Huron County Community Foundation 2022 Annual Report

School Endowment Funds Huron County Community Foundation is proud to partner with several school districts in our area to enhance the education of local youth. More than half of our overall assets are comprised of School Endowment Funds, which directly benefit students and faculty each year through grants and scholarships. This is a testament to how much Huron County residents care about strengthening our community and providing academic enrichment opportunities. Our two largest funds of this type are the Endowment Fund for Norwalk City Schools and Western Reserve Local Schools Endowment Fund. Here are some highlights on the impact they are having. Endowment Fund for Norwalk City Schools FUND’ S PURPOSE Founded in 2000, the fund was established to: Leaf Enhance school curricula by awarding teacher grants. Leaf Encourage an appreciation of the arts by supporting activities at the local Performing Arts Center. Leaf Support Norwalk graduates with their post-secondary goals through scholar- ships to help offset educational expenses. SCHOLARSHI PS The fund has grown from awarding one $500 scholarship in 2000 to distributing 37 scholarships in 2022 totaling over $69,000. The board has awarded $794,000 in student scholarships since the fund’s inception. Scholarship opportunities vary and are open to graduating seniors who plan on studying business, music, vocational programs, the arts, education, and more. GRANTS Since 2000, over $22,000 has been awarded through faculty grants. Recent examples include: Boogie Boards for elementary students to practice daily math skills; Robotics competitions in Cleveland; and SmartMusic, a software program that allows students to practice at school and home with instant aural and visual feedback. GROWING THE FUND Contributions to the endowment fund come from a variety of sources and have helped grow the fund to its current value of over $2 million. Teachers and other school personnel participate via payroll deduction. Businesses and alumni donate through individual and matching gifts. And the endowment committee hosts fundraisers such as the popular “Elegant Evening of the Arts.” Donations are professionally invested and managed, and annually, a percentage of the income is designated to make a long-term difference in our community. “Each scholarship or grant is a gift from the Norwalk community to help Norwalk City Schools students further their education/training, in the hopes that they will use their talents to become productive citizens in our community.” JOHN HIPP BOARD OF TRUSTEES