Our Funds

The Community Foundation of Shelby County is a collection of charitable funds. Each fund has a purpose for which grants are disbursed. Funds can be tailored to narrowly or broadly support causes, geographic areas, or organizations you favor.

Most charitable funds are intended to be long term or permanent, but some have a defined span. Investment returns and new gifts help grow the fund and provide the amounts disbursed as grants. See our Comparison of Fund Types.

Fund Types

Community granting: These funds award grants in the Shelby County area as needs, projects and organizations in the community change. A diverse group of volunteers reviews grant proposals submitted by local organizations and recommends where grant dollars go to today’s pressing needs.
Field of interest: Give granting discretion to our board, but within geographic areas or causes as defined by the fund’s donor.
Donor-advised: Donor Advised Funds keep you involved with the charitable fund, by recommending grants from the fund to your favorite charities. You can also invite family members to be current or future advisors and stipulate a future use of the fund to carry on charitable giving after you’re gone. Donor Advised Funds
Gift accounts: If you make regular gifts to charity and want more tax advantages, this free Donor Advised Fund option can be funded with appreciated stock and then issue sale proceeds over time to other charities. It’s a great way to ‘bunch’ your giving and learn about grantmaking and charitable funds. Learn more about Gift Accounts.
Organization: Organization funds are created by a charity to help with ongoing support or a reserve for those years when the budget is more strained than usual.
Project: Organization boards and steering committees create a Project Fund to receive money raised for community capital projects.
Designated: The Fund agreement names the charity to receive annual payments and any organizations or causes that will benefit if the named organizations cease to exist.
Scholarship: Scholarships assist graduating high school seniors, current college students and adult students with the cost of their college education or vocational training.
Supporting organization: A supporting organization is a unique blend of a private and public foundation. By connecting to the Community Foundation, it receives our administrative services, its contributions are deductible to the higher public foundation levels and it is free of the private foundation payout and many compliance rules. Supporting Organization Funds

Marian Spicer, Executive Director, is ready to help. 937-497-7800

Fund Names

Community Granting Fund

Community Impact Fund
Monarch Machine Tool Company Legacy Fund
Prime the Pump Fund – In loving Memory of Alma Wilson Allinger and Robert Lochard Allinger

Field of Interest Funds

Roscoe Beanblossom Fund
F.I.S.H. Fund
Bill and Marty Koenig Botkins Community Forever Endowment Fund
Kermit T. Kuck and Ella M. Kuck Fund
John Douglas Long Blind Fund
Ruble Family Keep Art in your HeART Fund
Russia Community Fund
Russia Wellness Foundation
Friends of St. Philomena Montessori School Fund
Louise Sheets Fund
Shelby County Medical Services Fund

Donor Advised Funds

4 Sons Family Foundation
AAA Cares Fund
Kurt and Connie Barhorst Fund
Julia S. Barker Family Fund
Daniel and Lori Bensman Family Foundation
Nick and Mary Bensman Family Foundation
Joan and Michael Bergman Family Foundation
Debby, Dave, and Reggie Boerger Family Foundation
Edward and Merilyn Borchers Family Foundation
Douglas and Elizabeth Borchers Family Foundation
Lori Lee Bricker Clinehens Memorial Fund
John E. Coffield Fund
Gary and Madeleine Daniel Family Foundation
DEB Fund
Village of DeGraff Fund
Robert and Sondra Dunham Foundation
Eagle Bridge Charitable Fund
Phillip R. and Emily Shaw Esau Fund
Douglas and Jessica Fortkamp Family Foundation
John and Rebecca Francis Family Foundation
Ken and Julie Francis Family Foundation
John S. and Julia K. Frantz Family Foundation
Richard R. and Gail P. Frantz Family Fund
Thomas and Joyce Frantz Fund
Mark and Jacqueline Fullenkamp Family Foundation
Nick and Stephanie Fullenkamp Family Foundation
Philip and Katrina Gilardi Family Foundation
Keister Family Foundation
Emerson and Janet Koenig Family Fund
Joe and Shannon Lachey Family Foundation
Bruce and Lynn Lindsey Family Fund
Tom and Angela Martin Family Fund
Dave and Ann Monnier Family Foundation
Dale and Kathy Nichols Family Foundation
Glen and Vanis Phillips Family Fund
Tom and Jana Potts Family Foundation
Adam and Diane Reiss Fund
Right Hand Fund
Dave Ross Foundation
Dave and Lisa Ruhenkamp Fund
Jay and Elaine Sargeant Family Foundation
John and Jeanette Sargeant Family Foundation
Robert and Thelma Sargeant Fund
Ken and Brenda Schlater Foundation
Schmiesing Family Fund
Richard and Linda Scott Family Endowment Fund
Tom and Sandy Shoemaker Fund
Sidney-Shelby County Chamber Foundation
Ron and Laura Simon Family Foundation
Norman and Jean Smith Family Fund
Fred and Sherry Sommer Family Foundation

Organization Funds

Agape Distribution Fund
Alpha Community Center Fund
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County Fund
Botkins Education Foundation General Fund – BEF
Botkins Local School Fund
Charity League of Shelby County Fund
Clear Creek Farm Fund
Compassionate Care Free Clinic Fund
Compassionate Care of Shelby Co Endowment Fund
Ft Loramie Education Foundation General Fund – FLEF
Ft Loramie Historical Association Fund
Goods 2 Hope Fund
Habitat for Humanity of Miami and Shelby Counties, OH Fund
Historic Sidney Theatre Fund
Jackson Center Athletic Boosters Fund
Morgan’s Place Cemetery Fund
Operation Rebirth Fund
New Choices Fund
RACK Fund
Rustic Hope Fund
S & H Products Fund
Samaritan Works Fund
SCARF Fund
Senior Center of Sidney-Shelby County Foundation
Shelby County Arc Fund
Shelby County Historical Society Fund
Shelby County Libraries Foundation
Shelby County United Way Legacy Fund
Sidney Alive Fund
Sidney City Schools Foundation – SCSF
Sidney First Presbyterian Church Fund
Sidney First United Methodist Church Fund
Sidney Rotary Charitable Fund
Sidney-Shelby County YMCA Fund
The Rev. Daniel Snider Endowment Fund for Grace Lutheran Evangelical Church
Wilma Valentine Childcare Fund
Wilson Health Foundation Fund

Project Funds

Anna Pickleball Fund
Anna Splash Pad Fund
Downtown Sidney Revitalization Fund
Heritage Canal Park Fund
Mercy Mission House Emergency Shelter Fund
Raise the Roof for the Arts Campaign Fund
Redskin Memorial Park Fund
Russia Activity Center Addition Fund
Russia Pavilion and Splash Pad Fund
Shelby County Fair Livestock Complex
Sidney Athletic Center Fund

Designated Funds

Nancy Adams Training Center Fund
Betty Zorn Bennett Fund
Botkins Memorial Pool Improvement Fund
Ft Loramie Village Parks Fund
Reese C. Gross Fund
Hall of Honor Fund – SCSF
John and Margaret Humphris Animal Rescue Foundation
The Memory Fund
Mary E. Patterson FCCLA and FFA Endowment Fund – HHLSF
Sidney Memorial Stadium Turf II Fund
Kent R. Smith Fund
SFC Robert E. Smith Fund

Scholarship Funds

John and Victoria Albers Memorial Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Don and Helen Ambos Memorial Scholarship Fund – BEF
Anna High School Class of 1942 Scholarship Fund
Scott F. Barker Memorial Scholarship Fund – SCSF
Carol Becker Memorial Scholarship Fund – BEF
Laura Behr Memorial Scholarship Fund
Ben-Med Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Harry Emley and Mary Joslin Bennett Scholarship Fund – SCSF
Edward and Merilyn Borchers Family Scholarship Fund
Douglas and Elizabeth Borchers Baseball/Softball Scholarship Fund
Douglas and Elizabeth Borchers University of Dayton Scholarship Fund
Joe and Mary Borchers Memorial Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Homer and Mary Lou Bornhorst Family Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Botkins Area Community Fund
Botkins High School Class of 1965 Scholarship Fund – BEF
Botkins Student Memorial Scholarship Fund – BEF
Botkins Trojans Scholarship Fund
Marty Bowman Football Academic Scholarship Fund – SCSF
Donald and Ruth Brown Scholarship Fund – BEF
Lola Detrick Carmony Scholarship Fund
Davis-Blackford Families Scholarship Fund
Edward L. and Viola A. Dietz Scholarship Fund – BEF
Jim and Pat Dietz Skills Scholarship Fund – BEF
Jerry Fogt Class of 1954 Scholarship Fund – BEF
Doc and Hilda Francis Family Scholarship Fund
Chase Fultz Memorial Scholarship Fund – BEF
John Gephart “G5” Memorial Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Vera DoLean Ginn Kiwanis Scholarship Fund
Thomas E. Given Family Scholarship Fund – SCSF
Randy Greve Scholarship Fund – BEF
Reese C. Gross Scholarship Fund – HHLSF
Robert E. Grubbs Foundation
Larry Hawkins Family Scholarship Fund
Adam E. Huelskamp Scholarship Fund
Betty Lee Riggs Hughes Nursing Scholarship Fund
James P. Humphrey Sidney-Shelby County Black Achievers Scholarship Fund
IUTIS Club Scholarship Fund
Kauffman Family Scholarship Fund
Donald E. and M. Jane Kemp Trade School Scholarship Fund
Kiwanis Club of Sidney Scholarship Endowment Fund
Bill Koenig Technology Scholarship Fund- BEF
Emerson & Janet Koenig Family Scholarship Fund- BEF
Emory and Nelda Koenig Family Scholarship Fund – BEF
Marty Koenig Health Care Scholarship Fund- BEF
Lachey Family Scholarship Fund
Lahrmer Family Scholarship Fund – BEF
Elaine Laughlin Scholarship Fund
Law Student Assistance Fund
Layton Family Foundation
Bruce and Lynn Lindsey Skills Scholarship Fund
Dr. Edward and Anne Link Fund
Mike and Ann Loy Foundation
Kyle R. Magoto Scholarship Fund
Virginia and Richard Matz Scholarship Fund
Madeline Maurer Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Medical and Health Professions Scholarship Fund
Brad Meyer Baseball Memorial Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Hugo and Thelma Meyer Memorial Scholarship Fund-FLEF
Leo J. Meyer Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Dave and Connie Mielke Scholarship Fund – BEF
Catherine Moloney Nursing Scholarship Fund
Dave and Ann Monnier Scholarship Fund
Ken and Mary Beth Monnier Engineering Scholarship Fund
Clair and Jeanne Naveau Family Scholarship Fund
New Bremen Education Endowment Fund
Heidi Norris Fund
Irene Palko Scholarship Fund
Waneta Ammon Partington Scholarship Fund
Mary E. Patterson Scholarship Fund – HHLSF
Paul and Veronica Perin Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Veronica Perin Presas Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Urban and Pauline Ratermann Family Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Red and Black Scholarship Fund – FLEF
William A. Ross, Jr. Family Scholarship Fund
The Ruese Insurance Agency, Inc. Scholarship Fund
Bob Sargeant Skills Scholarship Fund
Robert and Thelma Sargeant Scholarship Fund
Thomas E. Schafer Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Thomas E. Schafer Skills Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Herbert and Antoinette Schlater Scholarship Fund
James F. and Marcia L. Schulze Scholarship Fund – FLEF
Carl and Phyllis Serr Family Scholarship Fund – BEF
Louise Sheets Scholarship Fund – BEF
Shelby County Skills Scholarship Fund
Shelby County Youth Soccer Scholarship Fund
Tom and Sandy Shoemaker Scholarship Fund
Tom and Sandy Shoemaker Skills Scholarship Fund
Sidney High School Alumni Scholarship Fund
Sidney Moose Lodge 568 Scholarship Fund
Woody Sturm and Sturm Family Scholarship Fund
William B. Swonger and Bonnie Z. Swonger Scholarship Fund
Frank H. and Mary I. Thaman Memorial Scholarship Fund
Frank T. and Virginia M. Thaman Scholarship Fund
Ginny and Jim Thompson Scholarship Fund
Stephen W. Weadock Scholarship Fund
Erick Richard Roush Young Memorial Scholarship Fund
William and Patsy Zorn Veterans Scholarship Fund

Supporting Organization

Donald & Evelyn Bensman Foundation

Donor Resources

Other Helpful Resources:

Donor Advised Funds and Gift Accounts

Submitting a Grant Request Through the Online Portal

Bunching Your Charitable Giving Makes the Most of Tax Laws

Defining Charitable Priorities

Fund Type Comparison

Community Granting

Helps direct money to today’s pressing needs.

Field of interest

Give granting discretion to our board, but within geographic areas or causes as defined by the fund’s donor.

Donor-advised

Donor-advised funds keep you involved with the charitable fund you established. You make a gift to create the fund and receive an immediate tax deduction.

Gift accounts

This is a short-term donor-advised fund that issues all gifts contributed to qualifying charitable organizations — similar to a charitable checking account.

Organization

Organization funds are a terrific way to help a favorite charity with ongoing support or a reserve for those years when the budget is more strained than usual.

Project

We provide back-office administrative support to help steering committees to accomplish lasting community projects.

Designated

Continue your support of favorite charitable organizations forever with a fund which specifies those benefiting organizations.

Scholarship

Scholarships assist students with the cost of their college education or vocational training.

Supporting organization

A supporting organization is a unique blend of a private and public foundation. Just like a private foundation, it has its own Federal Identification Number (EIN) and applies for its own 501(c)(3) tax status.