June 15, 2017: The Tipp City Foundation held its quarterly meeting in early June. Board members are actively planning long-standing projects such as the annual donor reception, as well as chiseling out details of several new initiatives. The initiatives will be unveiled during its Diamond Jubilee in 2018, celebrating the Foundation’s 75th anniversary.
One project that wrapped up at the June meeting has two parts. The Foundation has officially changed its name to the Tipp City Foundation effectively immediately. Segueing into that change is updating the mission statement to: The Tipp City Foundation promotes local community endeavors and advances charitable giving through an unwavering commitment for future generations.
After the planning reports on initiatives, the board members settled into the grantmaking portion of the meeting. The volume of grants submitted was once again strong. Of the 23 requests considered, some were renewals of perennial programs while others were new. After lively discussion, final selections were made. Print media, sewing machines and thirsty dogs were among the projects supported.
Ultimately, six organizations were chosen to receive 14 awards totaling $17,576.56.
The following is a list of the recipients, amounts awarded, and the purposes funded.
Bethel Local Schools, $900, trains the trainer with the in-house implementation of No Red Ink, an online learning tool to improve middle school English learning.
Bethel Hope, $2,000, assists citizens in meeting basic needs during times of critical personal downturns. Needs met include food assistance, utility support, help with rent, and pharmacy aid. This grant was awarded, in part, through the Bethel Community Fund.
Tipp City Enrichment Program, $3,125, enhances the summer activities offered to the children who attend this extended care program.
Tipp City Parks Department, $1,360, contributes toward the purchase of a pet-friendly drinking fountain in Kyle Park. The Warren E. Miltenberger Parkland Fund, established in 2008 to support the out-of-doors, paid for this support.
Tipp City Public Library, $3,000, upgrades the Teen Den with welcoming, comfortable furniture.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $1,590, enriches the science curricula for 1st grade students with visits from Boonshoft Museum’s Animals Alive ($430) and Motion ($1,160) programs.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $1,233, acquired sewing machines and dress forms, which will be used in the expanded fashion design class.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $1,050, treats 5th grade students to a performance of “Doktor Kaboom” at Victoria Theatre.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $1,013.19, prepares the high school engineering class for State competition with the purchase of VEX robotics, which introduces concepts of project planning, design, analysis and optimization. This grant is a continuation of the STEM support given by the Foundations over the years.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $925, invigorates 4th grade social studies lessons with a field trip to see “The Wright Stuff: First in Flight” at Victoria Theatre.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $661.80, re-structures the middle school language arts classroom into reading stations stocked with print media. Subscriptions to the Tippecanoe Gazette, Dayton Daily News, Sports Illustrated and Time are a few of the new resources that are available. Teachers realized that real world knowledge was missing for some students when a high school student was heard to ask, “Who is this Al Queda guy?”
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $500, teaches the scientific method of inquiry to 9th grade biology students with the purchase of pulse oximeters.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $218.57, purchases Orton-Gillingham materials to support teachers previously trained in this dyslexia-focused course.
Since 1943, the Tipp City Area Community Foundations has awarded $2,015,724.44, as of December 31, 2016. Members of the Distribution Committee are Jim Ranft, chairman, Heather Bailey, president, Jim McKee, Claire Timmer and Jackie Wahl. Other trustees include Mary Bowman, Jesse Chamberlain, Joan Creech, Diana Featherstone, Dee Gillis, Melissa Keller, Jim McKee, Bruce McKenzie and Pete Schinaman.
The Tipp City Foundation is a member fund of The Troy Foundation. If you would like information about how to apply for a grant, please contact Jim Ranft at (937) 667-1270. If you would like information about how to make a tax-deductible contribution, please contact Heather Bailey at (937) 667-4499.
For more information visit www.tippfoundation.org or Tipp Foundation on Facebook.