The Starke County Community Foundation has reached a major fund-raising goal. To take full advantage of the Lilly Endowment’s GIFT program, the foundation raised $750,000 in donations.
As part of the program, Lilly provided a total of $500,000 in matching funds. Half of that amount goes to unrestricted Community Funds, thanks to a dollar-for-dollar match. The other half goes to the foundation’s Operational Fund, with one dollar donated by Lilly for every two dollars given to any other endowment fund.
SCCF Director of Development Sarah Origer said in a press release that much of this success is due to James Hardesty, a founding member of the foundation who died in 2014. The money he left to the foundation in his will went a long way in helping to meet the goals set by the challenge.
A total of 141 donors contributed to the matching campaign.
