Foundation Funds
These funds are currently held within the Foundation to support a variety of causes. Anyone can contribute to them or you can establish your own fund that meets your charitable wishes.
Scholarships
Baldwin-Stembel Scholarship
Established in 2012 through the estate of Audrey Stembel.
Benefits Benton Central seniors, priority will be given to students pursuing a career as a Methodist minister.
Baldwin-Stembel Scholarship
Benton Central Agriculture Education Scholarship
Est. 2007; Benefits Benton Central Seniors who have taken ag classes.
Benton Central Agriculture Education Scholarship
Benton Community Scholars Endowment
Est. 2008; Vocational and Academic scholarships for Benton Central seniors.
Benton Community Scholars Endowment
Benton Community School Corp. Employees Scholarship
Established 2008
Benefits Benton Central Seniors.
Benton Community School Corp. Employees Scholarship
Benton Community School Board Scholarship
Established 2008
Benefits Benton Central Seniors.
Benton Community School Board Scholarship
Benton County Public Library-Ella Grant Lawson Scholarship
Established 2008
Benefits Benton Central Seniors.
Benton County Public Library-Ella Grant Lawson Scholarship
Boswell Elementary Student Council-Mickie Krebs Scholarship
Established 2014
Benefits Benton Central seniors who attended Boswell Elementary.
Boswell Elementary Student Council-Mickie Krebs Scholarship
Bruce Creek Memorial Scholarship
Established 2014
Benefits Benton Central seniors and/or Benton County residents who intend to study agriculture or aviation.
Bruce Creek Memorial Scholarship
Class of 1975 Scholarship
Established 2008
Benefits Benton Central Seniors that display financial need.
Class of 1975 Scholarship
Elizabeth Davies Ellis Scholarship
Established 2003
Benefits Benton County residents.
Elizabeth Davies Ellis Scholarship
Fowler Women’s Club Scholarship
Established 2008 to benefit Benton Central Seniors who reside within the Fowler Zip Code.
The Women’s Club of Fowler was an educational organization of Fowler-area ladies. The organization existed from 1914 to 1997.
Fowler Women’s Club Scholarship
Fred Wallpe Memorial Scholarship
Established 2008 in memory of Fred Wallpe, a social studies teacher at Benton Central. Fred’s love for family, history, and farming consumed and molded his life and career. Friends, family, and colleagues use memorial donations to keep his love and enthusiasm for history alive.
Benefits Benton Central Seniors who intend to study Social Studies, History or Government.
Fred Wallpe Memorial Scholarship
Irwin Family Educational Endowment
Established 1999
Benefits Benton Central Seniors and residents of Benton County who intend to study in certificate or associate degree programs.
Irwin Family Educational Endowment
Jack Donaldson Scholarship
Established 2012
Benefits adult students who reside in Benton or Newton counties.
Jack Donaldson Scholarship
James E. Wright and Mabel Wright Scholarship
Established 1980
Benefits Benton Central seniors who reside in Richland Township.
James E. Wright and Mabel Wright Scholarship
James H. and Mary Catherine Caufield
Provide support for educational projects, scholarships, and or special initiatives
that further opportunities for women in Benton County
James H. and Mary Catherine Caufield
James P Brouillette Agriculture Scholarship
Established 2011 to benefit Benton Central Seniors who intend to study in the field of Agriculture in memory of Jim. Jim had a strong passion for agriculture and farmed in Benton County for 40 years.
James P Brouillette Agriculture Scholarship
James Timothy Scholarship
Established 1977 (Moved to BCF in 2014)
Benefits Benton Central seniors.
James Timothy Scholarship
Jeffrey A. Brooks Memorial Scholarship
Established 2020
Benefits a Benton Central Senior; priority given to former Boswell Elementary student. In the event Boswell Elementary School closure, priority given to students residing in following townships of Benton County: Hickory, Grant and Prairie.
Jeffrey A. Brooks Memorial Scholarship
Joe and Connie Widmer Memorial
Established 2008
Benefits Benton Central seniors who intend to study in an agriculture-related field.
Joe and Connie Widmer Memorial
Kevin Klemme FFA Scholarship
Established 1979 (Moved to BCF in 2014)
Benefits Benton Central seniors who are actively involved in FFA.
Kevin Klemme FFA Scholarship
Margaret McGinnis Feathers Scholarship
Established 2002
Benefits Benton Central Senior athletes displaying leadership qualities.
Margaret McGinnis Feathers Scholarship
Mary Lou Parker Memorial Scholarship
Established in 2008 in memory of Mary Lou Moyars Parker. She was a 1969 graduate of Benton Central. Mary Lou valued Benton County, a strong Christian faith, a solid academic foundation, and a college education.
Benefits Benton Central Seniors who intend to study in Journalism or Christian Education.
Mary Lou Parker Memorial Scholarship
Pay It Forward Scholarship
Established 2006
Established by former Foundation scholarship recipients, benefits Benton Central seniors who have faced difficult circumstances.
Pay It Forward Scholarship
Russell Krebs Memorial Scholarship
Established 2008
Benefits Benton Central Seniors that display financial need.
Russell Krebs Memorial Scholarship
Advised Funds
Chad Wetli Special Needs Memorial
Established 2012
Supports the special needs program within Benton Community School Corporation.
Chad Wetli Special Needs Memorial
David and Gayle Guthridge Fund
Established 2012
Provides grants to charitable organizations.
David and Gayle Guthridge Fund
Don and Marilyn Brouillette Fund
Established 2002
Provides grants to charitable organizations.
Don and Marilyn Brouillette Fund
Fitzgerald Family Fund
Established 2000
Provides grants to charitable organizations.
Fitzgerald Family Fund
Robert Zink Memorial Fund
Established 2008
Provides grants to charitable organizations.
Robert Zink Memorial Fund
Tracey Ransom Barnard Memorial
Established 2014
Provides grants to non-profit organizations, with an emphasis on furthering the education of our community.
Tracey Ransom Barnard Memorial
Agency Funds
Nonprofit organization established fund on their behalf to provide eternal support.
Benton County 4-H
Established 2008
Provides annual support to the Benton County 4-H Council.
Benton County 4-H
CDC Resources
Established 2000
Provides annual support to CDC Resources, a non-profit organization that serves persons with disabilities.
CDC Resources
Town of Oxford-Fire Department Fund
Established 2015
Provides for the repair and maintenance of emergency fire equipment
Town of Oxford-Fire Department Fund
Community Project Funds
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Provides free books, monthly, to any Benton County reside between the ages of birth to five.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Benton County Toy Shop
Established 2014
Toy Shop is a cooperative giving program to better serve and empower families in Benton County.
Benton County Toy Shop
Benton County College Success Coalition
Established 2012
Provides funding for coalition activities that help local families plan, prepare, or pay for college.
Benton County College Success Coalition
Designated Funds
Donor establishes a fund, for one or more, nonprofits they wish to provide annual support.
AgrIInstitute Fund
Established 2010
Provides annual support to the Indiana AgrIInstitute Leadership Program.
AgrIInstitute Fund
Council for Academic Excellence
Established 2008
Supports the programs of CAE, primarily the spring recognition program and scholarships to Benton Central seniors.
Council for Academic Excellence
Helen Staeck Towne Memorial Fund
Established 2007
Provides annual support to the Earl Park Public Library.
Helen Staeck Towne Memorial Fund
Fowler State Bank-Marge Highland Fund
Established 2011
Provides annual support to the County Cancer Society and Fowler Cemetery Association.
Fowler State Bank-Marge Highland Fund
Mary Ann Freeland McGinnis Memorial Fund
Established 2008
Provides annual support to the Moses Fowler Community Pool.
Mary Ann Freeland McGinnis Memorial Fund
Norma Freeland Lauerman and Sarah Lynn Lauerman Fund
Established 2010
Provides annual support to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Benton County Fund.
Norma Freeland Lauerman and Sarah Lynn Lauerman Fund
NICHES Land Trust Prairie Fund
Established 2001
Provides annual support to NICHES who protect, restore, and sustain Northern Indiana’s ecosystems.
NICHES Land Trust Prairie Fund
Routt Catholic High School Fund
Established 2002
Provides annual support to Edgar “Jack” McGinnis’ alma mater, Routt Catholic High School (Illinois), for student scholarships.
Routt Catholic High School Fund
Richland Township Volunteer Fire Department
Established 2014
Richland Township Volunteer Fire Department
Town of Otterbein Project Fund
Established 2014
Town of Otterbein Project Fund
Field of Interest Funds
Donor establishes a fund to provide grants in a particular area of interest (i.e. education, recreation, art, etc.). Recipient organizations may vary from year-to-year.
The Cookie Jar
Established 2010
A giving circle for women, The Cookie Jar provides funding for programs that improve the lives of women and girls in our community. Grants are determined by donors who contribute $100, or more, annually to the Fund.
The Cookie Jar
John Muir Wilson and Marion Henderson Wilson Endowment
- Established 2021
- Benefits the residents of Benton County to support education, vocational training.
John Muir Wilson and Marion Henderson Wilson Endowment
Marilyn Fischbach Reading and Writing Fund
- Established 2005
- Provides grants to elementary teachers in Benton County schools for classroom enrichment materials.
Marilyn Fischbach Reading and Writing Fund
Oxford Pacesetters Fund
- Established 2008
- Provides support for community development projects in the Oxford community.
Oxford Pacesetters Fund
Youth Philanthropy Fund
- Established 2006
- Supports youth philanthropy education and community grant making.
Youth Philanthropy Fund
Unrestricted Funds
Donor makes gift with no restrictions. Gifts are used as seen most appropriate by the Board.
Benton Friends Fund
Operating endowment fund to provide annual support to the Foundation.
Benton Friends Fund
Benton County Unrestricted Fund
- Established 1998
- Benefits a wide variety of charitable causes in the community, decisions are made by the Board of Directors based on the current needs and opportunities.
Benton County Unrestricted Fund
Bisontennial Fund
Established 2014
Collection of gifts received from August 2014-March 2016 during the GIFT VI Match from Lilly Endowment, Inc., during which time Indiana celebrates our Bicentennial. Spelling change reflects the love of our high school mascot, the Benton Central Bison.
Bisontennial Fund
Boswell United Methodist Church Legacy Fund
Established 2021
Benefits a wide variety of charitable causes in the community, decisions are made by the Board of Directors based on the current needs and opportunities.
Boswell United Methodist Church Legacy Fund
Cox Sugar Tree Stock Farms
Established 2020 John and Donna Cox
Benefits a wide variety of charitable causes in the community, decisions are made by the Board of Directors based on the current needs and opportunities.
Cox Sugar Tree Stock Farms
Foundation Operating Fund
Established 2006
Provides operating funds for the Foundation’s administrative, management, and development expenses.
Foundation Operating Fund
Justin & Ashley Bice Family Fund
Established 2014
Benefits a wide variety of charitable causes in the community, decisions are made by the Board of Directors based on the current needs and opportunities.
Justin & Ashley Bice Family Fund
John and Christie Wright Family Fund
Established 2014
John and Christie Wright Family Fund
Opportunity Fund
Established 2014
Benefits a wide variety of charitable causes in the community, decisions are made by the Board of Directors based on the current needs and opportunities.
Opportunity Fund
Our Kids Fund
Established 2014
Benefits a wide variety of charitable causes in the community, decisions are made by the Board of Directors based on the current needs and opportunities.
Our Kids Fund
Powell Family Fund
Established 2014
Powell Family Fund