Hillsdale, MI, April 14, 2017
On Thursday, April 13, the public was invited to attend a community reception featuring the announcement of grant award winners for the “Love Your Community” grant program. Four organizations received a combined $6,500 in grant funding through the program, which was founded to support those who have a vision to improve the community. Award winners were as follows:
- Hillsdale College GOAL Program: $2,500 for the Hillsdale Buddy Program;
- Kidz 2 Kidz: $2,000 for a pavilion at the Camden Jaycees Park;
- Village of North Adams: $1,500 for improvements to Crater Memorial Park; and
- Woodbridge Township: $500 for a Free Little Library.
A large factor in the grant award decision-making was the support that each proposal received via Facebook likes recorded directly from the HCCF page during the voting period. Overall 1,932 Facebook likes were received for the various projects, an increase of 1,140 from the 2016 program. The HCCF also evaluated each proposal for feasibility, plan for execution, clear communication of goals and expected outcomes, and realistic budget.
Each of the eight program finalists were invited to prepare a display and presentation materials to be available during the reception. Attendees had the opportunity to speak with all the finalists and find out more information about their projects and goals. Hillsdale County Community Foundation representatives also provided a short presentation about the HCCF and the Love Your Community program before announcing grant award winners. The program was open to any applicant with an idea, a plan, and a desire to make their community a better place. The finalists’ projects promote community improvement, interaction, or engagement.
The Hillsdale County Community Foundation was established in 1991 as a community grantmaking foundation, providing funding to organizations and institutions that have identified problems and designed constructive action programs aimed at solutions. A majority of the Foundation’s grant making is focused on the areas of youth, leadership, philanthropy and volunteerism. For more information about community grant making opportunities or other HCCF programs, please call 517- 439-5101, stop by the office at 2 S. Howell St. in Hillsdale, or visit www.abouthccf.org.
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