Today the Town of Zionsville’s Community Enrichment Grant Committee awarded the first round of grants since the Zionsville Community Enrichment Grant program launched in January of 2021. Seven local non-profits were awarded grants with a total of $99,100 infused into the community.
The local non-profits that received funding are: Brick Street Poetry Inc. ($1,600 grant), Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library Foundation ($15,000 grant), Maplelawn Farmstead ($2,000 grant), SullivanMunce Cultural Center ($5,000 grant), Zionsville Chamber of Commerce ($63,000 grant), Zionsville Farmers Market ($2,500 grant) and zWORKS ($10,000 grant).
Funding will go toward a diverse mix of projects that promote Zionsville. There is funding for public art, equipping the bookmobile, an irrigation line, the first two phases of an updated historic report, community-wide events, novel initiatives at the farmers market and investing in the economic engine of Zionsville.
“The Zionsville Community Enrichment Grant makes grant dollars accessible to local non-profits that serve to enhance the quality of life for residents, business owners and visitors to the Town of Zionsville,” said Mayor Emily Styron. “In 2020 we launched a formalized process with a citizen-led committee to evaluate applications, to provide feedback and to award funds to the applicants with the strongest proposals aligned with the grant goals. These grants will add capacity to organizations deeply rooted in our community to enable them to further their mission in our community.”
The Community Enrichment Grant Committee is made up of five community members: Scott Condes, Lauren Hernandez-DeCrane, Jennifer Cross, Wendy Schrepferman and Ed Thomas. Three members are appointed by the mayor and two are appointed by the Town Council majority.
“There are many outstanding community organizations in Zionsville, and I value the opportunity to learn and engage more with these local non-profits,” said Lauren Hernandez-DeCrane. “The committee was impressed by the number of compelling submissions. We are excited to support even more of these grants in the future to help provide a positive impact to our town.”
Second round applications are due on August 30 with awards being distributed on September 30. Non-profits located Boone County and serving Zionsville residents and businesses are encouraged to apply. For more information on the grant program, visit www.zionsville-in.gov/communitygrant.
Zionsville Community Enrichment Grant round one awardees:
- Brick Street Poetry Inc.: To produce a quilt image with a poem written by 12 poets that will be displayed on the building of a local business.
- Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library: To get the bookmobile up and running.
- Maplelawn Farmstead: To extend irrigation and install additional hose connections to facilitate garden maintenance and expansion plans.
- SullivanMunce Cultural Center: To update the current Zionsville Interim Report, Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory, originally published in 1983.
- Zionsville Chamber of Commerce: To continue to engage the community and tourists to town through digital platforms, radio and print ads, event marketing and more and to support the business community in their efforts to recover, rebound and regenerate.
- Zionsville Farmers’ Market: To expand the market’s positive impact on the community with new programs and initiatives and create financial stability.
- zWORKS: To evolve space needs as working environments change and to contribute to the Zionsville economy.