Southern Indiana Business Report
BLOOMFIELD – Greene County Foundation has received a grant of $4,999,486 from Lilly Endowment Inc. through the Community Leadership Implementation Grants component of the eighth phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VIII) initiative.
This is one of 30 implementation grants being awarded through GIFT VIII, a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative designed to support the efforts of community foundations and their partners to strengthen quality of life for the people in the towns, cities, counties and regions they serve.
A second community foundation from the Radius Indiana region also received a GIFT VIII grant. The Dubois County Community Foundation received $1,419,942.
According to a press release, the Greene County Foundation will use its grant to develop a school-based cooperative network model. This innovative approach aims to address one of Greene County’s greatest unmet needs: access to quality early care and education for all young children, particularly those ages 0-3.
The launch of the Cooperative Network will bring together all five school districts to ensure quality and sustainability through collaboration. The network will focus on supporting families and communities by promoting education, fostering partnerships, and amplifying a shared voice for early childhood development.
“We are grateful for this generous grant, which will enable us to collaborate with our community partners to create a quality early education and childcare system. Together, we will build a brighter future for the children of Greene County,” said Suzanne Jackson, executive director, Greene County Foundation.
The implementation of this project will begin with developing and launching a cooperative network coalition, construction and renovation of planned new classrooms, and hiring and training of teaching staff.
“As we focus on the development and well-being of participating children, as well as supporting their families, the broader community stands to benefit in numerous ways,” Jackson said.
Established in 1997, Greene County Foundation exists for charitable individuals to leave a lasting legacy to the county they love. Through the establishment of endowments, donors can forever support the local causes important to them. The Greene County Foundation has had a charitable impact in every school, library, and community in Greene County. The Foundation annually awards almost half-million dollars in grants through fund payouts, competitive grants, and student scholarships. For more information, visit www.greenecountyfoundation.org or call (812) 659-3142.
Lilly GIFT initiative
In 1990, Lilly Endowment launched the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative to help establish and further develop community foundations throughout Indiana. Lilly Endowment hoped that Indiana’s community foundations could enhance the quality of life in their communities by convening conversations among people of diverse ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, occupations, races and cultural traditions about their communities’ most compelling needs and opportunities as well as the best ways to address them.
About Lilly Endowment
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion.