Miami County Foundation awards $250K in grants

TIPP CITY – Miami County Foundation’s Spring Grant Celebration was hosted at the Tipp Center at 855 N. Third St. in Tipp City on Friday, May 5.

A total of 120 attendees joined the celebration to witness 76 grants issued to non-profit organizations, local school districts and classrooms and villages in the amount of $248,056.

The Tipp Center not only has newly furnished office suites and private conference rooms available for corporate lease, but also, a spacious community room that served the Grant Celebration with spacious seating for the guests, grant recipients, community leaders and the foundation’s board of directors.

“The board and I are so thankful to Liz Sonnanstine, executive director of Tipp City Chamber of Commerce, for connecting us with Sheila Ingram and her team so that we could feature Tipp City and partner with the Tipp Center in this way,” said Natalie Rohlfs, executive director of the foundation.

Directors of the board, including founding member, Dr. Richard Adams, and president, Dr. Michael Moore, served as co-emcees for the event, alongside Rohlfs. Paying homage to the vision of original investor Mr. Richard Hunt, the four grant committees recommended support for programs throughout the county. Grants this spring were awarded for purposes such as disaster relief, capital improvements, youth programs, fire department equipment, classroom music equipment, special needs resources, and medical, utilities and rent relief for residents.

For instance, Dreambuilders Group Inc./Clubhouse received $1,050 for Chromebooks, Operation Veteran and Caregiver Support received $3,480 for their “Muster and Mingle” events for veterans, Piqua Catholic School received $4,489 to repair and replace restroom stalls, and The New Path, Inc. received $11,150 for food pantry supplies, utility assistance, construction and maintenance to medical equipment.

Eight organizations were first-time recipients of Miami County Foundation grant funding including St. Vincent de Paul, Covington Mounties 4-H Club, Bethel Township Fire Dept., Covington Youth Sports Association, Miami Valley Nonprofit Collaborative, Piqua Community Kitchen, Wilma’s Place (Piqua Cold Shelter) and Tipp City Church of the Nazarene.

In addition to the spring grant awards, John & Jean Dugan Family Fund representatives selected The Family Abuse Shelter to receive a $1,300 grant from its donor-advised fund.

Congratulations to Miami County Foundation’s 2023 spring grant recipients, who each had an opportunity to present their projects and introduce themselves at the event:

American Red Cross, Bethel Township Fire Department, Bradford Exempted Village Schools, Bradford Public Library, Bradford Youth Association, Community Grace Brethren Church, DBA River Valley Church, Covington Exempted Village Schools, Covington Mounties 4-H Club, Covington Youth Sports Association, Dreambuilders Group, Inc. – Clubhouse, Friends of Mainstreet Piqua/Piqua Surprise Committee, Friends of the Piqua Parks, Joint Fire District Pleasant Hill-Newton Township, LifeWise Academy – Newton, Lincoln Community Center, Miami County Agricultural Society, Miami County Amateur Radio Club, Miami County Animal Shelter, Miami County Educational Service Center, Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau, Miami East Local Schools, Miami Valley Nonprofit Collaborative, Milton-Union Bulldog Bags, LLC, Milton-Union Exempted Village, Newberry Township, Operation Veteran and Caregiver Support, Piqua Catholic School, Piqua City Schools, Piqua Community Kitchen, Pleasant Hill Baseball Association, St. Patrick Catholic School, St. Vincent de Paul, The Center for Early Learning Preschool, The Edison Foundation (Edison State Community College) – Student Affairs, The New Path, Inc., Tipp City Church of the Nazarene, Tipp City Schools, Tipp City Seniors, Inc., TL Baseball Boosters, Inc., Troy Christian School, Troy City Schools, Troy City Schools – Troy Junior High Student Council, Troy Development Council, Troy Football Parents Association, Troy Senior Citizens Center, Village of Potsdam, Wilderness Inquiry, Inc., Wilma’s Place, and Young Life.

Miami County Foundation Ongoing Humanitarian grants were awarded this grant cycle to:

Bethany Center, Covington Outreach Association, Family Abuse Shelter, FISH Union Township, GIVE Medical Ministry, Health Partners Free Clinic, Community Rides to Work, Miami County Dental Clinic, New Creation Counseling Center, Partners In Hope, St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchen, The New Path, Inc., The Salvation Army – Piqua, and Troy Lions Charities.

Through the generosity of Miami County Foundation’s investors, benefactors, annual donors and business partners, the foundation is able to support the community by providing grants for local non-profit organizations, schools and municipalities. The foundation conducts two grant cycles per year. More than $9.8 million in funding has been awarded by Miami County Foundation since inception. Scholarships are also awarded through Miami County Foundation annually. Visit www.miamicountyfoundation.org to learn more