Youth Philanthropy Pod Grants Over $7,000 to Empower Local Nonprofits and Educators
Steuben County, IN — FIST (Forever Improving Steuben County Together), the youth philanthropy initiative of the Steuben County Community Foundation (SCCF), is excited to announce that it has awarded over $7,200 during its 2024-2025 grant cycle. This year, FIST distributed funds to six local nonprofits and seven forward-thinking teacher initiatives, all of which align with their mission to foster youth leadership and encourage community involvement. This achievement was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Dekko Foundation.
FIST seeks to inspire the youth of Steuben County to become leaders of tomorrow by sharing their resources and empowering others to donate their time, talent, and treasures
This year’s grant cycle saw an impressive increase in community involvement, with F.I.S.T. receiving over fifteen applications. The surge in applications made the decision-making process more rigorous and thoughtful than ever. The group faced the challenge of selecting recipients from a pool of impactful proposals, underscoring the commitment of local organizations and educators to drive positive change in Steuben County.
Photo of FIST kids visiting Haven Hills Therapy Center
F.I.S.T.’s mission is to empower the youth in the region to become tomorrow's leaders by advocating for the sharing of resources and encouraging others to donate their time, talent, and treasures. During the grant review process, the group meticulously evaluated all requests, focusing on those with the greatest potential impact that aligned with their core values. Although F.I.S.T. wishes it could fund every initiative, it made informed decisions that maintained its commitment to supporting projects closely aligned with its mission.
Photo of FIST kids presenting to elementary students during FLIP
As the F.I.S.T. team looks to the future, they remain excited about the possibilities for fostering growth and leadership among the youth in our community. Stay tuned for updates on our successful initiatives, and let’s continue to work together to positively impact Steuben County!
FIST is a youth philanthropy organization founded by the Dekko Foundation under the direction of the Steuben County Community Foundation. Students from Hamilton, Angola, and Fremont become members as 8th graders and remain through high school. Each school has an adult representative. The focus of the group is to promote philanthropy among young people. FIST meets once a month to plan ways to empower the youth of Steuben County and assist in service projects. Collectively they donate more than 1000 hours a year of their time to improve their communities. In addition to volunteering their time and talents through service projects in the community, FIST offers grants to community nonprofits and school projects that promote youth involvement in philanthropy.
The Steuben County Community Foundation, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to empowering individuals and businesses to support the causes they are passionate about through our philanthropic services, strategic investments, and community leadership. With $55 million in assets, our mission is to bridge the gap between those who care and the needs of our community. We strive to enhance the quality of life by evaluating, supporting, and coordinating philanthropic giving and endowment building. Our vision is to lead the community in these efforts. To learn more about our work, please visit our website at www.steubenfoundation.org.
Gabby Concus, Personal Relations
FIST (Forever Improving Steuben County Together)
gconcus@fremonteagles.us