Perry County foundation awards $110K to nonprofits, $63K in scholarships

The Perry County Community Foundation has distributed significant new support to local students and nonprofits, continuing an ongoing pattern of small but targeted investments that keep county services running and help area young people afford further education. Recent announcements show 26 students received more than $63,000 in scholarships while the foundation’s Community Good Grants program awarded more than $110,000 to 21 nonprofits.

Those figures translate to roughly $2,400 per scholarship recipient and about $5,200 per nonprofit award on average, underscoring how modest grants add up across the county. Scholarship awards included the selection of a Lilly Endowment Community Scholar for 2026 from Tell City High School, a distinction that brings local recognition for the student and highlights the foundation’s role in advancing postsecondary opportunities here.

Grant awards went to a broad mix of organizations that supply direct services and build community capacity. Recipients listed include Catholic Charities Tell City, the Perry Central Education Foundation, the Tell City Police Department for equipment upgrades, local recovery and support organizations, and school-based youth mental-health programs. Those investments touch everyday needs: counseling and recovery services address rising behavioral-health demands, school mental-health support targets student wellbeing that affects attendance and learning, and police equipment upgrades can improve response and officer safety.

For Perry County’s nonprofit sector these awards operate like seed capital. Grants of this scale are seldom sufficient to cover full program budgets, but they allow organizations to pilot new services, replace worn equipment, or leverage matching funds from other sources. With 21 nonprofits funded, the foundation is spreading limited philanthropic dollars to preserve a wide safety net rather than concentrating resources in a few large recipients.

Economically, the combined $173,000-plus in scholarships and grants funnels money directly into the local economy: students use awards for tuition, books, and living costs, while nonprofits spend on staff, supplies, and contracts. That spending supports jobs and keeps service infrastructure viable in smaller communities where state and federal funding can be unpredictable.

For families and organizations in Perry County the headline is practical: these awards reduce barriers for students and shore up vital community services. Students should note that local scholarship programs are active and accessible, and nonprofits can view these grants as opportunities to pilot projects or cover critical shortfalls.

The takeaway? Keep an eye on foundation cycles and apply early - small awards here add up to real community support and can be the difference between a program continuing or folding.