The Wabash Valley Community Foundation has announced the accomplishment of a major milestone by surpassing $100 million in total assets, announced Beth Tevlin, president and CEO of the organization.
“We are tremendously grateful to the more than 13,000 donors who have contributed to this achievement since we opened in 1992,” she said.
The Wabash Valley Community Foundation, which serves Clay, Sullivan and Vigo counties, now has more than $110 million in assets, Tevlin said. The local organization ranks as the 10th largest community foundation in Indiana, according to the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance.
“Our goal since the very beginning has been to build our endowed funds to provide permanent, ongoing support to enhance the quality of life for the residents of the three counties we serve,” said Tevlin. “By creating endowments, we are ensuring that the principal remains intact while interest proceeds can be utilized to provide ongoing grants.”
Around 94% of total assets are currently endowed, Tevlin said. Since 1992, the Wabash Valley Community Foundation has awarded more than 11,000 community grants totaling $27.2 million to support programs in arts and culture, education, religion, and social services. Examples of a few of these grants are disaster relief; mentoring, leadership and literacy programs; improvements and purchase of recreational and playground equipment and spaces; museums and cultural events of all kinds; the addition of public art including murals and sculptures; services in the areas of food insecurity, domestic violence, mental health, autism and those with disabilities; historic restoration; and more.
The Community Foundation has also provided more than 3,000 scholarships totaling more than $15.9 million for students from Clay, Sullivan and Vigo counties to pursue their higher education goals.
“These grants and scholarships were made possible due to the generosity of individuals, families and businesses who partnered with the Community Foundation to allow their philanthropy to live on. Their gifts are making a significant impact on the residents of Clay, Sullivan and Vigo counties,” said Tevlin.
Donors have established more than 770 funds to support these efforts. These include donor-advised funds, agency endowment funds, designated funds, scholarship funds, special project funds and unrestricted community endowment funds.
The latter has been a priority for the foundation as investment proceeds from these endowed funds can be utilized to provide grants addressing specific needs in the community as they arise. Grant applications are reviewed by the local board in each of the three counties to determine the areas of greatest need.
“The challenges and opportunities our communities face vary from year to year, and the community-based unrestricted funds provide resources that can be directed to address this evolving landscape,” said Tevlin.
She added that the flexibility of these resources has been a critical part of being able to quickly respond to natural disasters which have greatly impacted the Wabash Valley and to provide matching resources to meet requirements for larger grants from other sources. These funds have also provided local grants to address needs in many other areas.
Currently, donations to unrestricted community-based endowment funds may be eligible for a $2 match for each $1 donated through Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Gift VIII initiative. Matching dollars are limited and are available through December 2025 or until depleted, whichever comes first. Individuals interested in the matching gift program may contact WVCF at (812) 232-2234.
“We are grateful to Lilly Endowment Inc.’s continued commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Hoosiers. Their challenge initiatives have been a wonderful incentive for area residents to see their donations grow more quickly and most importantly, to experience the impact their generosity can have,” said Tevlin. Under the Gift VIII initiative, the Wabash Valley Community Foundation has the possibility of increasing these endowment funds by more than $5 million which would provide an additional $200,000 each year for local grants, she added.
“We are excited to meet this significant milestone, but we recognize the need to continue to grow so that we can help address our increasing community needs as well as the impact inflation has on funding these challenges and opportunities,” said Tevlin.
Gifts of all sizes make an impact, she added.
“Our gifts have ranged from $3 to more than seven figures. It’s the cumulative effect of donations from many that has helped us meet this milestone. Clay, Sullivan and Vigo counties are blessed with caring residents who are willing to support positive change in their communities,” said Tevlin.
The foundation also has five giving circles in its three-county area which bring together community members who award local grants to a worthy charity each quarter. In addition to providing the direct grants, each circle has also created a permanent endowment fund to provide ongoing support into the future.
Youth grant committees are also part of the Wabash Valley Community Foundation. These provide opportunities for area teens to serve the community while developing philanthropic and leadership skills. The committees also award grants for projects in their communities.
“As we move forward, we are excited about working with our donors, corporate partners and the non-profit community to make additional investments in Clay, Sullivan and Vigo counties. By working together, we can make a significant impact both now and into the future,” said Tevlin.
