On Jan. 3, 2014, the Hillsdale County Community Foundation announced the recipients of its biannual, winter grant awards.
Many local nonprofits competed in a rigorous application and selection process for a portion of the foundation’s $39,618 to use for projects that are required to benefit a large number of Hillsdale County residents.
“It’s helped us tremendously,” said Diane Smith, a member of the Litchfield War Memorial Planning and Oversight Committee.
After the war memorial’s planning committee spent the winter raising money, the HCCF awarded them another $5,000, bringing the total raised to $63,000. The memorial will commemorate every branch of the military, and construction will begin in the spring at the memorial’s site in Litchfield’s Riblet Park.
Another $10,000 was granted for a new emergency generator at the Hillsdale County Senior Services Center. Despite the generator’s high price of $200,000, Finance Director Vikki Reynolds-Boyd remains optimistic about reaching the Center’s goal.
“We are really close to meeting our challenge grant,” Reynolds-Boyd said, “down to $11,000.”
Other nonprofits were awarded smaller monetary grants, but they are just as beneficial for meeting the groups’ needs.
For example, King’s Kupboard, a ministry run by the Hillsdale Trinity Lutheran Church, received $300 for its annual Christmas Room, where local children are invited to shop for gifts and stocking-stuffers during the holidays.
Also, the HCCF granted $2,000 to Camden-Frontier Schools for its 17th annual fourth-grade Northern Adventure Trip to northern Michigan.
Despite the large amount of money at stake, HCCF saw an abnormal decrease in the number of nonprofits vying for the grants this winter.
“We had fewer applications than usual,” Community Foundation Communications Officer Amber Yoder said. “The foundation hopes that when the time comes for spring grant awards, more applications will be presented.”
Further information regarding grant money can be found by calling or visiting the Foundation office on 2 S. Howell St.
