Foundations get GIFT VIII funding

Three counties, including Jay, were awarded funding recently to address key issues.

The Portland Foundation announced Friday in a press release that it has received a $60,000 planning grant through Lilly Endowment’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VIII) initiative in partnership with Blackford County Community Foundation and Community Foundation of Grant County.

“Looking southward, the challenges to regional planning and policymaking are apparent in eastern Indiana,” said Doug Inman, executive director of The Portland Foundation, in the release. “The lack of a single urban centerpiece exacerbates the challenges of successful regionalism. It’s no wonder people want to turn down the volume. When you look at it day in and day out, it becomes background noise. It is a reality that underscores the importance of our three Foundations’ unwavering commitment to leading and, on occasion, turning up the volume.” 

The funding will be used to “tackle critical workforce challenges and enhance opportunities for students in the region.” The three community foundations have placed a focus on concerns about the aging workforce and economic disparities along with seeking to prepare students for successful careers.

The GIFT VIII funding is designed to “help community foundations collaborate with local partners to engage broad and diverse stakeholders in their communities and deepen their understanding of their communities’ highest-priority challenges and opportunities.”

Project Leadership, which seeks to bridge the gap between education and employment, will facilitate the planning effort.

Lilly Endowment has allocated up to $210 million through GIFT VIII to support community foundations across the state.