The Wells County Foundation, Inc. has received a matching fund grant totaling $675,000 as part of the eighth phase of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s initiative, Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow.
The Foundation will use the funding as follows: $450,000 to build the Foundation’s Community Enhancement Endowment Fund.
Qualifying matching funds raised to support the Foundation’s Community Enhancement Endowment Fund will be eligible for a $2 (grantor) – to – $1 (grantee) match from the Endowment. The Community Enhancement Endowment is one of the Foundation’s unrestricted funds and is utilized to provide funding for the three annual competitive grant cycles. If the Foundation successfully raises the $150,000 necessary to maximize the matching opportunity, unrestricted assets will grow by $600,000, facilitating an increase in the Foundation’s annual grantmaking resources.
“This is a rare opportunity for donors to triple their charitable donations,” said Tammy Slater, Foundation CEO. “Donors could use this opportunity to establish a named unrestricted fund, having their contribution tripled.”
In addition, the Lilly GIFT VIII opportunity provides the opportunity for three $1 for $1 matching opportunities:
The Foundation Board has approved offering $1 for $1 matching funds to three community projects:
• Downtown Pathways Project: $100,000. Contributions made to the Foundation for the Downtown Pathways Project will be matched $1 for $1 through Dec. 31, 2025. These funds will be utilized to complete phase two of the alleyway transformation.
• Internal Park Access Drive: $100,000. The Foundation Board has approved offering $1 for $1 matching funds for contributions to the Foundation for the construction of an internal park access drive to the parking area of Archbold-Wilson Memorial Park in Ossian.
• State Road 124 Trail Project Engineering Study: $25,000. The Foundation Board has approved offering $1 for $1 matching funds for contributions to the Foundation for the State Road 124 Trail Project Engineering Study. The Wells County Trails Committee has identified a priority project which would add a trail along State Road 124, connecting it to the Interurban Trail at North Main Street. An engineering study would be the first step in potentially moving this project forward.
Through GIFT VIII Lilly Endowment has awarded matching fund grants totaling $133.8 million to community foundations serving all 92 of Indiana’s counties. Eligible community foundations submitted proposals requesting grants ranging from $100,000 to $15,000,000 based on the population of the counties they serve.
In 2023, Lilly Endowment launched GIFT VIII to help community foundations strengthen the towns, cities and counties they serve. Matching fund grants are one of several funding opportunities designed to help community foundations promote long-term viability; further strengthen their abilities to lead; encourage board engagement; and support and develop strategic efforts to enhance quality of life in their communities.
