Welcome to the Fulton County Community Foundation
Fulton County is a wonderful agricultural community. Its population is one of hardworking people who are eager to make their community the best in the state. 

Since 1993, Fulton County Community Foundation has brought caring people and charitable endeavors together for the good of this great community. The Community Foundation gives donors flexible and tax-effective ways to ensure their charitable giving. We work to build substantial endowment funds for our community through contributions large and small.

Fulton County Community Foundation is proud to be a part of the Northern Indiana Community Foundation (NICF). The NICF allows us to maximize our investment benefits and be more cost efficient. This way Fulton County donations can do more—right here in Fulton County.

So far, Fulton County Community Foundation has dispersed nearly 4 million dollars in grants and scholarships. Currently the Community Foundation holds over $8 million in assets and administers 110 funds.

Community Foundation and Library partner to offer GrantStation to the Public

The Fulton County Community Foundation and Fulton County Public Library have partnered to offer GrantStation to the community at no cost.

GrantStation offers online access to a comprehensive set of powerful grantseeking tools and resources, which make it quick and easy for nonprofit organizations, local and state government agencies, and educational institutions to identify the appropriate grantmaker for any given program or project.

The information on the GrantStation website is continually updated in order to provide the most current research available on all types of grantmakers, including federal agencies, private foundations, and corporate giving programs.

A dedicated GrantStation terminal is located at the Rochester branch of the library and is available to the public during regular branch hours. For more information about GrantStation contact Brian Johnson, Community Foundation Director of Development, at 224-3223 or Jon Gaskill, Fulton County Public Library Reference Librarian, at 223-1003.

Fulton County Announces Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Recipient

Kent Burton

A Caston High School student has been named the recipient of a full, four-year scholarship as the Fulton County Community Foundation 2012 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar.

Kent Burton will receive full tuition to the Indiana college of his choice and an $900 yearly stipend for required books and equipment.

Kent is the son of Wendell and Beth Burton. He plans to pursue a degree in Agricultural Economics and Sustainable Agronomic Systems. As the president of FFA, captain of the Caston High School Football team and board member of the Fulton County Farm Bureau, Kent has excelled as a leader at school and community organizations. He has contributed his time to 4-H, Fulton County Habitat for Humanity, Youth Leadership Academy, National Honor Society and the Fulton United Methodist Church. Kent is also actively involved in Burton Family Farms.

This student was selected for the prestigious Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship from a field of twenty four applications by the Fulton County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee. The committee awarded only one scholarship this year. The number of scholarships is determined by the Lilly Endowment, Inc., which makes the scholarship possible through the Community Foundation.

For the selection process, the applications were ‘blinded’ meaning that the identities of the applicants were removed. The committee scored applications on academic performance community, school and work activities and a career goals essay. Of the twenty four applications, six finalists were selected for a final interview. These finalists were asked to write an impromptu essay and were personally interviewed by the committee. The committee narrowed the field to one nominee and one alternate. These names were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) for the selection of the recipients.

ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.

Give Your Heart to Your Community
14th Annual Valentines Day Event - February 14, 2012

Lois Morton is serenaded by her husband Doug along with Christi Grossnickle.

MJ’s Palentine greeting

On February 14th, over 50 people received a special Valentines Day treat.  The Fulton County Community

Foundation, along with Rochester Telephone Company, and WROI Radio sponsored the 14th annual Give Your Heart To Your Community Valentines Day Event.

The event offered donors a chance to make a contribution to a fund of their choice, and at the same time send their Valentine a gift not soon to be forgotten.  Gifts ranged from a song dedication on WROI Radio, to a singing telegram and long stem rose personally delivered by groups of singers or a Palentine displayed on Rochester Telephone Company’s cable Channel 4.

Guest DJ Don Groenleer joined Tom Bair on WROI Radio for the Valentines Day program. Don and Tom played Valentine dedications along with tips, thoughts, and quips about the day of love. 

For the second year, donors were also able to send Palentines. These were special greetings from pets and their owners and were broadcast on Rochester Telephone Company’s cable Channel 4 on the 14th.  As a special treat, in honor of all the Palentine gifts, Don and Tom played the song “How Much is that Doggie in the Window” during the Valentines Day radio show.  In addition to the gifts, an anonymous donor offered to match each Palenetine with a bag of dog or cat food to be used by the Fulton County Animal Adoption and Education Center.

A total of more than $6,000 was raised for many funds within the Foundation. Brian Johnson, Director of Development for Fulton County said, “The beauty of this event is how the gifts are used. While flowers fade shortly after they are given, the gifts given during this event will be used for years to come to make Fulton County a better community for all.”  

Rochester teacher Kelly Tam poses with her third grade class after they were the recipient of a singing telegram