Community Foundation Awards $750,000 in Impact Grants to Carroll County Nonprofits
The Carroll County Community Foundation has awarded $750,000 in Impact Grants to 10 local nonprofit organizations, supporting large-scale projects designed to address needs and opportunities identified throughout the county. The grants were made possible through funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. as part of the ninth phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT IX) initiative.
The funding was designed to give community foundations flexible funding to address compelling, near-term needs in their counties. This flexibility allowed the Foundation to create the Impact Grant program, giving local nonprofit organizations the opportunity to pursue significant projects at a scale beyond its annual grantmaking.
For Carroll County, the $750,000 investment represents much more than the Foundation typically has available for grantmaking in an entire year. The scale of the opportunity was also reflected in the program’s $50,000 minimum grant request, setting the Impact Grant program apart from the Foundation’s traditional grant opportunities.
Carroll County Impact Grant recipients celebrate alongside Carroll County Community Foundation board members and Community Foundation staff following the awarding of $750,000 in Impact Grants to local nonprofit organizations.
“This was an opportunity for us to think differently about what was possible and give local nonprofits the ability to dream big,” said Todd Moser, president of the Community Foundation serving Howard, Clinton and Carroll Counties. “We wanted to support significant projects that could expand what’s already working, remove persistent barriers and introduce new solutions to some of the challenges facing Carroll County.”
The Foundation's 2024 Community Conversations report helped inform the Impact Grant process by identifying the community’s aspirations, concerns and priorities for Carroll County’s future. While proposals were not required to address one of the priorities identified in the reports, nonprofits were asked to demonstrate a clear community need and explain how their project would make meaningful progress towards addressing it.
Together, the projects selected addressed a range of needs and opportunities, including early childhood education, affordable housing, reliable transportation, access to healthcare, and quality of place.
The 10 nonprofit organizations selected to receive Impact Grants and their projects include:
Caroll County Council on Aging—Transportation & Senior Center Programs
Expanded transportation services will help Carroll County seniors access medical care, groceries, medications and other essential services, while supporting their ability to remain independent, healthy and connected to their community.
Children’s Garden—Child Care Facility and Tuition Support
Funding will support facility improvements and subsidized tuition for families who may otherwise struggle to afford childcare, helping expand access to high-quality early childhood education in Carroll County.
Delphi Lions Club—Ice Cream Machine and Trailer
A new mobile ice cream trailer will expand the Club’s fundraising capacity at community events, creating a sustainable source of support for programs including vision screenings and eyeglasses for Carroll County children.
Delphi Main Street—SensAbility Playground
The project will create a fully inclusive playground designed for children of all abilities, featuring accessible, sensory-rich play elements that encourage exploration, connection and development.
Delphi School Corporation—Little Oracles Childcare Center
The Little Oracles Childcare Center will provide care for approximately 50 children from birth through age three, expanding access to early childhood care while creating a seamless transition into the district’s Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs.
Faithful Friends of Carroll Manor—Safety Advancements & Health Enhancements
The funding for this project will be used to make critical safety, health and facility improvements at Carroll Manor, including upgraded life-safety systems and enhancements to residents’ living spaces, supporting a safer, healthier environment for those who call Carroll Manor home.
Family Health Clinic of Carroll County—Family Health Clinic Mobile Outreach
The Mobile Outreach initiative will bring essential health and hygiene supplies directly to individuals and families throughout Carroll County, helping reduce barriers to accessing necessities through partnerships with local food pantries and community organizations.
Flora-Monroe Township Public Library—Dolly Parton Imagination Library
In partnership with Flora Psi Iota Xi, the project will expand access to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library throughout Carroll County, providing free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five and supporting early literacy and learning at home.
L&A Park—New Girls Softball Field
A new girls softball field at Abby and Libby Memorial Park will expand recreational opportunities for youth and families while promoting physical activity, teamwork and well-being.
Wabash and Erie Canal—Canal Playboat Renaissance
The project will renovate and expand the Canal Park’s nearly 20-year-old playboat, enhancing a free community attraction that provides children and families with opportunities for hands-on learning, recreation and connection to Carroll County’s history.
“When you look at these projects together, you see organizations responding to needs that touch people at every stage of life throughout Carroll County,” said Al Jackson, chair for the Carroll County Community Foundation Board of Directors. “From childcare and healthcare to transportation, recreation and quality of place, these investments have the potential to make a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives. We’re grateful for the opportunity to support organizations that know this community well and are working to make it an even better place to live.”
The Foundation will remain engaged with Impact Grant recipients throughout the grant period to help ensure projects move forward as proposed and create meaningful impact for Carroll County residents. As those projects continue, the Foundation looks forward to providing updates on their progress.
About the Carroll County Community Foundation
The Carroll County Community Foundation was established in 1997 as a not-for-profit charitable organization governed by a volunteer board of local citizens. Its mission is to be a steward, helping donors make communities a better place to live every day. The Foundation serves the interests of donors, makes grants to support local needs and opportunities, and acts as a catalyst around issues of importance throughout Carroll County.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
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. The Endowment funds program throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
