West Lafayette, IND – The Indiana 4‑H Foundation announced today that two separate giving challenges brought in $91,274 from nearly 600 donors. Indiana Farm Bureau and Farm Credit Services each partnered with the Foundation to inspire donors to give unrestricted gifts to support Indiana 4‑H.
Indiana Farm Bureau pledged up to $25,000 to match any gifts given to the Foundation before December 31, 2011. Farm Bureau members and many others answered the challenge, nearly doubling the available match by giving $48,331.
“Indiana Farm Bureau is proud to be one of the largest supporters of 4‑H at both the state and county levels,” said Indiana Farm Bureau president Don Villwock. “Our members believe that our financial contribution to the youth of our state is one of the wisest investments we can make.”
In a separate challenge, Farm Credit Services pledged up to $8,000 to match individual donations of $500, giving donors the opportunity to join the Crystal Clover giving circle. Donors capitalized on the opportunity, claiming all the available match dollars.
“Crystal Clover donors are the backbone of support for the Foundation,” said Shelly Bingle-Coffman, Executive Director of the Indiana 4‑H Foundation. “Their generosity in allowing us to use their gifts where they are most needed is critical to our ability to support 4‑H programs across the state.”
“Creating the matching 4‑H Crystal Clover program ultimately encouraged more donor participation. And that means more of today’s youth will be able to experience lasting 4‑H memories and acquire skills that they will carry with them into adulthood,” said Hollie Bunn, regional vice president for Farm Credit Services.
“We are incredibly grateful to longtime supporters Indiana Farm Bureau and Farm Credit Services for motivating donors to support 4‑H through a gift to the Indiana 4‑H Foundation,” said Board President, Christy Denault. “These gifts will impact the lives of many young people in Indiana.”
The Foundation hopes to build on the success of these campaigns with a major emphasis on raising unrestricted funds in 2012. Unrestricted gifts are used for Foundation operations, to build capacity for the Foundation, and to appropriate more funding for new and expanded 4‑H programs.
In 2011 the Foundation received a two-year capacity-building grant from The Lilly Endowment. As a result, the Foundation successfully brought in more than $115,000 in new grant money, added a second staff member, and awarded more than $135,000 in scholarships. The Lilly grant will end at the close of 2012.
“As our Lilly grant ends, strong corporate partnerships with companies like Indiana Farm Bureau and Farm Credit Services and unrestricted gifts from donors around the state will become even more important,” said Bingle-Coffman. “With their help, we will continue to increase the Foundation’s capacity and offer even more support to Indiana’s outstanding 4‑H programs.”
For more than fifty years, the Indiana 4‑H Foundation has supported Indiana 4‑H, the largest youth development program in the state, by building partnerships to secure financial support, advocacy and promotion of Indiana 4‑H Youth Development now and for generations to come. The 4‑H Youth Development Program is the single largest youth development program in Indiana. The Indiana 4‑H Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity. For more information about the Indiana 4‑H Foundation and how you can become involved, visit www.in4h.org or contact the Executive Director, Shelly Bingle-Coffman, at sbingle@purdue.edu or 317-445-7977.