January 2018 Chamber Chatter January Newsletter 2018 | Page 10

GRANT
FUSE, Inc. receives BIG IMPACT Grant
I
n December FUSE, Inc. received the current structure and will take
enhance their ability to interact with
great news from the Hancock
social skills training to elementary and
others appropriately as they leave school
County Community Foundation intermediate school students as an after
to enter the work force or go to college,
in the form of a $25,000 grant! The
school program. The plan is to offer a
and as they establish their own households
Hancock County Community Foundation social skills group at six sites in Hancock and families as adults.
celebrated their 25th anniversary in
County, having at least one site in each of
A structured social skills curriculum
2017, and as part of that celebration
the four school corporations. The grant
will be used, and the complete curriculum
they offered non-profits the opportunity
runs for a 24 month period, so FUSE
will be covered in two twelve-week
to write for a BIG IMPACT grant of
staff will spend the next six months doing semesters.
$25,000. The process began in the spring prep work to get things up and running
The grant will be used to purchase
with FUSE being one of 36 organizations for the fall semester of 2018.
the curriculum and all supplies for the
whose letter of intent was
six sites, and it will support
accepted, clearing the way
part of the stipends paid to
for them to write for the
teachers who apply to run
grant.
a group. The program is
Proposals were due
designed to be fee based so
in the fall, and six were
that it can be self-sustaining
selected to interview
beyond the grant period.
for the final round in
While the grant funding
November. All six were
is specifically for Hancock
notified in advance
County, the hope is that
that they would receive
lessons learned through this
a minimum grant of
pilot project will allow the
$2,500, but the “big
program to expand beyond
reveal” for the BIG
the initial sites in the future.
IMPACT grant would
Sites in Shelby County will
happen at the foundation’s
definitely be considered for
FUSE, Inc. staff, board members and volunteers receiving the
anniversary gala on
future expansion!
Big Impact grant check of $25,000.
December 2. FUSE
Congratulations to FUSE,
was overjoyed at the
Inc. on this exciting new
announcement at the end of the evening
Offering a county wide social skills
program opportunity!
as they were selected to receive the grant!
instruction program will have a big
They were in good company, as the
impact on children with disabilities
foundation pulled off a BIG surprise and because having good social skills
awarded two additional $25,000 grants
can positively influence academic
that evening.
performance, behavior, social and family
The BIG IMPACT grant will be used
relationships, and participation in
for an exciting expansion of the FUSE
extracurricular and community activities.
1133 West Main Street, Suite E
social skills program. Currently, FUSE
Students in grades 3 to 6 will receive
Greenfield, IN 46140
offers social skills training for middle
direct instruction in the universal skills
[phone]
school and high school students for
that all children need to have successful
eight weeks in the summer. Typically
social interactions with their peers,
only eight to ten students are accepted
teachers and neighbors. This program will
in the program. The BIG IMPACT
provide the foundational skills children
grant will be a major departure from
need during their school years and will
FUSE, Inc.
10
chamberchatter
January 2018