The Rising Sun Regional Foundation (RSRF) recently awarded a total of $175,669 in 11 new grants. These grants included:
• $45,501 to the Milan Community School Corporation toward the purchase of three laptop computer carts for its elementary, middle, and high-school grade levels;
• $40,000 to St. Mary’s School in Aurora toward its overall computer renewal project;
• $14,950 to the Ripley County Commissioners toward the purchase of a special large document scanner primarily for the Recorder’s Office but also to be shared by other county offices as well as the Ripley County Historical Society;
• $1,100 to the Rural Alliance for the Arts in Batesville toward the purchase of red carpets to display outside of its multiple event venues to increase public awareness of its programs;
• $25,000 to the Batevile Police Department toward a complete update of the communications system for the Batesville Dispatch Center;
• $3,250 to the Versailles Volunteer Fire Department as a challenge grant toward the installation of wiring and switches for an emergency back-up electric generator; and
• $12,000 to the Napoleon Community Recreation & Restoration Corporation toward the continued historic restoration program of its 175-year-old Central House.
• $20,000 to the Rising Sun Redevelopment Commission toward the next stages of its overall implementation plan for the development of upscale senior housing within the urban corps of Rising Sun;
• $1,116 to the City of Rising Sun toward the purchase of serving equipment for the city’s 2013 Navy Bean Festival;
• $10,000 to the Rising Sun-Ohio County Community School Corporation towards upgrades to its current software programs to the new web-based Renaissance Learning Enterprise system to improve student learning skills;
• $2,752 to the Rising Sun-Ohio County Community School Corporation toward the purchase of an interactive projection system for disabled students;
In announcing the awarding of these new grants, foundation President Marianne Wiggers stated, “RSRF has continued its highly competitive grants program, especially in the area of education technology for this grants cycle, in the whole of its grantmaking region.”
“The Foundation also continues its grants program challenged by a reduced grants budget for 2013 due to a lessening income stream from the Rising Star Casino, which is faced with both increased regional gaming competition and a continuing difficult general economy,” Wiggers added.
The Rising Sun Regional Foundation was created in 1994 by the City of Rising Sun in conjunction with the development of the Grand Victoria Casino and Resort. The foundation began its grantmaking program in early 1997, which it has continued to implement. It is now funded by the Rising Star Casino Resort, which makes monthly contributions to the foundation based on a percentage of its adjusted gross revenue.
