/CAESARS RIVERBOAT, LLC AGREED WITH THE HARRISON COUNTY, INDIANA, GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE $5,000,000 TO CREATE THE FOUNDATION. THE THREE SEATED COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SELECTED 21 HARRISON COUNTY CITIZENS TO BECOME THE FOUNDING BOARD OF DIRECTORS. OVER TIME, HCCF HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE EIGHT FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS, ONE PART-TIME STAFF MEMBER, A 16-MEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND MULTIPLE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CAESARS SOUTHERN INDIANA (FORMERLY HORSESHOE SOUTHERN INDIANA), HCCF HAS BEEN ABLE TO UNDERTAKE SEVERAL AMBITIOUS PROJECTS. HCCF FUNCTIONS LIKE ANY OTHER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DONORS TO SUPPORT THEIR FAVORITE CAUSES. ADDITIONALLY, THE ONGOING SUPPORT FROM CAESARS SOUTHERN INDIANA ENABLES HCCF TO OFFER VARIOUS GIFT-MATCHING PROGRAMS. HCCF VALUES ITS ROLE AS A CATALYST, CONVENER, AND COLLABORATOR, BRINGING TOGETHER OTHER FUNDERS AND NONPROFITS AROUND VITAL ISSUES AND PROVIDING KEY SUPPORT TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE POSSIBLE. OUR WORK IS CENTERED AROUND WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT COMMUNITY NEEDS. WE SERVE RESIDENTS OF HARRISON COUNTY IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS: -AWARDING GRANTS TO HELP NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE NEEDED SERVICES IN ARTS AND CULTURE, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES, ETC. -AWARDING ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS TO HARRISON COUNTY GRADUATING STUDENTS AND ADULT STUDENTS -FUNDING PROGRAMS BENEFITING CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND ADULTS -PROVIDING AN AVENUE FOR DONORS TO MEET THEIR CHARITABLE GOALS THROUGH ENDOWMENT FUNDS-HELPING NONPROFITS BE MORE SUSTAINABLE SO THEY CAN HELP MORE COUNTY RESIDENTS THRIVE PROGRAMS INCLUDE:- DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY (DPIL) - ENCOURAGES A LOVE FOR READING BY PROVIDING EACH PRESCHOOL CHILD ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM WITH AN AGE-APPROPRIATE BOOK BY MAIL EACH MONTH UNTIL THEIR FIFTH BIRTHDAY. SINCE 2008, HCCF HAS SERVED AS THE LOCAL SPONSOR FOR DPIL, DISTRIBUTING OVER 313,000 BOOKS IN HARRISON COUNTY. IN 2024, 1,881 PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED A BOOK AS PART OF DPIL, WITH OVER 415 NEW SIGN-UPS. CHILDREN CAN BE ENROLLED THROUGH THE FOUNDATION OR AT ONE OF THE PARTICIPATING PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE HARRISON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, YMCA OF HARRISON COUNTY, HARRISON COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES, HARRISON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND HARRISON COUNTY HOSPITAL. IN 2023-2024, INDIANA GOVERNOR ERIC J. HOLCOMB APPROVED STATE FUNDING TO COVER 50% OF PROGRAM COSTS FOR DPIL. THE INDIANA STATE LIBRARY WILL SERVE AS THE STATE PROGRAM SPONSOR TO HELP OFFSET THE EXPENSES OF THIS PROGRAM, PROVIDING A 50% REDUCTION IN EXPENSES FOR HCCF AS THE LOCAL SPONSOR FOR DPIL. THE EARLY READERS FUND, WHICH SUPPORTS THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY, CONTINUES TO BENEFIT FROM A 2:1 MATCH. - THE DICTIONARY PROJECT - THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A DICTIONARY TO EVERY THIRD GRADER IN HARRISON COUNTY. STUDENTS ATTENDING THE NINE HARRISON COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS RECEIVE THEIR OWN DICTIONARY TO USE AT SCHOOL AND TAKE HOME. FIVE HUNDRED TEN (510) DICTIONARIES WERE DISTRIBUTED IN 2024. EIGHT THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY-SIX (8,656) HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED SINCE HCCF BEGAN PARTNERING WITH THE DICTIONARY PROJECT IN 2008. THE PROJECT'S GOAL IS TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN COMPLETING THE SCHOOL YEAR AS GOOD WRITERS, ACTIVE READERS, AND CREATIVE THINKERS. - YOUTH PHILANTHROPY COUNCIL (YPC) - ANNOUNCES ITS GRANT AWARDS FOR 2025. THE YPC GRANT PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR COMMUNITIES IN HARRISON COUNTY. YPC PROMOTES YOUTH DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING HIGH SCHOOL-AGED STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE PHILANTHROPY THROUGH COLLABORATION, EDUCATION, AND GRANT-MAKING. HCCF PARTNERS WITH LEADERSHIP HARRISON COUNTY (LHC) TO SUPPORT YPC'S PARTICIPATION IN THE LHC YOUTH PROGRAM, WHICH ENGAGES YOUNG LEADERS ACROSS HARRISON COUNTY. IN 2024, YPC AWARDED CORYDON CENTRAL VANGUARD $2,000 TO PURCHASE FORTY NEW VANGUARD UNIFORMS TO REPLACE OLD UNIFORMS, LANESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL $2,000 TO SUPPORT AFTER PROM, A SAFE, INVITING ENVIRONMENT FOR LANESVILLE STUDENTS AND THEIR GUESTS AFTER ATTENDING PROM, AND HARRISON COUNTY 4-H CLUB ASSOCIATION $600 TO SUPPORT A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT TO ASSEMBLE AND INSTALL TEN BIRD FEEDERS FOR THE HARRISON SPRINGS HEALTH CAMPUS. THE YOUTH PHILANTHROPY FUND, WHICH PROVIDES YOUTH-LED GRANTMAKING DOLLARS, CONTINUES TO BENEFIT FROM A 2:1 MATCH. - ENDOWMENTS - HCCF HOLDS 331 ENDOWMENT FUNDS SUPPORTING A BROAD ARRAY OF ORGANIZATIONS AND CAUSES. THE TYPES OF FUNDS INCLUDE DESIGNATED AGENCY, DONOR ADVISED, FIELD OF INTEREST, SCHOLARSHIP, AND BUILDER'S FUNDS (UNRESTRICTED). THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF AN ENDOWMENT IS TO PROVIDE A LONG-TERM, GROWING SOURCE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AN ORGANIZATION OR CAUSE. ENDOWMENT FUND BENEFICIARIES ACCESS THEIR FUNDS BY COMPLETING AN ENDOWMENT FUND GRANT REQUEST. ENDOWMENT GRANT REQUESTS ARE REVIEWED BY STAFF AND THE GRANTS COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THEY MEET CRITERIA FOUND IN THE ENDOWMENT FUND AGREEMENT AND ARE APPROVED BY THE HCCF BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ONCE THE FUNDS ARE USED, BENEFICIARIES SUBMIT A SHORT GRANT REPORT FORM TO HCCF. - ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS - NEARLY HALF OF HCCF'S ENDOWMENT FUNDS ARE DEVOTED TO PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS. THE WIDE SCOPE OF SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA AND AWARDS REFLECTS THE DIVERSE INTERESTS OF THE DONORS WHO ESTABLISHED THEM. THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST SCHOLARSHIP FUND, ESTABLISHED BY HCCF, PROVIDES FUNDING FOR A $20,000 SCHOLARSHIP AT EACH OF THE FOUR HARRISON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS TO A STUDENT PLANNING TO ATTEND INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST. ALL SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AWARDED USING OBJECTIVE AND NONDISCRIMINATORY SELECTION PROCESSES. THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST SCHOLARSHIP FUND BENEFITS FROM A 2:1 MATCH.- BUILDING DYNAMIC BOARDS OF DIRECTORS - HCCF REQUIRES ALL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUBMITTING A GRANT APPLICATION TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE SITTING BOARD MEMBER WHO HAS COMPLETED AN HCCF-APPROVED BOARD GOVERNANCE TRAINING PROGRAM. HCCF OFFERS TRAINING AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS UPON COMPLETION. FOUR TRAININGS WERE PROVIDED IN 2024, WITH 31 PARTICIPANTS.- NONPROFIT SUSTAINABILITY - SINCE 2018, THE FUNDRAISERS GROUP HAS PROVIDED ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FOR ANY NONPROFIT AGENCY STAFF TASKED WITH FUNDRAISING. ABOUT A DOZEN PARTICIPANTS MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH FOR A BROWN BAG LUNCH. PRESENTATIONS INCLUDED YOUR BOARD AND FUNDRAISING, STORYTELLING, LIMITED-BUDGET FUNDRAISING, ANNUAL GIVING, AND SELF-CARE. THE NONPROFIT GROWTH SERIES WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2023 TO PROVIDE HARRISON COUNTY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND THOSE SERVING THE AREA WITH ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. GUEST PRESENTERS HAVE CONDUCTED VARIOUS WORKSHOPS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, TAXES, ACCOUNTING AND COMPLIANCE, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE (INCLUDING INTERNAL CONTROLS), AND GRANT WRITING. THE STEP AHEAD COUNCIL IS A MONTHLY GATHERING OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM NONPROFITS IN OR SERVING HARRISON COUNTY. THE FREE MEETING IS OFFERED ON THE THIRD THURSDAY AT NOON, WITH A DIFFERENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HIGHLIGHTED TO SHARE INFORMATION AND EXPLORE POTENTIAL COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES. IN 2024, 61 REPRESENTATIVES FROM 43 AGENCIES PARTICIPATED IN STEP AHEAD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.- TOWN PLANNING INITIATIVE - FUNDED BY LILLY ENDOWMENT, INC.'S GIFT VII PROGRAM AND WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM HCCF, WAS FINALIZED IN 2024. THIS MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE PROVIDED RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR THE TEN INCORPORATED TOWNS IN HARRISON COUNTY TO CREATE OR UPDATE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND A PAVEMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN. WITH THESE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, TOWNS ARE BETTER EQUIPPED TO SECURE EXTERNAL FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. THE TOWNS OF LANESVILLE, LACONIA, NEW MIDDLETOWN, CORYDON, PALMYRA, AND MAUCKPORT COMPLETED AND ADOPTED THEIR RESPECTIVE PLANS IN 2023. THE PLANS FOR THE TOWNS OF NEW AMSTERDAM, ELIZABETH, MILLTOWN, AND CRANDALL WERE FINALIZED IN 2024. THE PAVEMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN INCLUDED A LIST OF THE TOWN'S ROADS, A RATING OF ROADS, A MAINTENANCE PLAN, AND A PROPOSED MAINTENANCE BUDGET. TOWNS WITH AN UPDATED PAVEMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN CAN BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR COMMUNITY CROSSINGS MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. AT THIS POINT, ALL TOWNS HAVE COMPLETED A PAVEMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN. THIS PLAN IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN ELIGIBILITY FOR THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (INDOT) COMMUNITY CROSSING MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM LEVERAGED LOCAL FUNDS TO SECURE INDOT GRANT FUNDS TO MAINTAIN LOCAL ROADS AND STREETS. THE TOWN OF CORYDON AND NEW MIDDLETOWN BOTH RECEIVED FUNDING THROUGH THE PROGRAM.