By Nancy Bowman
From humble beginnings in 1943, with Ed Timmer’s endowed gift of $1,300, the Tipp City Foundation has grown. Endowed assets now surpass the $7.5 million mark. Yet more important is the yardstick that measures grantmaking back to the community.
As of September 2021, the Foundation has surpassed $2.5 million in total grantmaking. A grant to the Tipp City Fire & EMS Department was the award that put the Foundation’s lifetime giving past the special milestone. The lifesaving equipment that will be bought with this grant is detailed below.
Available grantmaking dollars are determined through a formula that ensures that the principal is preserved while making the interest available for area nonprofits.
A broad range of grant requests submitted for third quarter review stood out because of the variety of services brought to our citizens. For the first time in 18 months, no grant requests served a need borne from the pandemic.
Ultimately, 8 organizations were chosen to receive 16 awards. Quarterly grants totaled $30,917.91.
The following is a list of recipients, award levels and the impact grants will make. The additional support that donor advisors gave through their grantmaking is included.
ARTS & CULTURE
Bethel Local Schools, $1,240.13, purchases Boomwhacker xylophones for elementary music classes. Used in combination with Orff instruments purchased with a Foundation award in 2020, students will be able to play as an ensemble. This is a Bethel Arts Fund grant.
Downtown Tipp City Partnership, $112.00, spruces up the exteriors of downtown properties identified by the Façade Improvement Program. This is an Urban Stewardship Fund grant.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $400.00, spreads a layer of tarp protection on the gym floor while spreading the joy of Indoor Percussion Ensemble in 7th – 12th grades. Additional support from Lucky 13 Fund advisors rounds out this request for a total of $800.00.
Tipp City Public Library, $967.88, invests in the space assigned for teens by purchasing comfortable furnishings.
EDUCATION
Bethel Local Schools, $592.29, blends 1st grade literature with science concepts. Hands-on materials purchased with this grant include fertilized eggs and incubators. Additional support from Lucky 13 Fund advisors rounds out this request for a total of $992.29.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $796.76, takes learning outdoors into a newly restored garden at Broadway Elementary School with the purchase of durable portable tables. This is a Youth of Tipp City Fund imo Sara Drexler grant.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, award, funds the 3rd grade field trip to Ohio Caverns. The Tipp Giving Fund advisors awarded the entire grant request of $1,365.00.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $1,300.00, expands the skill sets of students enrolled in the Homebuilding Class. Originally promoted as a class to build a tiny house, skills will now expand to landscaping. A wet saw and auger are among the tools purchased through this grant.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $1,000.00, fuels the Power of the Pen, an interscholastic writing competition for 7th and 8th graders designed to help young people find and develop a creative voice that is uniquely their own.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $689.00, supports the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) students through the purchase of blazers. Students will represent Tipp City at State and National leadership conferences while wearing these red jackets. FCCLA is a new organization in Tipp City Schools.
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, award, pairs up the industrial arts, visual arts, and intervention classes, to move the current sensory garden to a larger, more accessible space. The Wahl Family Fund advisors awarded the entire grant request of $230.00.
ENVIRONMENT
Tipp City Parks Department, $1,131.00, plants sweetgum and red maple trees in Windmere Park. This is a Lucille L. Milner Trees for Tipp Fund grant.
RECREATION
Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $2,571.85, updates the playgrounds at Broadway, Nevin Coppock and LT Ball schools with ADA accessible swings.
Tipp City Parks Department, $2,767.00, adds benches and trees for the Miles Park neighborhood to enjoy. This is a Warren E. Miltenberger Parkland Fund grant.
Tipp City Preschool Learning Center, $5,000, supports the replacement of well-worn playground equipment on the grounds of the Tipp City Church of the Nazarene. The Learning Center is open to families of all faiths.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Tipp City Fire and Emergency Services, $3,925.00, purchases thermal cameras to perform searches for victims inside of structures during fires, as well as to locate victims during missing persons incidents. This is an award from the Safety First Fund, founded by Steve Kessler, fire chief from 1998 – 2018.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Rehabilitation Center for Neurological Development, $5,925.00, replaces a hydraulic lift chair used for movements / exercises vital to the success of Brain & Body Integration participants. This organization provides services to children and adults who are disabled or physically or mentally disadvantaged with brain injuries. This is the first award from the William’s Gift Fund.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Miami Valley Region, award, aids families as they grapple with their child’s illness during their stay at Dayton Children’s Hospital. Last year, over 60 families from the Bethel/Tipp City community benefited from their support. The Tipp Giving Fund advisors awarded the grant request with $2,500.00.
We Care Arts, $2,500.00, opens the doors for children with profound physical and developmental disabilities to participate in art classes. This learning is available year-round as well as in Transition to Work classrooms of Tippecanoe High School.
The deadline for 4Q grant submissions is December 1. Jim Ranft is available for your grant-related questions at 937-528-2482. Applications are available online at www.tippfoundation.org.