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Wabash Valley Community Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$4.6M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.1M
Decision Time
4mo

Quick Stats

  • Total Assets: $113 million (2024)
  • Annual Giving: $4.6 million (2024)
  • Number of Awards: 96 grants (2024)
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $100,000
  • Geographic Focus: Clay, Sullivan, and Vigo Counties, Indiana
  • Decision Time: Varies by county; approximately 3 months from Letter of Intent to decision

Contact Details

Address: 200 South 8th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47807

Phone: (812) 232-2234

Toll Free: (877) 232-2230

Email: info@wvcf.org

Website: https://wvcf.org/

Overview

Founded in 1991, the Wabash Valley Community Foundation (WVCF) has grown to become the 10th largest community foundation in Indiana with total assets surpassing $113 million in 2024. The foundation has created more than 670 charitable funds over its 33-year history and awarded over $24 million in grants and scholarships. With approximately 94% of its assets endowed, WVCF provides permanent, ongoing support to enhance the quality of life for residents across Clay, Sullivan, and Vigo counties. The foundation's mission is to engage people, build resources, and strengthen community in the Wabash Valley. In 2024, WVCF received a $6.5 million leadership grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support its "Creating a Better Tomorrow" initiative addressing mental health, substance use, and homelessness. Beth Tevlin has served as President & CEO since the foundation opened its offices in 1992.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Competitive Grants (Clay & Sullivan Counties)

  • Application amounts vary based on project scope
  • Letter of Intent deadlines: November 1st and May 1st
  • Full Proposal deadlines: February 1st and August 1st
  • Available through online application system

Creating a Better Tomorrow Initiative Focused on mental health, substance use, and homelessness:

  • Supporting Grants: Up to $10,000 each (one-time grants for supplies, training, and equipment)
  • Leadership Grants: $25,000 - $100,000 (renewable for up to three years based on achievement of defined metrics)

Special Grant Programs

  • Terre Haute Day Nursery Committee: Grants for nonprofit daycares or organizations supporting children in tender years (deadline October 1st, awarded late January)
  • Clay County Urgent Grants: Up to $2,500 for organizations with proven track record facing urgent operational needs
  • Youth Grant Committees (YGC): Youth-led philanthropic decision-making in Clay and Vigo counties
  • Seed Grants: Year-round rolling applications (due 15th of each month) supporting preliminary stages of projects aligned with the "See You in Terre Haute" community plan

Note: Vigo County competitive grants are currently paused through fall 2025 as the foundation restructures its grant process. The new process will be implemented with the spring 2026 grant cycle.

Priority Areas

The foundation prioritizes:

  • Prevention-focused initiatives rather than symptom treatment
  • Collaboration and cooperation among community institutions
  • Leverage opportunities through seed money, match grants, and challenge grants
  • Significant community improvement with measurable, permanent results
  • Arts & Culture
  • Community Development
  • Education
  • Health & Human Services
  • Programs meeting basic human needs
  • Creating opportunities for underserved populations
  • Building nonprofit capacity to serve people with limited resources

What They Don't Fund

  • Operational expenses of existing programs
  • Endowments or deficit funding
  • Funds for redistribution to other organizations
  • Conferences or publications (unless integral to the project)
  • Religious purposes or proselytizing activities
  • Individual or group travel
  • Annual appeals and membership contributions
  • Tax-supported community services (duplicating government functions)
  • Political campaigns or lobbying activities
  • National organizations (except local chapters serving the counties)
  • Annual fund campaigns or capital campaigns
  • Programs or products produced for profit

Governance and Leadership

Key Staff

Beth Tevlin, President & CEO

  • With WVCF since 1992 when the foundation opened its offices
  • Ensures the Community Foundation meets donors' charitable goals effectively and efficiently
  • Works with area residents and professional advisers to create funds achieving charitable desires

"Our goal since the very beginning has been to build our endowed funds to provide permanent, ongoing support to enhance the quality of life for the residents of the three counties we serve. We are excited to meet this significant milestone, but we recognize the need to continue to grow so that we can help address our increasing community needs as well as the impact inflation has on funding these challenges and opportunities."

Kelli Miller, Program Director

  • Joined the Community Foundation in 1995
  • Oversees grant programs and community initiatives

Grace Buswell, Administrative Assistant

  • Supports donor relations, legacy gift donors, financial advisors, and stakeholders

Board Leadership

LeAnne Crooks - Board Chair

Summer Long - Vice Chair

Robert Brown - Secretary

David Doti - Treasurer

Henry Buell - President

Additional Board Members: Jim Conner, Brian Dougherty, David Friedrich, Dr. Stacy Mason, Santhana Naidu, Carrie Page, Dee Reed, Dr. Gary Ulrich, Steve Bell, Jon Hendric, Ryan Keller, Dianna Knox

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

All applications begin with a Statement of Intent (SOI) submitted online through the Community Foundation's grant portal.

Clay and Sullivan Counties:

  1. Submit Statement of Intent by deadline
  2. Foundation reviews and invites selected organizations to submit full proposals
  3. Full proposals completed online through WVCF's system
  4. Review committees evaluate proposals
  5. Awards announced approximately 2-3 months after full proposal deadline

Application Deadlines:

  • Statement of Intent: November 1st and May 1st
  • Full Proposals: February 1st and August 1st

Special Programs:

  • Urgent Needs Grants: Rolling basis with expedited review for compelling urgent situations
  • Seed Grants: Rolling applications due 15th of each month until funds exhausted
  • Terre Haute Day Nursery: Applications due October 1st

Decision Timeline

The typical timeline from Statement of Intent to decision is approximately 3-4 months:

  • SOI review: 2-4 weeks
  • Full proposal invitation extended
  • Full proposal submission deadline: 3 months after SOI
  • Award decisions and notifications: Within 4-6 weeks of full proposal deadline

Notification typically occurs via email and phone call.

Reapplication Policy

Grant recipients in Clay and Vigo County must wait two grant cycles before re-applying for competitive grants. Leadership Grants under the Creating a Better Tomorrow Initiative may be renewed for second and third years based on achievement of defined metrics in the original proposal.

Success Rates

In 2024, WVCF made 96 grant awards totaling $4,334,516. The foundation distributed grants to approximately 127 area nonprofit organizations from endowment and community funds. Specific application-to-award ratios are not publicly disclosed.

Application Success Factors

Core Evaluation Criteria

1. Accountability and Measurable Outcomes

  • Demonstrate ability and willingness to measure and report outcomes to WVCF and the community
  • Include clear goals and evaluation methods in your application
  • Specify the number of persons positively impacted
  • Provide clear understanding of which communities within the Wabash Valley will benefit
  • Show evidence of program effectiveness

2. Stakeholder Support

  • Demonstrate that donors support the project through giving and/or volunteerism
  • Provide amounts raised or anticipated to be raised
  • Include information on planned fundraisers, volunteer numbers and hours, and in-kind contributions
  • Show collaborative efforts with other nonprofits addressing similar issues
  • Demonstrate familiarity with other organizations in the community doing similar work

3. Sustainability

  • Present a sustainability plan for the project after grant funds are exhausted
  • Demonstrate organizational financial stability
  • Explain how the grant will create operational efficiencies
  • Include a future funding plan

4. Transformative Impact

  • Show how the project creates meaningful, lasting community change
  • Focus on prevention rather than symptoms
  • Demonstrate innovative solutions to existing problems
  • Emphasize the grant as a "hand-up" rather than a "hand-out"

Practical Application Tips from WVCF

  • Tailor your proposal: Do not submit generic, mass-produced proposals. Tailor each application to WVCF's specific priorities and interests
  • Be clear and concise: Keep proposals simple and well-organized
  • Include evaluation plan: Explain how you will know when you are successful
  • Demonstrate collaboration: Show whether the grant involves multiple nonprofits working together
  • Be specific about budget: Provide current, detailed budgets and be specific about how funds will be used
  • Proofread carefully: Errors undermine credibility
  • Read guidelines thoroughly: Ensure your project aligns with foundation priorities before applying
  • Show broad support: Demonstrate that the project benefits a large segment of the community

Recent Successful Projects

WVCF has funded diverse projects including:

2024 Examples:

  • Reach Services: $50,000 to reopen Pathways Day Center serving homeless community
  • Sullivan County Youth Sports Complex: $20,000 to construct softball diamond fencing
  • Clay County YMCA: $12,000 to update youth programming space with new equipment
  • Junior Achievement: $2,200 for Launch program in Sullivan County
  • Salvation Army: $10,000 emergency grant for Sullivan tornado recovery
  • Clay City Youth League: $6,500 for new ballpark fencing
  • Clay Community Parks Association: $7,000 for Craig Park Bridge landscaping and beautification
  • Clay County Optimist Club: $4,500 for Clothe-A-Child program

The foundation's philosophy emphasizes grants as "investments in the community with measurable and permanent results" that reflect "collaborative efforts, organizational commitment and the ability to benefit a large segment of the community."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Focus on prevention and innovation: WVCF prioritizes proactive solutions addressing root causes rather than treating symptoms—frame your project as transformative change
  • Demonstrate measurable impact: Include specific evaluation methods, target numbers, and clear outcomes. The foundation requires accountability and evidence of effectiveness
  • Show broad community support: Document volunteer engagement, donor support, collaboration with other nonprofits, and how you'll benefit a large segment of the community
  • Present sustainability plan: Explain how the project will continue after grant funds are exhausted. WVCF seeks lasting community improvement, not short-term fixes
  • Tailor to WVCF's priorities: Study their funding areas and recent grants. Generic proposals fail—show specific alignment with their mission to strengthen Clay, Sullivan, and Vigo counties
  • Emphasize collaboration: Demonstrate familiarity with similar organizations and show how you're working together rather than duplicating efforts
  • Plan ahead for deadlines: With only two cycles per year in Clay and Sullivan counties and a two-cycle waiting period after receiving grants, timing is crucial for your funding strategy

References

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