Hardin County Community Foundation to Award Over $367,000 in Grants and Scholarships

The Hardin County Community Foundation is awarding $367,217 in grants and scholarships through its annual program.

The Grant Committee reported there were 157 grant requests with 143 awarded.

The funds are generated through earnings on the foundation’s assets.

The organizations, projects and amounts awarded are as follows:

Ada Area Chamber Of Commerce: Speakers, materials, photographers and other expenses for their Lunch & Learn events – $1,000

Ada Exempted Village Schools: Decodable books – Three $500 grants for total of $1,500        

Ada Food Pantry: Bulldog Backpack Blessings – $1,500

Ada High School: Freed Funds – Academic honoraries, academic competitions and support of music – $15,996.60

Ada Public Library: Summer Reading Program – $1,000

Ada/Liberty Joint Ambulance District: Training equipment        – $1,000

Alger Community Fire Association: High voltage meters – $1,000 Alger First Methodist Church: Food boxes – $1,000

Alger First Methodist Church: Backpack Blessings at USV         – $2,000

Alger Public Library: ADA handicap parking spot – $400 Alger Public Library: Summer Reading Program – $1,500

AMVETS Riders Chapter 1994  : Handicap ramps for veterans – $750

Beatitudes Community Center: Summer meals – $3,000

Belle Center Free Public Library – Summer Reading Program – $500

Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Ohio, Inc. dba Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hardin County: Community and school-based mentoring program – $2,000

BKP Ambulance District: Vacuum mattress – $760

Boy Scouts: Freed Funds – In support of individual scouts in their projects in scouting organization – $1,249.15

City of Kenton: Automated External Defibrillator (AED) – $2,000

City of Kenton: Resurfacing the basketball court at Murray Park – $3,000

City of Kenton: Trees – $2,000 City of Kenton: Improvement of recreational facilities at France Lake – $3,000

City of Kenton: National Night Out event – $750

City of Kenton: Longest Day of Play event – $750

Critter Crusaders Rescue: Medical assistance for animals – $769

Cub Scout Troop 124: Eagle Scout project of Law Enforcement Memorial – $2,500

Cub Scout Troop 124: Repairs to building – $2,500

Dunkirk Community Improvement Corp.: Batting cage, repairs to dugouts and bleachers        – $1,000

Dunkirk Masonic Lodge: Winterfest event – $600

First Baptist Church: Bondi Funds – $2,548

Forest Area CIC: Repair and/or replace Christmas light pole decorations – $3,500

Forest Area CIC Charlie Brown Christmas: Expansion of the current Christmas displays – $750

Forest Fire Department: Remote headsets – $300

Forest- Jackson Public Library: Summer Reading Program – $1,500

Forest Police Department: National Night Out event – $500

Freedom Celebration: Hardin County fireworks display. Licensing – $800

Freedom Celebration: Hardin County fireworks display, fireworks – $2,500

Friends United For New Experiences: Events for adults with developmental disabilities – $500

Girl Scouts: Freed Funds – In support of individual scouts in their projects in scouting organization – $1,249.15

Greenwood Grange: Foundation work and activities for the youth – $1,000

Grove Cemetery Chapel: Roof restoration – $2,000

Harco Industries Inc.: Canvas, paint and brushes for art projects – $750

Harco Industries Inc.: Equipment – $2,000

Hardin County 4-H/FFA: Freed Funds – In support of 4-H and FFA Organizations – $7,696.60

Hardin County Ag Society: Universal folding chairs – $1,000

Hardin County Armory Restoration Foundation: Guest chairs – $1,800

Hardin County Bark Buddies 4-H Club: Agility equipment  – $3,000

Hardin County Council On Aging Inc.: Painting of the interior of the senior center – $800

Hardin County Domestic Relations: Funding for disadvantaged youth teenage activities – $2,500

Hardin County Family YMCA: Rogers Funds – $1,852

Hardin County Family YMCA: Stambaugh Funds – $943

Hardin County Genealogy Society: New website – $1,000

Hardin County Historical Museums, Inc.: Signage for the buildings and flywheel located at the Hardin County Heritage Farm – $1,750

Hardin County Humane Society: Spay/neuter program – $769

Hardin County Junior Fair Board: Ohio State Fair Convention – $700

Hardin County Players: Youth theatre camp – $1,500

Hardin County Veterans Service: Annual dinner – $1,250

Hardin Leadership Inc.: Sponsorship toward the Women in Business Leadership Certification program – $1,000

Hardin Memorial Hospital: Lichty Funds – $1,133

Hardin Northern History Brigade: Gettysburg trip, Veterans Day program and Living History program – $750

Hardin Northern Public Library: Summer Reading Program      – $1,500

Hardin Northern School Library: Promotion of reading among students   – $750

Heartbeat of Hardin County: Online curriculum and crib/mattress program – $1,500

Helen Mabrey Shoe Fund Inc.: Shoes for school-aged children – $1,500

Helping Hands Outreach Ministries: Back to School project    –  $3,000

Jackson-Forest EMS Association: Personal trauma mass casualty bags – $1,500

Jackson-Forest EMS Association: Life-Saving Response Academy – $1,000

Keep Hardin County Beautiful: Library beautification project – $500

Keep Hardin County Beautiful: Community outreach and education efforts – $750

Keep Hardin County Beautiful: Seasonal flower plantings – $2,000

Keep Hardin County Beautiful: Topiaries – $700

Kenton Area Swim Team: Equipment – $1,000

Kenton Athletic Boosters: Equipment – $1,000

Kenton Band Boosters: Trailer logos – $747

Kenton Christian Preschool: Preschool basement play area – $1,200

Kenton Church of the Nazarene: Back to School Bash – $2,000

Kenton Church of the Nazarene: Sound system and end of year party – $1,000

Kenton City Schools: LEGO education kits – $1,630

Kenton City Schools: Elementary toothbrushes – $70

Kenton Full Gospel Church Bread of Life Food Pantry: Construction to connect to existing building    – $2,000

Kenton Historic Courthouse District: Kenton Lions Club Christmas Parade entertainment      – $1,500

Kenton Lions Club: Pioneer Park equipment – $500

Kenton Lions Club: Pioneer Park merry-go-round restoration – $1,000

Kenton-Hardin Health Department: Youngpeters Funds – $2,261

Lake of Lights   LED lighting       $1,500.00

LifeWise- Upper Scioto Valley: Age appropriate Bible study guides – $2,000

Mary Lou Johnson-Hardin County District Library: Summer Reading Program – $1,500

Mary Lou Johnson-Hardin County District Library: Adult programs – $1,800

Master Gardeners of Hardin County: Improvements and fencing – $1,500

McGuffey Church of Christ: Emergency food pantry – $1,000

McGuffey Church of Christ: Glow Party – $1,000

McGuffey Church of Christ: Meals – $750

McGuffey Church of Christ: Vacation Bible School – $1,500

McGuffey Memories Historical Society: Nature path with walkways – $550

McGuffey Memories Historical Society: Roof replacement of the park gazebo – $600

McGuffey Memories Historical Society: Insulated boxes and portable shelving – $425

Midwest Regional ESC: Equipment and materials for preschools – $2,000

Mt. Victory Community Improvement Corp.: Memorial Day Antique Car Show and Petroliana Swap Meet expenses – $715

Mt. Victory Community Improvement Corp.: Tennis and pickleball court resurfacing project – $3,000

Mt. Victory Community Improvement Corp.: Flowers and supplies for the street urns, street beautification and winter banners – $3,000

Neighborhood Center Corporation of Hardin County: Food boxes – $4,000

New Hope Child Care Center: Mulch for outdoor play equipment area – $500

New Hope Homeless Shelter: Rebuilding of entrance, porch repairs, deck and landscaping   – $1,000

Northern Hardin County Fire District: Fire safety program – $1,000

Not By Choice – Protein drinks and laundry detergent – $1,500

Ohio Northern University: Freed Funds – Department of Theatre – $23,994.90

Ohio Northern University: Freed Funds – Department of Music –  $23,994.90

Ohio Northern University: Freed Funds – College for Student Faculty Special Study Projects – $55,988.10

Our Lady, The Immaculate Conception: Repairs to a blocked drain in the St. Anthony Center – $1,000

Painter Creek Grange: Replacement of some siding º $1,000

Project Linus of Hardin County : Blankets for children experiencing trauma or loss – $500

Quilts for Kids NW Ohio Chapter: Fabric and batting for children with long term or terminal illnesses – $500

Revitalize Kenton: a community partnership: Invest in our Community Day – $1,000

Ridgemont Activities Boosters: Concession stand equipment – $1,000

Ridgemont FFA: Tensiometer – $3,100

Ridgemont Public Library: Summer Reading Program – $1,200

Ridgeway Firefighter Association: Air compressor – $1,000

Riverdale Athletic Boosters Club: Scoreboard replacement    – $2,000

Riverdale Ministerial Association: School lunches – $1,500

Roundhead Fire Department: Veterans banners – $1,500

Roundhead United Methodist Church: Free fellowship meals – $500

Safe Haven of Hardin County: Annual purse bingo – $250

Safe Haven of Hardin County: Walk a Mile in Her Shoes – $250

Safe Haven of Hardin County: Yearly rental of storage unit – $350

Safe Haven of Hardin County: Annual Holiday Gala – $300

St. Vincent DePaul Society of Immaculate Conception: Hygiene and cleaning supplies distributed at SOUP – $750

Scouts of America: Uniform shirts – $500

Secret Santa Benefit for Lifewise Academy: Secret Santa Benefit – $2,000

Silver Creek Community Church: Lifeworks programming and incentives – $750

Some of Us People (SOUP): Commercial can opener and new roaster – $1,000

Soroptimist International of Kenton/Hardin County: Dignity bags – $500

Southeast Hardin Northwest Union Joint Fire District: Ice rescue suits – $1,000

St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church: Bless the Backpack program – $1,500

The Ohio State University, Hardin County OSU Extension: Digital microscope – $150

The Ohio State University, Hardin County OSU Extension: Cooking Matters program – $1,000

The Ohio State University, Hardin County OSU Extension: Classroom gardening and harvesting lessons in Hardin County Schools – $1,000

The Ohio State University, Hardin County OSU Extension: Water bottles for 4-H camp participants    – $1,500

The Park District Liberty Twp.: Picnic tables – $2,400

Tree Town Festival: Youth activities – $2,200

Upper Scioto Valley Ambulance District: Community outreach materials – $1,000

Upper Scioto Valley Middle School: Backpack Blessings – $1,500

Upper Scioto Valley School Library: New library signage in the book shelves – $1,500

Village of Ada: Lamp post flowers and other village beautification – $15,996.60

Village of Ada: Trees – $7,000

Village of Ada Police Department: Hearing protection/radio equipment – $1,000

Village of Alger: Reset stone benches, stone wall cleaning and repair – $3,000

Village of Forest: Flowers – $500

Village of Forest: Flower pots – $750

Village Of Forest Market Square: Free youth activities – $1,200

Village Of Forest Market Square: Picnic tables – $1,500

Village of Mt. Victory: Repair, resurfacing project for tennis and pickleball courts         – $1,000

Village of Mt. Victory Tree Committee: Trees – $1,879

Village of Patterson: Outreach events – $500

Village of Patterson Village: Clean up and landscaping – $400

Wolf Creek Center for the Arts of Hardin County, Inc.: Various art activities – $1,000

Scholarships                   

Ada Doctors Scholarship: Ada Schools, Hardin Northern Schools and Upper Scioto Valley Schools – $5,000

Dollars for Scholars      Kenton City Schools – $2,000

Dudek Scholarship Upper Scioto Valley Schools – $2,500

Rushsylvania Rough Riders: Ridgemont Schools and Benjamin Logan Schools – $1,000

Spath Scholarships Upper Scioto Valley Schools – $10,000

Sterling Sisters Scholarships: Various schools – $4,000

The following statement is from Hardin County Community Foundation President Matthew Jennings and Executive Director Bryan Marshall:

“The community may notice a measurable increase in Hardin County Community Foundation grants awarded versus our announcement of available funds in February. After the announcement to award $227,000 in grants this spring, the Board of Trustees revisited our allocation methodology that we have used since inception of the foundation and decided to make a revision. The resulting change in available funds increased by $140,000 to $367,000.

In our early days and as we grew into a foundation of scale, we kept our calculation for grant funding very conservative to protect the assets of the foundation and to ensure that even in a down year, we would have funds to grant. After our analysis was completed, we decided as a Board to increase the spend limit and shorten the rolling average asset size used in our methodology to better reflect our more rapid growth in the last several years.

This revision, beginning with grants awarded in 2025, will allow for a greater return of investment income to our community while ensuring our financial stability moving forward. This may not be the case every year depending on historical portfolio performance but due to several strong years in a row the resulting increase for this year will be very beneficial to our charitable organizations in Hardin County.

Community feedback is important to our Board, and we are listening and making changes as we grow and adapt within the confines of what a foundation is allowed to do with its finances. Several of our funds are designated for very specific uses while others are unrestricted and can be awarded to local organizations at our grant committee’s discretion.  The committee spends a considerable amount of time reviewing and vetting the grant process and to ensure that they are fair in disbursing funds throughout the community for many variations of projects and to be geographically balanced.”