The Wells County Foundation, INC.

The Wells County Foundation, Inc.  Board of Directors recently approved grants totaling $71,178 for the first grant cycle in 2026.  A total of 9 grants were awarded as follows:

 

Bluffton-Harrison Middle School - $5,000 – This grant will provide funding for a stove and cooking equipment for the Intense Intervention Classroom.  Currently, the students are taught to prepare meals from precooked or premade items.  This equipment will facilitate teaching the students to prepare healthy meals from start to finish while instilling the important safety protocols of using a stove, leading to greater long-term independence.  Grant made from the Anthony Wayne Services Foundation Fund.

 

Bluffton-Harrison MSD - $5,000 – This grant will provide funding to purchase TD Snap AAC licenses for district-owened iPads, ensuring immediate, inclusive access to communication across classroom, social and family-centered environments.  Grant made from the Anthony Wayne Services Foundation Fund.

 

Bluffton Parks & Recreation Department - $2,565 - This grant will provide funding support for Free Monday Movies on the Plaza.  This series will be a free, family-friendly outdoor movie experience in downtown Bluffton.  The series will include Ho To Train Your Dragon, Zootopia 2 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.  Grant made from the Community Enhancement Endowment Fund.

 

Bluffton Parks & Recreation Department - $10,000 – This grant will provide funding support for the 2026 Kehoe Park Summer Concert Series.  2026 marks the 35th season of the series.  Attendance at the 2025 series exceeded 6,400 attendees.  Concerts for the 2026 series are:  The Johnny Folsom 4 (Johnny Cash Tribute), June 5; Shot of Poison (Poison Tribute), July 10; LynSkynrd (Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute), July 17; Completely Unchained (Van Halen Tribute), July 24; American English (Beatles Tribute), July 31; Fleetwood Gold (Fleetwood Mac Tribute), August 7; Community Worship, June 28 (7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.).  The concerts are held at Kehoe Park and there is no admission charge.  Grant made from the Community Enhancement Endowment Fund and the Elizabeth Patton Unrestricted Endowment Fund,.

 

Creative Arts Council of Wells County - $9,613 - This grant will provide funding for the rights and royalties for future productions held in Wells County.  Through productions such as these, the Wells Community Theatre provides a constructive outlet for community members to exercise their creativity and a supportive group for people young and old with which to identify.  In addition, it provides a great source of entertainment for Wells County residents to enjoy.  Grant made from the Edwina Patton Unrestricted Endowment Fund.

 

First United Methodist Church - $15,000 - This grant will provide funding for the First We Care Program.  First We Care was established in 1986 through the Bluffton First United Methodist Church to provide financial resources for Wells County school-aged children to purchase school supplies, clothing, shoes, coats, etc. for back-to-school.  Referrals for the assistance are made through a teacher, school nurse or guidance counselor.  Grant made from the Elizabeth Patton Unrestricted Endowment Fund.

 

Kate’s Kart - $2,000 - This grant will provide funding for the purchase of books utilized in the Kate’s Kart program at Bluffton Regional Medical Center.  This program provides a free book to children who enter the Bluffton Regional Medical Center through the emergency room or admission to the hospital.  Books distributed through this program provide a temporary diversion to children and their families during their visit to the emergency room or hospital stay.  An average of 45 books are distributed on a monthly basis through this program at Bluffton Regional Medical Center, totaling a distribution of approximately 472 books through the program in 2025.  Grant made from the Elizabeth Patton Unrestricted Endowment Fund.

 

United Way of Wells County - $6,500 – This grant will provide funding for the Faith Fund Client Advocate program.  The Faith Fund program provides financial assistance to Wells County residents facing crisis situations.  It ensures that individuals experiencing financial hardships due to job loss, medical emergencies or other challenges receive immediate relief and access to long-term support.  Grant made from the Margaret Powers Unrestricted Endowment Fund.

 

Wells County Economic Development - $15,500 – This grant will provide funding to purchase and pilot implementation of the Datafy Advanced Analytics platform for one year.  This platform will serve as a shared, countywide data-gathering and analysis tool to better quantify visitor behavior, event impact and economic activity.    Grant made from the Community Enhancement Endowment Fund.

 

The Wells County Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit public charity established in 1957 to serve donors, award grants, and provide leadership to improve Wells County forever.  Grants proposals to be considered for the next cycle are due to the Foundation office by June 15, 2026.