What is the Starke County
Community Foundation?

What The Community
Foundation Can Do For You

Types of Endowment Funds to
Which You Can Contribute

How The U.S. Tax Code
Encourages Charitable Giving

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Foundation Funds

Agency Endowment Funds
Designated Funds
Donor Advised Funds
Field of Interest Funds
Non-Permanent Funds
Scholarship Funds
Unrestricted Funds
Complete list

Starke County Grants

Scholarships 2006
Lilly Scholars 2006
Fall Grants 2005
List from 1996 - 2005

More Information

2005 Summer/Fall Newsletter
Memorial Giving Sheet
Parents As Teachers

Starke Community, by Mitchell A. Markovitz, commissioned by the Starke County Community Foundation. Unveiled at the annual Fall Grants banquet on November 21, 2002, the poster is based on the Ludlow home in the historic 'Quality Hill' neighborhood in North Judson. For a closer look, and information on purchasing a copy, click here.

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Starke County
Community Foundation

Community Foundation Grants
Help Fund Local Projects

It was a good night for hot soup and warm handshakes. And there were plenty of both at the Starke County Community Foundation's Fall Grant Reception held on the evening of December 4th at the Knox Community Center. Judy Jelinek, the chairman of the Community Foundation's grant committee, presented four checks to local charitable organizations.

Mark Knebel, Wendy Elam, Annette Ohlman, Julia Povilaitis, Suzanne Crider, Paul Schuyler and Judy Jelinek

The grants were made possible from the Schuyler Family Endowment Fund and the Ann R. Nichols Memorial Fund. Mr. Paul Schuyler was on hand to make the presentation to the Starke County Humane Society who received $2,000.00 for a public spay and neuter program and the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum Inc, who received $2,000.00 for their backshop expansion project. The Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (CADA) also received $1,000.00 from the Schuyler fund for a Domestic Violence library and file cabinets. Paul reminisced about growing up in Starke County and shared stories from the Schuyler dairy farm in North Judson, and memories of the railroads that were prominent in that part of Starke County.

Paul Schuyler and memories of home

The Caring Place, Inc. received $ 876.00 for a second telephone line. This grant was made possible by the Ann R. Nichols Memorial Fund. This fund honors the memory of Ann R. Nichols, the late wife of Orville Nichols who established the fund in honor of Ann.

Both the Schuyler Family and the Ann R. Nichols endowments are Unrestricted Funds. The initial money used to set up the endowment fund is never spent, but rather the money is invested and the return on that investment is used to make grants. This way the endowment continues giving grants forever.

An "Unrestricted Fund" means that the grants are not restricted to any certain group or organization. The Starke County Community Foundation' grant committee hears requests for grants from local charitable organizations, and the board then makes the final decision based on the committee's recommendations. This offers flexibility in awarding grants to deserving projects that arise during any given year.

President Cherry Gumz, David Matsey, James Hardesty, Mat and Marilyn Swanson

"You never know from one year to the next who will need funds to help them complete a project, or get one off of the ground," said Corinne Lucas the office administrator for the community foundation. "We are so grateful to our donors who have started these types of funds, because they are very important to addressing the ever changing needs of Starke County charities." Serving on the 2003 grant committee were Judy Jelinek, David Matsey, Bill Rentschler, Judy Weitgenant and Eric Wendt.