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Special Project Grants

Grantee:  United Way of St. Joseph County
Project:  Southeast Neighborhood Center
Amount:  $100,000
Date Approved:  11/17/2020
Final Report Submitted:  3/1/2022

United Way received $100,000 to support its building of a Southeast Neighborhood Center (SNC). The Center was planned to serve as a replicable model in the fields of education, youth and community development on five empty lots donated by 466 Works and the City of South Bend, located on the corner of Fellows and Dubail in South Bend.

The biggest challenge the organization faced was the pandemic. COVID-19 certainly caused unavoidable delays, both in fundraising and in construction. UWSJC is proud to have navigated through the unpredictability of the pandemic, while providing significant community support through the COVID-19 Response Fund and celebrates the accomplishment of the Southeast Neighborhood Center.

The main successes of the project were found in the planning phases and building partnerships. The Southeast Neighborhood Center construction was completed fall 2022, with the building opening to the public in late 2022. The Early Learning Program will serve children in partnership with the Head Start Consortium of Elkhart & St. Joseph Counties. The SNC will bring wrap-around services and create the conditions for fully engaged, healthy communities, providing resources for social, emotional, mental and physical well-being regardless of age. Onsite services will address health inequities for individuals and families from Birth to Senior. These include childcare, youth services, food pantry, rent/ mortgage/utility assistance, home visiting, employment assistance and mental/physical health services. Community Navigators will provide the warm hand-offs needed for seamless support.

Grantee:  La Casa De Amistad, Inc.
Project:  El Sueño (The Dream) – Capital Campaign
Amount:  $100,000
Date Approved:  11/19/2019
Final Report Submitted:  03/31/2021

La Casa de Amistad received $100,000 to support their “El Sueño” capital campaign to purchase and rehabilitate a new building. The new building is 41,000 square feet, quadrupling their available space to meet the needs of the 1,000+ families served and to prepare for the growing Latino population in the community. In addition to the 1,000 families they serve annually, they also process more than 8,000 social service referrals on a yearly basis.

Many of the project’s challenges came as a result of the pandemic. Because of the pandemic, the project was slightly delayed. Another challenge that the project faced was finding a use for the older building on Meade Street. Similarly, the pandemic caused other delays in fundraising.

One way the organization measured project success was based on community participation. Over 200 volunteers participated in the renovation of the new space. This included painting, working on small repairs, doing yard work, and cleaning. The ribbon cutting for the new facility in October 2021. Since that time, the organization continues to expand programming and have great success with fundraising, including a $30,000 in-kind grant through Choice Light to connect the new building to high-speed fiber internet and being accepted to the City of South Bend’s Energy Assistance and Solar Savings Initiative (EASSI) program. This opportunity has led to an investment of nearly $50,000 toward completing a solar roof at the new building, as of April 2022.

Grantee:  St. Joseph County Parks Foundation
Project:  Natural PlayScape: Celebrating the River at St. Patrick’s County Park
Amount:  $75,000
Date Approved:  04/16/2019
Final Report Submitted:  05/22/2021

The St. Joseph County Parks (SJC Parks) received $75,000 to build a natural play area at St. Patrick’s County Park. The 1.5 acre natural play area highlights the St. Joseph River and natural features such as rocks, logos, and water to encourage children to manipulate elements and develop problem solving skills and creativity.

One of the challenges the project faced was the cost. Some challenging decisions were required regarding materials substitutions and feature placement. SJC Parks picked up some of the higher than anticipated costs. They opted to eliminate the drinking fountain and foot wash since drinking fountains had been shut down for the pandemic. Plumbing was stubbed in for potential installation in the future and the layout was modified to accommodate cost savings and simplify construction. The official opening was delayed nearly a year, due to supply chain issues during construction, and because of COVID 19 restrictions for gathering.

Attendance, participation, and feedback are the main metrics for measuring success of this project, though the completion of the project and the opening of the park are the two biggest successes. Many parents expressed appreciation for the fence that traces the perimeter of the park, saying that it helps them to keep a better eye on their child, and allows families to spend more time inside the space. Park interpretive naturalists and leisure services staff also utilize the space for school programs, summer day camp, and playground programming.

Grantee:  Cultivate Culinary School and Catering, Inc.
Project:  Food Procurement Program
Amount:  $50,000
Date Approved:  04/20/2021
Final Report Submitted:  04/06/2022

Cultivate Food Rescue received $50,000 to support its Food Procurement Program to address food insecurity in the local community and the lack of nutritious food available to local pantries. The organization was able to fill a gap as a food distributor to local pantries and social service agencies; many of them struggling to keep items in stock including milk, bread, proteins, cheese, and other perishable items.

The biggest success was the hiring of a full-time shipping and receiving staff member and growing the pantry support program from serving 15-20 pantry partners on a routine basis to serving over 60. Each of the 60 pantries serve hundreds or thousands of vulnerable people throughout the county. Food distribution for individual agencies has also increased. For example, Cultivate’s distribution of over 46,700 pounds of food to Clay Food Pantry in 2020 has increased their distribution numbers by 300%.

The organization did not report any challenges and noted this grant led to a successful fundraising campaign to raise the remaining $50,000 from within the community to sustain their efforts and new position. A great example of the impact of Cultivate was for the Clay Church Food Pantry; working with Cultivate allowed Clay to increase the amount of food they’ve distributed while at the same time decreasing their food budget by $30,000. This program allows for more efficient use of resources so pantries can reach even more people in need.

Grantee:  Potawatomi Zoological Society
Project:  Giraffe Feeding Adventure
Amount:  $50,000
Date Approved:  04/20/2021
Final Report Submitted:  12/17/2021

The Potawatomi Zoo received $50,000 to fund its Giraffe Feeding Adventure, including a giraffe barn, exhibit, and feeding platform, as well as an indoor feeding opportunity, unique to the region. The project addresses four underlying issues, including dwindling giraffe numbers in the wild, the need to improve the zoo’s lion habitat based on a previous evaluation, the need to offset the organization’s gradually decreasing management fee from the city, and to minimize the number of local residents going to zoos in other cities to feed giraffe.

The main challenge the organization faced was getting the project completed on time. The giraffes also arrived later than expected, after the zoo had already closed for the season. Luckily, the timing allowed the giraffes to use the winter months to adjust and acclimate and the attraction opened March 31, 2022.

Success was measured through the completion of the barn. The full 10,000 square foot giraffe barn was completed as expected. Executive Director Josh Sisk, who designed and oversaw the project, has been approached by colleagues from other zoos impressed with the project quality, how quickly it came to fruition, and the cost.

Grantee:  Oaklawn
Project:  Partnership for Children – St. Joseph County
Amount:  $50,000
Date Approved:  11/17/2020
Final Report Submitted:  02/15/2022

Year 2 Report: Oaklawn received the second $25,000 installment of their $50,000 grant to support their Partnership for Children – St. Joseph County (PFC-SJC). PFC-SJC is a collaboration among youth-serving agencies in St. Joseph County that helps identify youth with emotional or behavioral issues earlier and gets them help faster to improve outcomes for children, families, and youth care workers. These partner agencies provide important front-line support to over 17,000 St. Joseph County youth. Partner agencies include Boys and Girls Clubs, La Casa de Amistad, Transformation Ministries, YMCA of Greater Michiana, Youth Service Bureau, YWCA, and more.

The organization’s success was found in meeting or exceeding their planned outcomes. First, Oaklawn’s planned outcome was for 70% or more of Youth to be able to identify at least one supportive adult in their life. After being surveyed, 76% of youth agree with that statement with 15% being unsure. Next, the organization hoped to provide 100% of Partner staff with access to professional development through training opportunities. In 2022, 26 hours of trainings were given to partners at no cost, impacting 156 youth workers. Lastly, Oaklawn hoped that 70% of Youth served through PFC would continue meaningful participation in community support programs. These metrics were not available at the time of data collection but Oaklawn expressed confidence they would meet this goal.

The biggest challenge the organization faced was finding a suitable time that worked for all agencies to have staff attend scheduled training. As a result, training shifted to on-demand mid-year where agencies can schedule trainings with the topic and date of their choice. This model is working much better for the project. Another challenge overcome was the hiring of a new Spanish-speaking staff person allowing for easier interaction with Spanish-speaking families in need of support.

Grantee:  Mishawaka Parks & Recreation Foundation Inc.
Project:  Temple Park Improvements
Amount:  $45,000
Date Approved:  11/16/2021
Final Report Submitted:  10/25/2022

The Mishawaka Parks & Recreation Foundation Inc. received $45,000 to update Temple Park, a local neighborhood park. A new playground, bathroom, interior sidewalks, a pavilion with picnic tables and ADA compliant playground equipment, and parts of 2 basketball courts were installed.

The biggest challenge in this project was with supply chain issues that caused the delay of the basketball courts. The timeline of the project has taken longer than expected and at the time of report, MPRF was waiting on the paint to put the final touches on the basketball courts. However, the organization decided to open the park in Fall 2022 prior to the courts being painted so the community can enjoy the park before winter.

The main success of the project is evidenced by the impact the park has had on the surrounding community. Initial feedback from the neighborhood has been very positive. Observations have indicated that more people are using this park currently than they have in the past five years. Furthermore, the addition of ADA compliant equipment has extended the clientele of visitors who are able to make use of the park.

Personal Story: “We included the standard ADA swings, and a panel of features including a music exploration station and braille alphabet wall in the Temple Park project when we were made aware of a family in the neighborhood who frequents the park with their son and daughter. Grayson is a bright four-year-old boy who was born blind. He has a love for music and is starting to learn braille. His sister Shiloh loves to play with her brother and the equipment included will help Grayson and other children have access to play along with their friends in the same space. We invited Grayson and his family out to view the park updates as the project neared completion. Grayson’s family is very excited to have these features included in this park.”

Grantee:  South Bend Rotary Charitable Foundation
Project:  Rotary/Habitat Playground Build – Darnell Park, Mishawaka
Amount:  $30,000
Date Approved:  04/20/2021
Final Report Submitted:  11/29/2021

The South Bend Rotary Club received $30,000 to support phase II of the Habitat for Humanity/Carter Work Project in Mishawaka. Rotary Club of South Bend led other area Rotary clubs in a partnership to fund and build a safe, universally accessible, and fun playground in Darnell Park for families living nearby. Their goal is to make the neighborhood not just a place in which to live, but to belong, for every man, woman and child living nearby. They estimated that 100 children and their families would enjoy the playground when complete in 2021 alone.

One of the challenges the organization faced was the late discovery that the park equipment would be assembled and installed by contractors hired by the manufacturer/supplier. Rotary initially believed they would be “hands-on” with the park installation, which they have done in two other park projects in the past. However, the Rotarians made on-the-fly decisions to participate wherever their labor was needed. This was primarily on the first 12 houses planned for September 20-24 and also spreading the mulch for the playground surface to provide a safe, level play surface. This initial disappointment turned into a huge success as the new homes and park were completed and opened.

The biggest successes were in the timeline and verbal responses to the project. The project was completed on time and feedback has been positive. Partners know each other, are more bonded and are excited about the next collaborative Rotary project.

Grantee:  Five Star Life
Project:  Five Star Life 2021 Summer Programming
Amount:  $30,000
Date Approved:  04/20/2021
Final Report Submitted:  09/24/2021

Five Star Life (FSL) received $30,000 to support its 2021 Summer Programming for St. Joseph County youth. FSL provides experiential outdoor programming for kids at Summit, FSL’s leadership training facility, in Union, MI. FSL’s programming is infused with social-emotional learning curriculum to add value for the kids being served after losing extracurricular activities, interactions, sports, and more, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The biggest challenge throughout the project was lack of adequate staffing due to the pandemic. To combat this issue for the fall programs and next summer, FSL plans to be deliberate about hiring by attending job fairs, posting with career centers, and promoting job/intern opportunities on various networks.

FSL’s success was measured through the number of children participating in programming, responses from the children, and the response from community members. Close to 1,000 kids were served at FSL each week, which is the largest scale the organization had ever offered programming before. Community partners have already pledged to bring their kids back to Summit next summer, in addition to adding year-round programs from FSL. Children also shared their experiences, and responses were overwhelmingly positive. Many children expressed gratitude toward FSL for exposing them to new activities and helping them regulate their emotions.

Grantee:  YWCA North Central Indiana, Inc.
Project:  YWCA’s Sexual Assault Recovery Program
Amount:  $30,000
Date Approved:  11/17/2020
Final Report Submitted:  12/21/2021

The YWCA received $30,000 to support its Sexual Assault Recovery Program. The YWCA’s major objective is to provide a comprehensive continuum of care, both residential and non-residential, for women and children who are dealing with the trauma of domestic violence and/or sexual assault in their lives.

The biggest challenge the organization faced was in hiring a new sexual assault counselor. The difficulty was exacerbated by COVID and competition for labor from other industries and nonprofits in the region. These issues delayed the hiring of a qualified counselor until August of 2021.

Despite the challenges in filling the position, the YWCA hired a counselor who was able to provide services to 18 survivors of sexual assault by the report submission date with no doubt they would reach their goal of 50 served within a year. The main successes are seen in the outcomes from these services. Each of the clients were provided with an assessment, a plan for services, including both group and individual counseling to be provided by the counselor.

Personal Story: The YWCA had a client come to us through our substance use programming. While attending the groups and individual counseling, it was discovered that this victim started using as a means to control her abuser and self-medicate from the violence at home. This revelation moved her from the substance use program to the dual program which provides counseling for intimate partner violence and her substance use disorder. During her sessions with the YWCA dual counselor, she revealed that her partner had been sexually assaulting her as a means of control. Sexual assault victims are set apart from the others and open up a victim to a lifetime of issues – for this reason, she began sexual assault counseling in addition to the other services. Without the funding provided by the CFSJC, the YWCA would have had to send her to another organization, something she expressed she was unwilling to do.

Grantee:  Robinson Community Learning Center – University of Notre Dame
Project:  Design Thinking and Makerspace Curriculum at the Robinson Community Learning Center
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  04/16/2019
Final Report Submitted:  12/16/2020

The Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC) received $25,000 to fund their initiative to train staff to integrate design thinking and makerspace curriculum across program areas. The grant was used for a training consultant, staff time, travel, conference fees, and makerspace equipment. A Makerspace is a space for children to make, tinker, play and design using materials, tools and processes used by artists, builders, programmers and creators of all kinds.

The biggest challenges to the project were due to the COVID-19 pandemic. RCLC completed activities as expected during fall 2019 but when Notre Dame closed completely in March 2020, all grant-related activities were suspended. The RCLC completed its move to a new facility in the summer, but in-person programs and activities did not resume until fall 2020, and then were limited by COVID safety protocols. It was also hard for children to work together when they sat six feet apart and each child had to have an individual set of materials (which had to be sanitized after every class).  Attendance was also an issue for both staff and youth due to quarantining, which disrupted the flow of ongoing projects. Progress was more limited in scope than expected, due to decreased number of participants and days of in-person programming.

The project’s main successes were the opportunities that the project afforded low-income, minority youth. Most RCLC youth have not had prior access to a makerspace or experience with Design Thinking. Design Thinking helps youth develop critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation. To gain proficiency, youth need hands-on practice using Design Thinking to solve problems, which the RCLC was able to provide to 30 children through their Makerspace during the grant period. The project also saw success in how the staff was trained to support the Makerspace and the children that use it. Four workshops were conducted, which incorporated both theory and hands-on makerspace challenges. Staff also visited Madison STEAM Academy, the Chicago Lab School and the Museum of Science and Industry to see makerspaces in action. Attendance at trainings was over 90%, and staff were highly engaged.

Grantee:  LOGAN
Project:  New Curriculum at Studios (Day Services)
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  11/17/2020
Final Report Submitted:  10/06/2022

LOGAN received $25,000 to support development and implementation of its new curriculum at the Studios for clients with disabilities ages 18-88. The project provides day services to more than 450 clients to improve their quality of life. In every LOGAN program, each client has a personal plan designed especially for them and is evaluated with staff and family a minimum of twice annually. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) accompany clients throughout their day, provide encouragement toward goals, measure how much of the client’s day is filled with purposeful activity, noting the most useful and popular daily programming. This grant helped hire three staff coordinators, which have written over 800 lesson plans that are being implemented at all three Studio sites.

One of the biggest challenges the organization faced throughout the project was maintaining the lesson plans as they were written. With the COVID-19 pandemic and relevant health concerns, LOGAN was unable to keep the lessons exactly as written since the organization wasn’t yet back to a “normal” pre-pandemic schedule. As a result, there have been a few differences between how the lessons were intended to be implemented and what happened.

LOGAN saw major success in the implementation of the project overall. At the time of report submission, the program was in full swing for over two years and there are two full-time curriculum coordinators and a program manager for the wellness program to expand services in an area of need. LOGAN was able to purchase items to fit a wide range of functioning levels, including bird feeders and wind chimes that help people have a positive sensory experience. Positive results are also evident via individual and family satisfaction surveys.

Grantee:  Ivy Tech Foundation
Project:  Ivy Tech South Bend Nursing Expansion Project
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  11/17/2020
Final Report Submitted:  02/21/2022

Ivy Tech South Bend-Elkhart (ITSBE) received $25,000 to support its Nursing Expansion Project. The primary goal of the project is to grow LPN and ASN graduates by strengthening partnerships with local health care facilities. An additional goal is to enable more St. Joseph County residents to land high demand/high wage jobs in the healthcare field, which benefits the full community. More specifically, the expansion entails a larger, more sophisticated simulation capability that includes additional moderate and high-fidelity manikins, healthcare supplies, and equipment. The organization also increased the capacity of the pre-nursing/nursing program by approximately 50%.

Ivy Tech South Bend-Elkhart measured success through enrollment numbers and pass rates. The program increased nursing enrollment by 71 students to 247 while keeping strong retention and pass rates. Numbers in the nursing pipeline are up approximately 10%. Nearly 400 of these students are new to the pathway. The NCLEX (state board exam) pass rates for Ivy Tech nursing students have also continued to exceed state and national averages.

The main challenge ITSBE faced during this project was disruption in the supply chain caused by the pandemic. As a result, there was a delay in having the Junior Simulation mannequin in place. Luckily, the organization was able to overcome this challenge and accomplish training by using less advanced manikins.

Grantee:  South Bend Heritage Foundation
Project:  Charles Martin Youth/Community Center Upgrades
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  11/19/2019
Final Report Submitted:  04/30/2021

South Bend Heritage received $25,000 to assist with necessary upgrades to the Charles Martin Youth Center. The Center has been an anchor in the community and surrounding neighborhood for over 20 years, serving youth with educational programming, hosting governmental, community, and special events, and offering tenant and partner space. The building was in desperate need of vital repairs, including a new parking lot, accessibility, plumbing, electrical, and AV upgrades, and other general safety and stabilization repairs.

The biggest measure of success for the project was completion of all necessary upgrades and repairs to the buildings. Despite challenges, the organization was able to update the Center to allow it to continue doing its important work in the community.

The largest challenge presented was COVID-19. Not only did the pandemic cause the repair schedule to be pushed back, but prices for contracted labor and supplies skyrocketed. However, having the building mostly empty during 2020 also meant that the organization was able to complete the door, security system, and internet updates with little to no interruption to tenants, programming, or events.

Grantee:  Transformation Ministries
Project:  City Light Scholars
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  04/20/2021
Final Report Submitted:  05/31/2022

Transformation Ministries (TM) received $25,000 to support the launch of City Light Scholars program, an after-school program for K-5 students that mirrors the current middle and high school programming that focuses on mentoring, academic empowerment, life skills development, and social-emotional learning.

A significant challenge faced was how behind the students were at the start of the 2021-22 school year. Due to COVID, many students lacked key socio-emotional skills. As a result, the first half of the year was focused on building relationships and teaching students how to problem solve and deal with conflict well. This challenge, however, ended up being one of the main successes of the project with the growth the students demonstrated.

By the end of the year, students built strong relationships with each other and gained many socio-emotional skills. All students came in with social-emotional skills at a 4 or 5 out of 10 and left with skills at a 7 or 8. Through the various instances of relational conflict, there were ample opportunities for students to learn how to talk through problems and how to respond to frustration or disappointment without melting down or lashing out. The organization created a strong community and family feel among the cohort and a space where students feel comfortable and safe to communicate experiences or feelings that they might not feel comfortable sharing with teachers or parents. All parents said they found the City Lights Kids (CLK) program provided beneficial support for their kids. One parent said, “CLK provided support that I was unaware was needed. The staff poured into my children to help them grow.”

Grantee:  Holy Cross College
Project:  Careers for the Formerly Incarcerated in SJC
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  11/16/2021
Final Report Submitted:  11/14/2022

Holy Cross College received $25,000 to support staff to assist formerly incarcerated men as they leave prison and return to St. Joseph County by providing career support and professional development. Students of the Moreau College Initiative (MCI), a college-in-prison program sponsored by Holy Cross College and the University of Notre Dame, receive a college education while incarcerated at Westville Correctional Facility, but they face obstacles in securing gainful employment, a necessary step in remaining out of prison.

By every measure, this initiative was a great success. In the year grant period, every MCI alumnus that has come back to the South Bend area (9 out of 9) has remained out of prison. In addition, every alumnus returning to SJC found housing and found gainful employment, some in the career of their dreams. By contrast, in the past year, only two MCI alumni nationwide have returned to prison (one in Indianapolis, one out of state), further highlighting the need for and importance of in-person, local support like CFSJC has provided. MCI was also able to expand the remote internship offerings to include several new local nonprofits, meaning that students incarcerated at Westville are helping further support the SJC community. All in-person feedback has also been positive. A wide variety of students of all backgrounds have outwardly stated that having a support person who checks in and offers help is incredibly valuable, even the difference between staying out and going back to a life of crime.

One challenge the organization faced was meeting goals on time. After discussions with partners in the college-in-prison field, including state officials, they are now requiring that members of the Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) have been out of prison and stable for 3 years before joining, which is the gold standard for getting back on the path to successful integration into society. This has led to a delay in invitations to the AAB for another year, while they shifted focus to working one-on-one with alumni, helping them find jobs and housing and becoming stable, preparing them for eventual membership on the AAB. The rest of the project went as planned.

Grantee:  Robinson Community Learning Center – University of Notre Dame
Project:  2021 Summer Programming
Amount:  $20,000
Date Approved:  04/20/2021
Final Report Submitted:  09/29/2021

The Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC) received $20,000 to assist in upscaling its summer 2021 programming by increasing the ages of children served, extending weeks of operation, offering morning and afternoon sessions, and adding new programs. In past years. RCLC offered full-day programming, but opted to switch to two half-day sessions to double the number of children served. The RCLC Summer Program is meant to assist in minimizing learning loss over the summer, especially for low-income and minority students. RCLC provided six weeks of programs that engaged 110 youth, ages 4 to 17. Topics of study included literacy, STEM, theatre, art, music, problem solving, and geography; 21 children attended preschool, which was an entirely new program for summer 2021.

The RCLC faced many challenges related to the pandemic. Due to a Notre Dame COVID restrictions, they were not permitted to serve lunch to participants. This meant they were unable to offer a full-day option for families, which many parents noted was not ideal. There were multiple participants who enrolled in both a morning and an afternoon program, but this meant that parents had to pick them up in between sessions and get them lunch elsewhere. The Center also needed to be closed mid-day so that it could be adequately cleaned and sanitized between groups. The other challenge was erratic attendance impacted by quarantine procedures.

The main successes noted involved the statistical outcomes of the project. Children were pre-post tested using the DIBELS assessments, and 82% demonstrated positive gain in fluency and 73% demonstrated growth in comprehension. Youth Development participants were also pre-post tested, using the Sound Partners tool, and demonstrated an average gain of 5 points on a 14-point scale. Another success involved the diversity of the students that benefitted from the program. Most RCLC participants are low-income, minority students, and many are English Language Learners. Over 62% of the preschool summer program and 17% of the remaining youth participating in Shakespeare and Youth Development program were English Language Learners. 86% of the preschool program and 83% of the Shakespeare and Youth Development program participants were non-white and/or Hispanic.

Grantee:  University of Notre Dame
Project:  Center for Civic Innovation – BCe2: Riley High School Hands-on Environmental Data Lab
Amount:  $19,167.22
Date Approved:  04/16/2019
Final Report Submitted:  08/13/2019

The Center for Civic Innovation at Notre Dame received funding to support their project in collaboration with the City and Riley High School (RHS) to engage diverse intern teams to install sensors at key sections of Bowman Creek and install a weather sensor to collect data for integration in courses and capstone projects. The project also included beautification of a creek section that collects litter near RHS. The program addressed the issues of 1) data-informed decision making by City of South Bend officials vis-a-vis rain and snow events and their impact on Bowman Creek; and 2) integrating real-world data and public management issues into course curriculum for RHS students.

One challenge the organization faced was the need to pivot slightly from the original objectives. Interns were highly successful completing the technical component of the project in the allotted timeframe (sensor and weather station programming and installation) but fell short on the full scope of the beautification project. The extension of funds into summer 2020 allowed the organization to engage a new team of interns in the work, which ended up being an integral part of educating that team about South Bend and RHS. One other challenge was the topography of the site itself did not allow for as many plants, shrubs, and flowers as originally anticipated so the full budget was not realized.

This program helped strengthen the relationship between the Center for Civic Innovation at Notre Dame, the City of South Bend, and Riley High School by allowing everyone to work together on a project with shared goals. The beautification project was completed with removal of graffiti and debris, planting of flowers and shrubs, and design and installation of educational signage at the creek site. Teachers at Riley High School integrated data from the installed sensors into their engineering courses. Approximately 11 courses and 171 students per year will benefit from these data and/or another element of the project (i.e. learning the concepts of City waterflow management and how it relates to engineering). Students and teachers reported high levels of satisfaction with the program, and many reported increased interest in STEM careers or courses along with a higher appreciation for South Bend.

Grantee:  Youth Service Bureau
Project:  Parents as Teachers for YSB’s Young Moms Self-Sufficiency Program
Amount:  $6,700
Date Approved:  11/19/2019
Final Report Submitted:  11/19/2021

Youth Service Bureau received $6,700 to support the addition of Parents as Teachers curriculum within their Young Moms’ Self-Sufficiency Program (YMSSP). YMSSP is a home visiting program that provides opportunities for at-risk pregnant or parenting young women ages 16 through 24 to overcome the many, complex barriers to self-sufficiency and decrease the possibility of child abuse and neglect.

The biggest challenge the organization faced throughout the project was the pandemic. Less participants than desired participated. Methods of communicating had to change to calling and texting and in-person trainings were delayed then switched to virtual, setting the entire program timeline back. The clients were very concerned with basic needs of daily living. It was also difficult for the organization to implement curriculum as staff training from the program also went from in-person to virtual.

The main success that YMSSP saw was the 144 participants who benefited from the program. About 90% of families served will not have a substantiated child abuse after receiving services, 94% of participants will demonstrated/reported increase in knowledge of parenting skills, 96% of participants developed at least one informal (unpaid) support before leaving the program, 85% of participants demonstrated educational and/or employment advances, 65% of participants demonstrated/reported budgeting and other financial skills to function adequately. Lastly, all participants received information regarding appropriate community resources.

Senior Living Grants

Grantee:  REAL Services, Inc.
Project:  Care Connections Center at Milton Village
Amount:  $750,000
Date Approved:  06/18/2019
Final Report Submitted:  12/29/2021

REAL Services received $750,000 payable over two years to support their Care Connections Center at Milton Village. The main goals of the project were to transform Dementia Care Programming in our community, and possibly in the country and create a unique standard of excellence in caregiver support. The first component of this large-scale project was the renovation and construction to create The Milton Village, an inclusive day center for those with dementia that allows clients to move freely amongst welcoming, broadly-themed spaces including a ‘50s-style café, small theater, pub-style room with pool table as well as restful spaces like a traditional family room and kitchen, outdoor gardens and putting green. This concept was inspired by Netherlands-based Hogeweyk Care concept who consulted on the project and provided staff training as a part of the grant. An additional key role of this space will be increased capacity for support of caregivers, including support and learning opportunities as well as assistance navigating benefits available through state and federal programs, as well as private insurance.

This project is a partnership with multiple layers. The building, which was constructed on the site of the old Hospice House in Roseland, is owned by the Hospice Foundation. It houses both Milton Adult Day Services, which is a Center for Hospice service that provides care at an hourly rate for adults with functional and cognitive impairment, and Care Connections, which is a free-of-charge caregiver resource program of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services of Northern Indiana, powered by REAL Services.

The main challenge the organization faced throughout the project was the pandemic. COVID put the project behind and caused REAL Services to use the Roseland building much longer than anticipated. An entirely new implementation timeline needed to be developed in order to finish the project.

Because of the project delay, extended training provided by the consultants brought forth a new building design. The program staff, the architects, and agency leadership all participated in the training bringing new energy to devote to the project. The design of the building changed a great deal as the consultant’s recommendations were detailed and numerous. Because of the delay and an increased enthusiasm provided by the training, designs were fine-tuned, construction was complete and programming plans were refined.

When this grant report was submitted, the planned opening of the building was scheduled for Spring 2022 with Care Connections staff starting on site in October. Report on opening and services beginning in building will be included in future dashboard for additional $350,000 grant awarded in 2021 given expanded scope of project from original plans, bringing total Foundation support of this project to $1.1 million.

Grantee:  Saint Joseph Health System
Project:  Older Adult Community Health Worker Initiative
Amount:  $500,000
Date Approved:  06/18/2019
Year 3 Report Submitted:  08/04/2022

The Foundation of St. Joseph Health System received the third of five installments of their $500,000 grant to support their Older Adult Community Health Worker Initiative to help seniors access resources for health, safety, and independence using Community Health Workers (CHWs).

The largest challenge the organization faced in 2022 was the amount of limited resources due to overworked staff or high turnover rates. Community Health Workers need clients to develop trust in them in order to provide services and to complete the care plan goals. With limited resources, Community Health Workers have had to become more strategic in their planning and implementation of the care plan, so the client does not lose trust in the process.

One major success the organization saw was a growth in referrals and participants.  In total, CHW received 253 referrals and were able to close 97% of their case load. Primary assistance cases include 2 abuse/neglect, 33 assistance with daily living, 42 transportation, 17 advanced care planning, 11 assisted living, 32 access to food, 8 needing home modification, 43 housing assistance, 18 medication assistance, 7 mental health, 1 substance abuse, and the rest marked as other. The health system has also moved to a better electronic record and increased total encounters to 1518.

Grantee:  REAL Services, Inc.
Project:  REAL Services Adult Guardianship Program
Amount:  $50,000
Date Approved:  12/15/2020
Final Report Submitted:  12/29/2021

REAL Services received $50,000 to support their Adult Guardianship Program. This program improves the health of the community by providing care and support to the disabled and senior citizens in St. Joseph County who are the most vulnerable due to neglect or mistreatment of individuals by family or friend caregivers who often take advantage of the diminished state of the individuals.

The biggest challenge the organization faced throughout the project was the family members of the people the program assisted. At times, family and friends would attempt to run interference, especially if they themselves have been neglectful or predatory against the client for their own benefit.

The main success of the Adult Guardianship Program is the number of individuals served; the program provided care and support to 57 disabled and senior citizens in St. Joseph County who are the most vulnerable due to neglect or mistreatment. Each individual is safely placed, receives food and medication regularly, has basic personal needs met, has affordable health insurance, etc.

Personal Story: “Tilly, a 92-year-old woman, was referred to the Adult Guardianship Services program by one of the local hospitals. Her granddaughter had dropped her off at the hospital and headed west when hospital staff became involved when she asked for Tilly’s debit card. She had been used to using her grandmother’s money for her own personal needs. Once REAL Services, Inc. became Tilly’s guardian and representative payee of her social security benefits, she was no longer able to access her funds.”

Grantee:  REAL Services, Inc.
Project:  COVID-19 Protection Supplies Project
Amount:  $50,000
Date Approved:  06/16/2020
Final Report Submitted:  06/28/2021

REAL Services received $50,000 to support their COVID-19 Protection Supplies Project. The main goal of the project was to distribute protection supplies across multiple departments such as the REAL Services Nutrition Department, Transportation Department, Aging and Disability Resource Center, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services, and the Main Office in South Bend.

The COVID-19 pandemic created significant challenges for as it severely affected how the organization did business and hindered their ability to perform their regular services. Programming norms needed to be revised to provide the same quality programming as usual in order to fulfill their mission.

REAL Services biggest success was addressing the needs of the senior citizens in the St. Joseph County Community who needed services that often require face to face contact. This project protected both employees and the most vulnerable of the organization’s population, senior citizens. REAL Services made sure that no senior in our community went hungry. Every senior that needed food, received food. REAL Services was successful in protecting staff, clients, and volunteers.

Grantee:  REAL Services, Inc.
Project:  COVID Recovery Plan- Volunteer Recruitment Campaign
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  12/21/2021
Final Report Submitted:  02/25/2022

REAL Services received $25,000 to support their COVID Recovery Plan Volunteer Recruitment Campaign. As a part of the organization’s COVID Recovery Plan, REAL Services reengaged and recruited volunteers at a volume greater than in the past and with more urgency. Without community volunteers, neighbors in need would not be able to have their basic needs met, which include but are not limited to food on their tables, socialization opportunities, and transportation services. This campaign addressed that volunteers do more than just give a few hours of their time; they are life-changers in our community and have a much larger impact than they realize.

The biggest success of the project was REAL Services taking marketing efforts to the next level and incorporating various marketing strategies such as billboards, television, radio, and other mediums into recruitment efforts. After the three months of the volunteer campaign, they were very close to their volunteer goal of 160 individuals. The agency noted this was also a great opportunity to create awareness regarding the agency as a whole.

The main challenge REAL Services faced involved staffing shortages. When the campaign was launched, the Marketing Manager and Manager of Volunteer services were hired but not yet started. As a result of the staffing situation and the COVID-19 cases increasing, the organization had less capacity to do outreach face-to-face with community partners however, the campaign accomplished its goals, and the organization will continue future marketing efforts for volunteer recruitment.

Grantee:  LOGAN
Project:  Funds to LOGAN Group Homes, allowing I/DD Community Members to Age-in-Place
Amount:  $20,000
Date Approved:  12/15/2020
Final Report Submitted:  09/16/2022

LOGAN received $20,000 to support renovations and upgrades at four group homes (Bentley, Lark, Cottage Grove and Spruce) allowing community residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities to age-in-place. Research continues to show that seniors who remain active in their community and with groups of friends have less depression, reduction in difficult behaviors, sleep better, have more fulfillment in their lives, fewer visits to medical doctors and emergency rooms, and enjoy better health overall.

The Bentley Group Home received a new freezer and water heater and an ADA patio was completed; the seniors are now flourishing. The Lark Group Home now has an ADA accessible sidewalk from the patio to their garage for wheelchair accessibility as well as an ADA accessible toilet. The Cottage Grove Group Home received a new washer, dryer, and refrigerator and Spruce Group Home received flooring upgrades and a new stove.

LOGAN received $14,500 to support activities and social outings for their senior clients. Activities included art activities, hosting music groups, area travel (i.e., Lake Michigan), movies, 4H fair, South Bend Cubs games, Potawatomi Zoo, and going out to eat to celebrate birthdays. Research shows that seniors who remain active in their community and with groups of friends have less depression, a reduction in difficult behaviors, sleep better, have more fulfillment in their lives, fewer visits to medical doctors and emergency rooms, and enjoy better health overall.

The biggest challenge the organization faced came as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Outings did not resume as soon as initially planned, causing participants to miss out on some parts of the programming. Some seniors who were often medically compromised returned at a much slower pace than others due to their risk factors. The self-worth of clients and their level of happiness has been diminished due to isolation and boredom.

However, the organization’s response to COVID-19 reflects some of its biggest successes. LOGAN developed a re-opening plan that emphasized safety, including using individual storage containers to separate sets art supplies to reduce surface contamination. These safety measures allowed some senior citizens return those to whom might not otherwise have been able.

Grantee:  South Bend Heritage Foundation
Project:  Aging in Place Resident Life Program
Amount:  $10,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  07/06/2022

South Bend Heritage Foundation (SBHF) received $10,000 to support their Aging in Place Resident Life Program. Through the work of this program, low-income seniors at 3 SBHF properties are provided with opportunities to lessen isolation, increase health awareness and resources, and keep their minds stimulated and active, reducing cognitive decline. The project also included modest renovation of an outside courtyard area at Robertson’s Senior Apartments downtown South Bend.

The main challenge faced during the project implementation were delays. SBH expected the courtyard revamp to make the area more ADA accessible to be finished at the Robertson’s Senior Apartment in 2021 and the project continued into the following year. This courtyard space is key to the outdoor programming, as it provides a space where residents can gather safely outdoors and engage with the local community, but also have their own area.

The biggest success was an increase in programming participation. Programming included game nights, movie nights, dinners and luncheons, assistance in registering for public benefits and healthcare, educational opportunities to increase computer and financial literacy and trips to local destinations. Participation increased in over 25% of the offered events combined at all 3 sites. SBHF saw about a 60% participation rate across all programming and served 120 residents. Thanks to attendance records along with resident surveys, the organization was able to see what programs were favored by the residents and which programs were not preferred and adjust accordingly for the next year. SBHF also heard feedback from residents about what events they would be more likely to participate in.

Grantee:  LOGAN
Project:  Online Dementia Training and National Task Group Conference
Amount:  $7,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  09/12/2022

LOGAN received $7,000 to support their online Dementia Training and the National Task Group Conference. Attending the training allowed staff to have a greater understanding of dementia and its effects on individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD), grow their capacity and confidence to provide capable direct services to adults with I/DD and dementia, and to gain knowledge of how to develop a dementia-capable environment and programming.

The biggest success was the number of staff members who were able to participate in the training. Ten of LOGAN’s staff were able to attend the innovative training in our local community. Furthermore, the opportunity for a few of the staff to experience the “Train the Trainer” course allowed for positive training opportunities for all LOGAN’s staff, current and future.

Grantee:  Indiana Women in Need
Project:  Pink Portions Program
Amount:  $2,700
Date Approved:  06/16/2020
Final Report Submitted:  06/30/2021

Indiana Women in Need (IWIN) received $2,700 to support their Pink Portions Program to support low-income seniors enduring the treatment of breast cancer from July 2020- June 2021. Once they become part of the program, participants receive nutritious meals delivered to their doorstep every two weeks for a total of three months, which helped protect this at-risk population from COVID-19 exposure and mitigating risk to the community-at-large.

The success of the project was evident through positive feedback from participants. The IWIN Foundation was able to serve four low-income St. Joseph County breast cancer patients, age 65 and older, in need of meal assistance during their treatment. The feedback that IWIN received indicated that patients were pleased with the meal taste, amount of protein, convenience, and ability to avoid exposure to COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic.

The biggest challenges the organization faced throughout the project were related to the pandemic. By mid-2020, incoming applications sharply decreased making the project timeline difficult to achieve. In July 2019, IWIN had 83 patients in queue, but in July 2020, only 21. Pre-COVID baseline data showed the average number of Americans newly diagnosed per week with breast cancer is 2,208. During the pandemic, the weekly average dropped by almost 52%. In the initial stages of the pandemic, mammograms and “non-essential” procedures were placed on-hold leading to delays in diagnoses. The meal preparation kitchen also experienced several COVID-19-related shortages and inventory issues. In addition, although incredibly pleased with the service, sometimes recipients took longer to utilize the meals than anticipated, leading to a longer amount of time in the program and an extended time to serve them. Ultimately, a modest grant helped a modest number of participants but achieved goals.

ArtsEverywhere Grants

Grantee:  South Bend Museum of Art
Project:  2021-2022 Season of Exhibitions
Amount:  $35,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  07/14/2022

The South Bend Museum of Art (SBMA) received $35,000 to fund its 2021-2022 exhibition season. The main goals of the exhibition season were to exhibit community members at the museum, either through representation or programming for various ages and groups. Funding will be used to support five changing galleries and the permanent collection gallery exhibited during traveling and competitive shows. Exhibitions included Biennial focused on contemporary Midwest artwork, Our Strength is Our People: Humanist Photographs of Lewis Hines (American Series), SBMA Student/Faculty, an immersive art and musical experience by musician Eli Kahn, After Images by participants of Hospice’s grief counseling program, and the always successful Scholastic Art Awards, to name a few. Each gallery offers historical and contemporary perspectives and introduce new and challenging art forms.

The season’s success was measured through feedback via evaluation forms, completed by participants, teachers, volunteers, and others. General and special group attendance was also a metric used. Overall, feedback was positive. The 2021-2022 season saw 15,327 total guests, with attendance increasing in May as safety concerns related to the pandemic decreased. SBMA was also able to bring 515 youth K-8th graders to tour exhibitions.

The organization faced a few major challenges throughout the exhibition season. First, the pandemic made it difficult to get community members to visit the museum at the start. Additionally, SBMA’s Executive Director resigned, causing some confusion along with the loss of a marketing director. As a result, SBMA had trouble getting their message out the way they would have liked. At time of report, these positions had been filled and SBMA is looking forward to meeting their goals for next season.

Grantee:  South Bend Symphony Orchestra
Project:  2021-2022 Season Support
Amount:  $35,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  06/22/2022

The South Bend Symphony Orchestra (SBSO) received $35,000 to use toward the production of its 2021-2022 season. This Season, the Symphony sought to address blind spots in its traditional community engagement program by making a concerted effort to collaborate with new partners and venues that brought musicians together in our underserved communities. This year was focused on building relationships with area black churches and moving forward with plans for a minority fellowship.

Success is measured through patron feedback, the financial position of the organization following the season, attendance, and total audience hours. First, patron feedback was positive. Patrons were surveyed throughout the year, especially regarding COVID policies, and net promotor score reports to assess experience satisfaction (95% satisfaction rate). Financially, the organization saw success as well. Over FY21, the annual fund increased 5.6% and concert sponsorships also increased 34%. Two of the three Pops performances saw record-breaking attendance and Masterworks III, which featured a program of composers of African descent exclusively (a history-making moment for the Symphony), saw the best attendance of the year for that series. Total Audience Hours yielded a total of 23,744 hours of patron engagement.

The primary challenge for the season was an overarching uncertainty as the organization navigated the return of the performing arts in a world still in the grip of the pandemic. This uncertainly impacted how the organization budgeted for the season, programmed concerts, decided on venues, and how to make patrons most comfortable while returning to social activity. As the pandemic ebbed and flowed through the year, some performances were rescheduled or reimagined do the COVID outbreaks, circumstances requiring a great degree of flexibility and imagination. The challenges were ultimately successes as the Symphony never left one performance unrealized. In the face of these challenges, the Symphony concluded a successful full season of performances, new community engagement projects, and ends the fiscal year in a position well poised to enter the 2022-23 Season.

Grantee:  Casaday Costume Company
Project:  Casaday Costume Collection Inventory Project
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  12/15/2020
Year 2 Report Submitted:  12/28/2022

The Casaday Costume Collection received the second installment of their $25,000 (payable over three years, 2021-2023) to support their Inventory Project. The main goal is to make the collection easier to use and streamline the organization’s internal procedures to better serve school theatre programs, community theatres, museums, libraries, and individuals. The project included a multi-step process in which a large portion of the collection was coded, photographed, and documented.

Success of this project is measured partly by determining how much of the collection has been barcoded and fully recorded in their inventory. Success is also measured on a more long-term basis by documenting the increase in the interest of the public in the costume collection, particularly the increase in rentals and other use of the costumes by the community. Casaday is also taking into consideration any increase in public participation in their social media efforts and interest from research and educational institutions.

As of late 2022, 8,462 garments have been tagged, 5,856 garments have been photographed, and 5,419 garments have been entered into the database. They have seen an increase in public participation in social media efforts and interest from other institutions. There has been an increase in rentals, with three record-breaking months in the past year. The newly tagged garments are reducing time for check-outs, returns, and restocking.

The biggest challenge recently has been finding labor in the current competitive labor market. Casaday Costume Collection has learned that they can get more help in the summer than during the school year, when students’ availability is limited. They have utilized a total of seven local students with an interest in fashion or costuming as interns so far. They have also learned that they should never underestimate the effect on the customer experience of presenting an organized, efficient operation. People are consistently remarking on the improvements that have been made through this project.

Grantee:  South Bend Civic Theatre
Project:  2019 Season of Productions and Events
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  06/18/2019
Final Report Submitted:  02/28/2021

South Bend Civic Theatre (SBCT) has been committed to the production of live theatre since 1957. They have recently expanded their 2019-2021 season to include concerts, curated art exhibits, and public symposiums on current issues. Similarly, the organization’s civic-focused youth and adult education curriculum now cultivates the whole artist – mind, body, and soul.

The organization faced its main challenge beginning on March 12, 2020, when the Civic closed its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the next 120 days, all in-person events were canceled or postponed. The theatre also postponed their co-production with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra of “West Side Story.” SBCT was able to stage just two performances of the planned 23 due to surging COVID numbers in the county. They also postponed the remainder of the 2020 season due to surging COVID numbers in the county. Compared to the 2019 season which brought in 22,444 patrons and $295,070 in box office revenue, the 2020 season brought a dramatic decrease to these figures. In 2020, the organization served under 9000 patrons and brought in less than $65,000 in box office revenue.

A major success the organization noted was how they combated pandemic-related challenges. The Civic met the financial challenges with deep cuts to payroll, additional grant applications, and creative fundraising, allowing them to start in the black without touching their line of credit. The Civic was also able to produce their August Wilson Project. The initiative accomplished many of its stretch goals: creating a robust set of lesson plans that were taught in the South Bend schools, touring the production to both Adams Clay High Schools, partnering with multiple groups serving the city’s African American community, and starting a Board-sponsored IDEA Task Force.

Another major success of the theatre throughout the season was their ability to still produce shows, despite COVID-19. The organization still managed to produce:

• Heal and Seal: June 27 partnership with our African American community which amplified BIPOC voices and was a call to peace and understanding following the Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
• Lights Up: Free concert on July 25 designed to uplift the community through live music and theatre
• 10-Minute Playwriting Contest
• CIVIC Stories: New bi-weekly (and ongoing) CIVIC podcast
• CIVIC Exhibit: Twelve-week video series of inspirational true stories from CIVIC artists and volunteers
• Light One Candle: Exploration of the diverse expressions of the holiday season
• ENOUGH: Plays to end gun violence premiering on Dec 14
• Dozens more small-scale virtual events, readings, and classes for 800 volunteers

Grantee:  WVPE
Project:  WVPE operational upgrades 2019
Amount:  $20,000
Date Approved:  12/17/2019
Final Report Submitted:  01/27/2021

WVPE received $20,000 to help replace their aging equipment. More specifically, funds were used to switch from Comcast to I-light to eliminate internet outages for streams and cloud, replace their HD encoder system, and to upgrade to a new studio phone system to conduct interviews by phone. These improvements were necessary to improve station operations.

The project was successful in reaching each of its goals in improving capabilities. More specifically, the upgrades reduced broadcast downtime and added equipment backup capabilities. WVPE’s internet stream dropout rates have gone down by approximately 80% since switching from Comcast cable to Choicelight fiber. Nielsen Survey results for the Michiana area for the time period between Sept 15-Dec 15, 2020 indicate WVPE was the 7th most listened to radio station with 66,000 weekly members–remaining the most listened to news/talk station. WVPE took the #3 slot for weekdays between 6-10am with WVPE/NPR’s Morning Edition and was the #1 station for ‘morning drive’ for listeners over 50 for the first time in recent memory. WVPE credits the recent improvements in equipment for this success.

The biggest challenge WVPE faced throughout the project was the delay in finishing. Because the engineering installation took longer than initially anticipated, especially to replace the Encoder HD system. Other challenges included needing to complete the installation both during a pandemic and during a highly contested election and certification process. There were also other significant engineering projects involving the contract engineer that involved moving entire radio station facilities.

Grantee:  University of Notre Dame
Project:  UNITE: Mitigating Youth Violence and Strengthening Communities Together through Art and Design
Amount:  $20,000
Date Approved:  12/17/2019
Final Report Submitted:  12/15/2022

University of Notre Dame Art & Design Department received $20,000 payable over 2 years to assist in its project: Mitigating Youth Violence and Strengthening Communities Together through Art and Design. The aim of the project is to mitigate youth violence in the City of South Bend by creating a series of participatory installations that use art and design to heal those that are impacted, raise awareness among youth, and generate dialogue within the community by working with youth, specifically those caught in the vicious web of violence with an aim to mitigate the cycle of youth violence.

The main challenges the project faced involved the pandemic which delayed the project by over 6-9 months. Research design commenced in September 2020. Scheduling focus groups and interviews took much longer than anticipated with both COVID and university restrictions in place. Research expected to be completed by December of 2020 did not conclude till June of 2021.

Due to these delays, the only phases that had been completed at report date are research, the Memory Project workshop and initial engagement with youth at the Juvenile Justice Center (JJC). COVID also minimized participation, caused motivation to dwindle, and made transportation more difficult. The Memory Project: Reweaving Threads of Loss, Love & Hope was designed to address the issues of loss and grief for family members in a community to heal and empower. Participants created memory blankets using stitching, embroidery, fabric painting, applique, patchwork. These blankets celebrate the lives of the children lost by recapturing their journey through memories woven together by the hands of family members. There are plans to repeat this workshop with a group of mothers at Charles Black Center.

The Futuring Project: Audacious Narrative & Enduring Voices was a workshop created for youth to provide them with a voice through narrative creation within structured programs at the intersection of design and technology. At report date, over the two semesters, the youth workshop has served over 40 youths in the JJC. The students have worked in and gained proficiency in music composition. The outcomes have included the development of musical scores and lyrics. Other students have created posters with prose and poetry written by them. The third group of students worked on creating digital collages. Software students were introduced to included Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Garageband. The installation of their music at the community centers has commenced and should be completed by the Spring of 2023.

The youth component will be evaluated Spring 2023 and a final report on this project is due September 2023.

Participant 1: The Memory Project: “My blanket tells the story of when my children died and it broke my heart. It’s the story of the children that I birthed and I lost… the memory I put into the blanket was of the one of my being broken…how my heart was broken and now I have mended it together. I took great pride and it made me feel so good that I was putting life back with my hands…when the opportunity came to make the blanket it infused life into me. I had lost two children but now I will always have something to remind me that I still have them on my memory blanket. The experience meant a lot to me…. The experience empowers me that I can go on, that I can make it through knowing they were taken but parts of them are still in my heart.”

Grantee:  WNIT Channel 34
Project:  Annual Support: 2022 Arts Programming on WNIT
Amount:  $15,000
Date Approved:  12/21/2021
Final Report Submitted:  01/02/2023

WNIT received $15,000 to support their 2022 airing of PBS Arts Programming. PBS Michiana-WNIT Arts Programming. This is recognized as some of the highest quality arts programming on the air. This national programming is balanced with local programming such as Experience Michiana, which highlights arts and entertainment activities. By offering national and local programming, WNIT stays true to its mission of educating and entertaining the community.

Outcomes are measured through community feedback, feedback from partner organizations and those featured on local productions, and through viewership and ratings. Nielson changed viewership measures starting in January 2022. They now report the estimated households watching a program every 15 minutes, on average, over the course of a month. During 2022, Experience Michiana reached an average of 2,431 households every quarter hour and monthly viewers on other platforms (website, YouTube TV, Facebook and PBS on-demand or livestreaming) averaged 2,693. The national dramas continue to get between 9,000 and 50,000 viewers.

A documentary called Legacy of Memories: Silver Beach Amusement Park premiered in May 2022 and received the Historical Society of Michiana State History Award. Two of WNIT’s 2021 documentaries won the National Educational Telecommunications Association awards in September 2022: Vibrant Lights, which tells the story behind the stained-glass windows ordered by Father Sorin when the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame was being built and Then, Now and Always: The St. Joseph River Story, which tells the story of the people, history, and life along the river. In November 2022, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra performed the St. Joseph River Suite during a water-themed concert. WNIT has created a package with the full orchestral score, sheet music for individual instruments, and other educational materials for music classes. These packages are going to be sent to schools throughout the WNIT viewing area in 2023.

Grantee:  Fischoff National Chamber Music Association
Project:  Fischoff’s Education Programs 2021-2022
Amount:  $10,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  06/24/202

The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association  (Fischoff) received $10,000 to support their Education Programs throughout the 2021-2022 season. Fischoff provides free education programs for children and youth where they study and play, increasing access to high quality arts experiences for those who would not otherwise have these opportunities. Their award-winning alumni return each fall after the annual competition, to lead in-school workshops and performances in all corners of the tri-state region. Competition ensembles each spring serve as Peer Ambassadors for Chamber Music giving elementary students high quality music experiences.

Fischoff’s success was measured through both number of students reached and feedback from musicians, mentoring coaches, teachers, and parents. This year’s Peer Ambassadors for Chamber Music (PACMan) program included 11 ensembles providing programs at 11 schools reaching 1,279 elementary students and teachers. Nine out of the 11 schools responded to the evaluation survey. 100% of the respondents felt that the content was “Just right,” and marked “Yes” that they felt “Fischoff’s PACMan program [is] effective in encouraging students to participate in music programs.” Positive impact articulated from teachers/principals included: young age of performers, live performance, close interaction/Q&A session, ability to see benefits of practice, contagious love for music. In the fall, Double Gold Tour alumni connected with 900 students. The Aero and Risus Quartet’s received positive feedback on evaluations and reinforced the benefit of these high school musicians interacting with alumni. Mr. Bart from John Young, “I feel like it provides my students with a view of high-level performance and what they are capable of doing themselves.” The Arts in Education residency also connected with 622 total students.

A significant challenge faced involved a pilot program where a coach went to Penn High School during the day and provided bi-weekly coaching’s during their chamber music elective. The orchestra teacher was asked to select two quartets rather than have student’s audition. The level of dedication shown by these groups was well below the usual standard. One of the members consistently did not show up to meetings so the group was turned into a trio. Fischoff plans to reinstate the usual audition requirements for future to improve outcomes in future sessions.

Grantee:  Art 4
Project:  Art 4’s “Go Wireless” Campaign
Amount:  $10,000
Date Approved:  12/21/2021
Final Report Submitted:  12/29/2022

Art 4 received $10,000 towards Phase I of their “Go Wireless” capital campaign. Funds were to be used to purchase state-of-the-art audio and sound equipment. The entire project cost is $120,000 but has been divided into two separate phases.

Before this campaign, Art 4 did not have any sound or audio equipment to use for amplification during productions. Now, they have completed the purchase of all Phase I equipment for 12 singers and 8 instrumentalists. This includes: a digital soundboard, 12 wireless mics (designed for musical theatre use), 12 digital wireless receivers, 2 house main speakers and 2 subwoofers, 3 additional speakers for monitors (or center main fill), and 8 additional wired mics with cables to amplify instrumentalists.

Art 4 was not able to meet their full Phase I fundraising goals. They raised $35,616 (including the ArtsEverywhere Grant), but they were able to lower actual expenses for the project to $53,840. After raising about 65% of their goal, their board decided to finance the remaining portion over a 3-year period so they could move forward sooner with equipment purchase. Since the equipment purchase, they have received positive feedback regarding sound quality from audiences.

Art 4 had a very aggressive fundraising schedule, which was challenging. They were on target to raise the money, but fundraising efforts dwindled in the first part of 2022. This was, in part, due to a smaller donor base and not having a dedicated development manager. Art 4 is a lean team and relies heavily on volunteers.

They expect to pay off the loan within 2 years and at report date were in planning for Phase II which will include adding an additional 8 wireless mics, 4 more speakers, and starting a budget for sound engineers.

Grantee:  South Bend Civic Theatre
Project:  Capacity Building – Community Impact: Creating Vibrant Growth and a Sustainable Future
Amount:  $10,000
Date Approved:  06/16/2020
Final Report Submitted:  10/15/2021

The South Bend Civic Theater (SBCT) received $10,000 to support and revitalize their community impact post COVID-19. The main goal of the project is to flourish at a greater than pre-crisis level for the organization and the community at-large which SBCT serves. This project consisted of strategic focus groups with community and donor stakeholders, a large-scale organizational transformation summit composed of board members, volunteers, donors, and community representatives, coupled with board-level strategic planning support.

The challenges that SBCT faced during the project were mainly due to COVID-19. Because of the longer-than-expected impact of the pandemic to in-person meetings, SBCT was not able to have the Summit until June 12, 2021. Once the summit was scheduled, SBCT found it necessary to limit the number to attendees to allow for social distancing.

Successes of the project were measured by community engagement. There were 60 attendees at the community summit and 20 attendees at focus groups. Furthermore, the organization saw a 30% increase in volunteerism in the last three months due to the lessons learned during last year’s strategic planning sessions. The organization also succeeding in receiving positive community member responses and was able to cover a wide range of topics including community impact and external relations between SBCT’s organization and staff.

Grantee:  South Bend Venues, Parks and Arts
Project:  Pier Park Tunnel Projection Mapping
Amount:  $10,000
Date Approved:  06/16/2020
Final Report Submitted:  08/18/2021

The City of South Bend Venues, Parks, & Arts (VPA) received a $10,000 grant to help support the Pier Park Tunnel Project Mapping: a projection mapping project of an artistic video made of 8 musicians throughout St. Joseph County. The music video, made of up of music, photos and videos of our community responding to COVID-19 would be projected inside the tunnel adjacent to Pier Park in South Bend. The main goals of the project were to provide art for the community and to support local artists.

The success of the project was measured by a program called CityZen that allowed VPA to track public sentiment via social media, online comments and news commentary for specific programs and projects. Social media sentiment has been overwhelmingly positive. The community response to this project was also positive. VPA officially opened the installation on July 23rd with a crowd of nearly 200. Anecdotally, the overwhelming majority of guests had never been to Pier Park. There were eight newspaper stories and four TV segments regarding the opening, the artists and the final piece, providing artists with fairly vast coverage and attention. Where there were rarely visitors to the area, park ambassadors now report there is significant traffic to the space, even at night when the installation is most visible.

Challenges that the VPA faced mainly revolved around disagreements regarding the final project, ownership, look and feel and even the opening event. VPA’s relationship was and remains very positive with artist partners, but navigating creative personalities in the confines of municipal procedure was a necessary productive exercise. The scope of the project also changed significantly from VPA’s initial plans. The end result of the project is a lighting and music installation, still in the Pier Park tunnel, but less specifically connected to COVID-19 with the inclusion of an optical illusion.

VPA does not intend to remove the installation. Other than routine maintenance, VPA does not intend additional costs.

Grantee:  The History Museum
Project:  Votes for Women: Stories of Women’s Suffrage
Amount:  $10,000
Date Approved:  12/15/2020
Final Report Submitted:  06/15/2021

The goals of the Votes for Women: Stories of Women’s Suffrage project are to remind all of the basic right provided by the framers of the U.S. Constitution to elect those who govern and to explore the pathway the country took to achieve women’s suffrage. This project highlights the important contributions to women’s suffrage from 8 women: Elizabeth Fletcher Allen, Helen Beardsley, Josephine Curtis, Ella Morris, Mother Angela, South Bend Blue Socks, Sarah Stockwell, M.D., and Odio Mae Streets. The project consists of artistic programs including a 30-minute virtual program about the impact of voting rights in the eras of women featured in the exhibit, a 10-minute video in the exhibit that details the lives of women named in the exhibit, and 1-minute sports on each woman that aired on local broadcast television.

Many of the organization’s successes were unconventional as a result of the pandemic. Support from corporate sponsors was higher than anticipated, likely due to knowledge that the museum’s admission dollars had suffered. Expenses were lower than anticipated because the museum was able to utilize existing resources in ways not originally planned. The cost of costumes was lower, as was WSBT’s production, partly because fewer spots were recorded. Success also was measured in feedback from community members and participants. Many actors in the “Votes for Women” virtual program shared their reflections: “I never had realized the impact women made in South Bend. You normally only hear about the men.”  “It was an honor to give voice to women.” And one actor whose daughters (13 and 10) were also in the program said, “My daughters…were thrilled to learn more about local women who made history through the process of making and watching the video. On the very next trip to the library, [one of the girls] checked out ‘The South Bend Blue Sox: A History of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.’ I am always impressed by the quality of the work that the History Museum does, as well as its creative incorporation of theater, film, and other art forms to reach diverse audiences.”

However, the pandemic had a crippling effect on The History Museum’s attendance, even after the government permitted museums to reopen on June 14, 2020, which presented a challenge to the organization. At the end of January 2021, attendance was 742, only 40% of its 2019 total. Within 3 weeks of the Votes for Women spots beginning to air on WSBT-TV on February 15, attendance began to climb and, at the end of March, had reached 74% of its 2019 number. Although vaccinations played a role in the increase, by April–with 30 spots now having aired–attendance was at 83% of the 2019 number. Visitors commented that the 60-second messages were not only informing them about women’s suffrage but also motivating them to come learn about it in the exhibit. The virtual program was also well-received. Five days following its launch, over 137 viewers had watched and shared it with others online. With permanent access on the museum’s YouTube page, the total climbs weekly. Necessary interruptions of earlier non-related museum projects due to COVID-19 also delayed the start times of the Votes for Women project more than once, causing a timeline that suffered tremendously. WSBT’s guidelines related to the pandemic prevented in-studio visits from the community, resulting in audio for the spots and recorded video to be done in a non-studio environment at the museum, a burden to the project.

Grantee:  The Acting Ensemble
Project:  Capital Project: Building Renovation 2020
Amount:  $10,000
Date Approved:  06/16/2020
Final Report Submitted:  05/10/2022

The Acting Ensemble (AE) received $10,000 to assist in renovating a newly purchased building for their theater. The building will house costumes, props, and an area for set design and construction. Necessary renovations included adding a fire/emergency exit, wheel-chair accessible bathrooms and other improvements totaling $64,256, with architectural donation and over $22,000 raised.

There were a few main challenges the organization faced throughout the project. First, the costs increased during the state building review since additional work was deemed necessary. Raising money during the pandemic was also difficult especially with the project being delayed. With the construction industry getting busy, getting the selected contractor to fit the entire project into his schedule was another big challenge along with securing supplies with shortages.

The main success the AE saw was the continued base of support. The organization continues to raise the dollars needed to complete the project and successfully completed stage one of the renovations. Successes also include the planning of the upcoming season during the renovations, despite difficulties.

Grantee:  Studebaker National Museum
Project:  Atrium and Bulletnose Gallery Enhancements
Amount:  $7,500
Date Approved:  12/15/2020
Final Report Submitted:  12/17/2021

Studebaker National Museum received $7,500 for their Atrium and Bulletnose Gallery Enhancements including technological and capital improvements to support the robust and growing exhibition and interpretation programs as well as how community members can interact with the special exhibition program at the Museum.

The primary challenges faced were related to the pandemic. There were many supply chain issues that delayed the project. The organization also ultimately had to select new vendors in several aspects of the project, and even simple tools were delayed.

Successes were measured by both qualitative and quantitative assessments. First, the qualitative assessments used subjective feedback from visitors. The organization received strong positive feedback on the enhancements. Quantitative success was measured through increased visitation and tour booking as well as the number of new visitors and groups who engage with the Museum. Attendance has surged since completion of these projects. Attendance in the five months (17,547) since substantial completion is up nearly 150% from 2020. In recovery from the Pandemic, October was the first month with equal attendance numbers to the organization’s record year in 2019. The community has also dramatically increased utilization of the space, 2022 already has more bookings (23) than the entire year in 2019 (18).

Grantee:  The Music Village
Project:  Annual Support: 2021 TMV Program Support
Amount:  $7,500
Date Approved:  12/21/2021
Final Report Submitted:  12/20/2022

The Music Village (TMV) received $7,500 to support their 2021 programming. TMV creates and supports opportunities to learn about, experience, and participate in music and dance that reflect the rich cultural traditions of the people of Michiana. Resources are focused on improving and expanding musical arts opportunities for all people. Funds directly supported both in-house programming and community outreach initiatives, helping to provide stability as enrollment and outreach programming returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Challenges stemmed from weak cash flow as revenue continued to return from a drop in enrollment and partnership program income during the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, TMV saw overall and program-specific revenue grow year over year. That growth has resumed, though partnership program revenue remains low. Staff salaries were also comparatively low due to three staff transitions (each vacant for a period of some months): Executive Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Program Coordinator.

Success was measured through the number of goals the organization successfully achieved throughout the year. TMV successfully addressed the following goals: building new alliances and broaden existing collaborations with community partners, cultivating and supporting local musicians and dancers–professionals, amateurs and students, increasing diversity of program offerings and outreach to diverse peoples via programming, and deepening the level of citizens’ participation in the arts in the Michiana region and in downtown South Bend, specifically. These goals were primarily achieved through numerous new partnerships: also, a metric of success for the organization.

Grantee:  South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras, Inc.
Project:  2021-2022 Sectional Program
Amount:  $7,500
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  06/22/2022

The South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra (SBYSO) received $7,500 to support its 2021-2022 sectional program. Sectionals break musicians into instrument groups (violins in one room, clarinets in another, etc.); students work with a professional musician (“coach”) who plays their instrument.  This helps students to learn their orchestral part (including fingerings and bowing technique) and to study difficult passages before rejoining the full orchestra for the last two hours of rehearsal.

The biggest challenge the organization faced was related to compensation for coaches. SBYSO’s $50/hour rate has remained unchanged for the past four years. Throughout the years, SBYSO has been turned down by some high-caliber coaches who would not commit at the current pay rate. The goal is to raise the hourly pay to $75, but current resources make that impossible. Another challenge is that the sectional program is not underwritten in full. Eventually, the organization hopes to get it endowed so they would not need to piece together crucial funding from 3-4 grants each year and could instead know that grant applications could be used for newer programs like their Music Lesson Project or summer camp.

SBYSO measures success through the quality of each of the three performances, Board of Directors’ meetings, and feedback from students. Following the sectional experience, students performed much more confidently during performances. At Board of Directors’ meetings, board members shared their feedback concerning the SBYSO programs, including sectionals. Furthermore, student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and all three concerts were performed as planned.

Grantee:  Studebaker National Museum
Project:  2022 Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm
Amount:  $5,000
Date Approved:  12/21/2021
Final Report Submitted:  12/13/2022

Studebaker National Museum (SNM) received $5,000 to support their Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm which is a dynamic event that places rare automobiles from across the country into the gardens of the historic Oliver Mansion.

The main successes of the project were high attendance and positive feedback. More than 1,691 people attended the event, setting a new event and campus single-day record. Feedback in surveys was also more positive than it has ever been with 100 percent of respondents rating the event favorably and all indicating they were likely to return. The show field was the strongest in the Concours history, and the event will be featured in the 2022 Concours Yearbook once again as one of the top 50 events in the world. From an economic development standpoint, the exhibitors and guests used more hotel rooms and generated more economic impact than ever as well.

This year the event faced three challenges in organizing. First, despite significantly increasing the marketing budget the organization still feels like they are barely scratching the surface of people who would be interested and enriched by this event. Second, as the event continues to develop, recruiting additional programming staffing (primarily recruiting additional volunteers) has become more difficult. Finally, inflation costs really challenged staff to find alternative suppliers, vendors and substitutes. As a result, expenses went over budget.

Grantee:  Downtown South Bend Foundation
Project:  2022 Art Beat
Amount:  $5,000
Date Approved:  06/21/2022
Final Report Submitted:  10/25/2022

Downtown South Bend (DTSB) received $5,000 to support Art Beat 2022. Art Beat is a free visual, performing, and culinary arts festival, taking place along the streets and sidewalks of downtown South Bend. It is the largest, single-day festival in the seven-county region and serves a broad cross-section of the population.

The biggest challenge DTSB faced was rising event costs. Inflation has affected so many of the usual expenses, including rental items like portable restrooms, creative service fees, printing costs, and cost of supplies. It has been a challenge to break even on this event, and the budget does not reflect staffing costs.

However, the successes of Art Beat far outweigh the challenges. Art Beat is a beloved annual event for artists, residents, visitors, and downtown businesses alike. DTSB received overwhelming positive feedback from all four of these demographics and many remarked that this year’s event was the best Art Beat ever. The successes include both the financial impact for participating artists and downtown businesses, along with the success of the event’s community impact through positive experiences for artists, residents, visitors, and downtown businesses. The event is also successful in boosting the reputation of South Bend and the surrounding region as a thriving arts and culture community. Lastly, the event is successful in boosting civic pride for residents by showcasing downtown South Bend at its finest. Art Beat saw a record attendance of 20,000 visitors.

Grantee:  South Bend Lyric Opera
Project:  Production of Don Giovanni by Mozart
Amount:  $5,000
Date Approved:  06/21/2022
Final Report Submitted:  09/05/2022

The South Bend Lyric Opera (SBLO) received $5,000 to support its production of Don Giovanni by Mozart presented in Italian with English supertitles in the Main Auditorium at IUSB in July 2022.

The biggest challenges SBLO faced involved the venue. The Auditorium did not have a functioning air conditioning unit throughout the production. SBLO had to improvise with fans and portable decides in order to maintain a level of decent temperatures. Additionally, housing for out-of-town performers and production team members added extra expenses. The set designer was also unable to continue due to unanticipated health issues.

Success was measured in ticket sales, artists’ experiences, number of new donors, audience responses and reviews. Overall, the production sold more tickets than they had hoped. SBLO sold 142 and 149 tickets for the July 15 and July 16^th performances respectively. Local and visiting artists indicated great levels of satisfaction with being able to be part of such an important production, performed on a professional stage, with a full orchestra. A few new members of the audience indicated the desire to become new donors and part of the financial support of SBLO. The audience was also very happy and impressed with the quality of this production. Many emails from audience members poured in after the opening night, with words of gratitude regarding the production.

Grantee:  Merrimans’ Playhouse Inc.
Project:  2021-22 Home Grown Jazz & Student Jazz Performance Series
Amount:  $5,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  06/30/2022

Merrimans’ Playhouse received $5,000 to support the 2021-2022 Home Grown Jazz Series and The Student Jazz Performance Series. Twenty-one of these sessions were offered during the grant period, increasing to 4 per month starting in February 2022. Funds were used to pay for musician fees, marketing and promotion, and operating costs. The goal of these series is to foster and expand the area’s jazz talent, both professional artists and jazz students.

Successes were measured through audience numbers. Audience numbers have increased in addition to more age and ethnic diversity at concerts and open sessions. Each concert/session has brought in new patrons as well. When new patrons were asked how they heard about the performance, many had seen sidewalk signs, heard about Merrimans’ Playhouse through word of mouth, social media, or collaborations. Other successes included increasing the number of Home Grown/Student concerts with an average of 33 patrons per show.

The challenges Merrimans’ Playhouse experienced were mainly related to costs. Ticket sales did not always cover minimums; ensembles are paid at least $300 per session. Marketing fees also quickly became expensive and did not allow for the organization to pay for WVPE announcements, which is an area of marketing that the organization had hoped to do. Ideally, better marketing would allow Merrimans’ Playhouse to develop an even more diverse audience and musician group.

Personal Story: From the father of a student who came to the Jazz Open Sessions all during high school, and early college: (local and student): “Hello again. Our son had his last performance as a part of Lavender Jazz at Goshen College on Wednesday. He and another senior worked up an arrangement of Sing a Song of Songs by Kenny Garrett. I took this video of their performance and thought you might like it. He is so comfortable on stage and was clearly a leader in the band. Many thanks for all of what you do to support Jazz and all the support you gave to him through High School. He will graduate in May with a degree in Physics and has some job offers to explore. Thanks again.”

Grantee:  Robinson Community Learning Center – University of Notre Dame
Project:  2021-2022 Robinson Shakespeare Company
Amount:  $5,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  06/29/2022

The Robinson Shakespeare Company (RSC) received $5,000 to support their programming throughout the 2021-2022 season. RSC offers year-long programs that reach 500 youth in a typical year. Activities include drama integration instruction at partner schools, afterschool drama clubs, and a summer program, all of which engage a wide range of diverse participants. Goals include increased educational outcomes for youth, increased capacity of teachers to integrate drama into academic curricula, and increased youth participation in theatre.

The challenges the RSC faced were mainly COVID-related. While COVID restrictions were eased compared to last year, there were still limits on afterschool activities at partner sites due to the pandemic. RSC was unable to offer afterschool clubs at Jefferson Traditional Intermediate Center or Nuner Fine Arts Academy this year, despite being able to continue Outreach Activities at Nuner, Jefferson, the Harrison Boys & Girls Clubs, and the Notre Dame Center for Civic Innovation.

Success that the RSC saw was mainly related to the number of students who participated in the program as well as attendance numbers at performances. The RSC offered a 6-week camp in summer 2021 for 18 youth, grades 6-12, who worked on Shakespeare scenes. The RSC met in the RCLC Black Box Theatre throughout the fall and gave the first live Shakespeare recitals in that space, engaging 34 youth, for audiences of 50. These were joyous events since it had been 2 years since the last RSC performance. During the spring the RSC (grades 6-12) and the RSYC (grades 3-5) engaged 38 youth, resulting in 2 live productions of The Tempest, performed for audiences of 100. Success was also measured through comments on the program, all of which were positive. Additional comments from students, “Shakespeare really improved my speaking in public and boosted my confidence,” “I enjoyed working with so many different kinds of people and learning the different qualities they possess,” and “I was scared to talk to people but talking in here really helped.”

Grantee:  Pigasus Institute
Project:  Project Pigasus – Adams High School
Amount:  $5,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  10/29/2021

Project Pigasus is a short screenplay competition exclusively for high school students in the state of Indiana. In this competition, a winning screenplay is selected, and the producers at Indiana-based film company Pigasus Pictures bring a professional film company to the hometown of the winner and produce their film at the highest quality with students shadowing and learning from professionals. Project Pigasus received $5,000 to support the project.

The success of this project was measured through the number of entries, total financial support, press coverage, and critical acclaim. This year, Pigasus saw the largest number of entries they had ever seen for this opportunity. Additionally, the project was able to be fully funded through the generous support of CFSJC, Cook Group and the Indiana Arts Commission. There was also extensive press coverage through the county during the production of the film. It is an impactful experience for the local student filmmaker but also others in the school who participated in the project.

The biggest challenge for projects like these is financing, developing, and producing the film, especially in Indiana. Due to the lack of filmmaking tax incentives in Indiana, the state boasts no actual film industry. As a result, many young, aspiring filmmakers do not see a direct path to careers in this multi-trillion-dollar industry. Project Pigasus helps those students see themselves in a filmmaking career.

Grantee:  Studebaker National Museum
Project:  Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm
Amount:  $5,000
Date Approved:  12/17/2019
Final Report Submitted:  09/02/2021

Studebaker National Museum (SNM) received $5,000 for the Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm, which is one of the premier celebrations of automotive styling in Indiana. The Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm is an event that places rare automobiles from across the country in the gardens of the historic Oliver Mansion. The Concours creates an immersive cultural experience the enriches the lives of community residents and draws visitors from across the country by blending educational programming, the arts and rich historical resources on the Museum campus with a world-class vehicle display.

The main challenges faced throughout the project involved the COVID-19 pandemic. The Concours was delayed by one year. When the event did occur, some indoor components that caused people to gather in large groups needed to be canceled and/or moved outdoors. People were also hesitant to participate in other in-person events that the Concours relies on. Attendance did not improve and it was difficult to find volunteers, despite the event being moved outdoors.

Success is mainly measured through the number of attendees. In 2021, 1,414 attendees took in a field of 71 vintage automobiles and motorcycles. The event registered attendees from more than 15 states, but over 70% of attendees were from St. Joseph and Elkhart Counties based on a zip code analysis. This demonstrates the way that this event provides a world-class experience for our community. Visitor surveys for the event were very successful with over 90% responding that they would “definitely” attend future events. Many respondents also commented on how the event made them aware of the community’s historical resources and interpretation for the first time.

Grantee:  Downtown South Bend Foundation
Project:  2021 Art Beat
Amount:  $5,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  10/29/2021

DTSB received $5,000 to help support Art Beat 2021, a free visual, performing, and culinary arts festival, taking place along the streets and sidewalks of downtown South Bend. Art Beat is the largest, single-day festival in the 7-county region and serves a broad, cross section of the population.

Usually, over 900 artists participate with an expected visitor attendance of over 16,000, but due to COVID-19 DTSB cut the number of artists and visitors to follow any COVID-19 guidelines. The organization also faced challenges due to being understaffed with both DTSB employees and ambassadors. Another unexpected challenge was extreme heat which resulted in many medical issues with overheating of guests.

However, despite these challenges, Art Beat was still a success in the areas of providing financial gain for businesses and artists, adding vibrancy to downtown South Bend, and boosting a sense of community. DTSB sent out three surveys to the artists, visitors, and downtown businesses. To measure the success of Art Beat, artists responses to the survey were analyzed to ensure they had sales, if a returning artists repeat or new customers, made connections with new guests, and passed out their information. Businesses and artists reported outstanding, record sales, and visitors reported a high degree of satisfaction in the event with specific areas of enjoyment in the event layout and growing quality of art. Many artists shared very positive feedback as to this year being their best Art Beat ever, or even best art show ever. Art Beat was also valuable in providing much-needed social interactions and cultural stimulation after a difficult period of isolation. Thus, success was also measured based on how many visitors were at the event. Attendance was around 17,000.

Grantee:  South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras, Inc.
Project:  2020-21 Master Classes, Music Lessons
Amount:  $5,000
Date Approved:  12/15/2020
Final Report Submitted:  12/17/2021

The South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra (SBYSO) received $5,000 to support their 2020-2021 master classes, music lessons, and more. Master classes offered were with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony, Detroit Symphony, and Euclid Quartet. All students who take part in music lessons also receive a need-based full tuition scholarship (though the tuition scholarships were not funded by this grant.) The program provides a great service that helps the students to grow as individual musicians and orchestra members.

The organization faced challenges related to the pandemic. Because of social distancing and gathering restrictions, master classes could not take place in person and instead were performed via Zoom. COVID also prevented SBYSO from having a typical rehearsal schedule during Winter 2021 and made it much more difficult to find venues for lessons.

Success was measured through attendance growth and program evaluations. The Music Lesson Program has grown tremendously in the past year, with more than triple the number of students taking part in this program now compared to the previous year. This increase has also raised the diversity of the program. Every instrument group except percussion also had the opportunity to participate in a master class. Evaluations from both students and teachers has also been overwhelmingly positive. “I’ve been able to take lessons with some great cello teachers […] without having to worry about any financial costs. I’ve also been able to take longer length lessons as well,” one student’s evaluation read.

Grantee:  Art 4
Project:  Licensing Funds for Art 4’s 2021 Season
Amount:  $4,000
Date Approved:  12/15/2020
Final Report Submitted:  12/28/2021

Art 4 received $4,000 in grant funding to absorb the cost of licensing fees for their 2021 season.

Art 4 faced challenges throughout the season due to the pandemic. Two of the four shows shifted online through movie musicals. Some challenges Art 4 faced also centered around how to effectively produce these movie musicals since they were less equipped with video production, post-editing, sound engineering, and the skills needed to master an audio mix for online-only musicals. The fourth show, RENT, was also postponed to January 2022 as a result of a few breakthrough COVID cases. There were also challenges related to ticket sales. Ordinary Days significantly undersold, selling only 60 tickets to the 300 projected. The show came in $3,000 under budget and still encountered a $3,500 loss at the end of the run. The Spitfire Grill also undersold projections. Art 4 budgeted 300 tickets and sold 127. Expenses for this show were $1,800 under budget, but the production still ended with a financial loss of over $7,000.

However, Art 4 also saw success as a result of moving these two shows online. Art 4’s Facebook page experienced 72.3% growth YTD. With their Ragtime show, they also had over 550 online applications from artists across 17 states. Up to this point, the most artists to audition for a single Art 4 production had been 60 people. Ragtime also saw actors from 15 more states than usual. Ticket sales were also vast and diverse with many patrons watching productions online from 11 different states including California, New York, and Georgia.

Grantee:  Patchwork Dance Company
Project:  Annual Support: PDC 2021 Production Support
Amount:  $3,500
Date Approved:  12/15/2020
Final Report Submitted:  01/25/2022

Patchwork Dance Company (PDC) received $3,500 to support production costs of three concerts, venue fees and guest artist fees. PDC audiences are the general public which specifically includes students, families, senior citizens and the underserved populations in this area.

One of the main challenges PDC was met with was the pandemic. As a result of COVID-19, PDC had to adjust their schedule, hosting their spring concert in April rather than March. The number of performances was reduced and seating in the venue was limited due to social distancing. PDC did not offer school shows for the holiday concert due to safety concerns for audience members. Another change was the number of public shows PDC offered for the holiday show. To be fiscally responsible, PDC modified its marketing budget which added to reduced attendance overall.

Despite challenges, PDC saw success during their 2021 season. The goals of the performances were to provide cultural enrichment and education through the art of dance. The organization measures its progress toward this goal both by the attendance at each performance and through surveys administered afterward. One performance, “Visions in Dance” had over 100 attendees and “Christopher’s Christmas” had over 200 attendees. Response of audience members for all concerts was very enthusiastic. Comments by performers and audience members alike confirmed the joy experienced by the return of in-person dance. According to surveys, the concert was well received, and the newest choreography was among the favorites. “Artistic Fusion” continued to be a popular concert as it combined the art of dance, visual art, and music in one evening. 

Grantee:  South Bend Lyric Opera
Project:  SBLO’s 2020-2021 Opera Season
Amount:  $3,500
Date Approved:  06/16/2020
Final Report Submitted:  04/30/2021

South Bend Lyric Opera (SBLO) received $3,500 to support their 2020-2021 Opera season. The season included productions of three operas and several artist lectures. These performances were hosted in three separate performance venues.

Performing in three different venues presented a slight challenge related to audiences being familiar with the spaces. Another challenge was related to the amount of collaborations SBLO had during the season, which could have easily became difficult to manage. However, all partners were fully engaged in each production they participated in.

Success of the SBLO’s 2020-2021 Season was measured in several ways: ticket sales, local and visiting artists’ experiences, new donors, audience responses, and critical reviews. SBLO sold out both nights of Cavallerian Rusticana, for a total of 240 tickets for each night. Three Decembers’ sales were under expectations due to an increase in the COVID-19 cases, but 200 tickets were still sold for both nights. Ticket sales for La Traviata were a great success, as 720 tickets were sold. Both local and visiting artists also shared they had a great experience during the 3 productions. SBLO had 4 new underwriters during the season and 7 new donors. Audience response to the shows were positive. All productions were covered by the local television stations and South Bend Tribune. Three Decembers was broadcast by PBS and La Traviata was broadcast by WSND. 

Grantee:  The Main Stage, Inc.
Project:  2021-2022 Musical Theater Season
Amount:  $3,500
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  06/30/2022

The Main Stage, Inc. received $3,500 to support its 2021-2022 musical theater season. The season offered three full children’s musicals and a summer camp for students ranging in ages from 5-18 as well as two community theater opportunities.

One of the main challenges the organization faced throughout the season was the rise in costs. Costs for theater space, rights and royalties, sets, and costuming have all risen and created difficulty. The organization also had trouble maintaining enrollment and audience numbers since they needed to raise their ticket prices due to costs. Additionally, pandemic-related restrictions were uncertain, making the organization work around those possible changes.

Success was measured through ticket prices and feedback from performers and audience members. The organization was able to maintain the most affordable ticket prices in the area. Performers expressed their appreciation of having opportunities to be back on stage and developing their skills and the restructuring of rehearsals to have fewer cast members together at one time. Audiences expressed their appreciation of the quality of productions and the skills of our performers. As of the report date, enrollment is almost back to pre-COVID-19 numbers and audience numbers are increasing.

Grantee:  Musical Arts Indiana, Inc.
Project:  Musical Arts Indiana 2021-22 season
Amount:  $3,500
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  06/27/2022

Musical Arts Indiana (MAI) received $3,500 to support its 2021-2022 season, which included performances of Vesper Chorale, Vesper Chamber Orchestra, and the Children’s Choir of Michiana. The organization’s target population included the general public in St. Joseph County and surrounding counties.

The organization measured success both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitatively, success was measured through audience attendance numbers and through social media “fan” posts. Qualitatively, success was measured by audience feedback after each concert. While attendance was down due to the pandemic, MAI received very enthusiastic responses to their performances from the audience members who attended. Throughout the season, they made significant strides internally to make it more diverse. A majority of the board of directors are from minority populations to hear voices and perspectives that help address specific needs in the community. MAI has also worked to identify and address barriers that prevent accessibility or participation.

The main challenges the organization faced were as a result of the pandemic. Because of COVID-19, they had a shortened season for the third year in a row. Additionally, a number of Chorale members decided not to participate this year and audience numbers were also down. COVID also resulted in the Vesper Chorale and CCM member retreats being canceled.

Personal story: “We have been members of Vesper Chorale for 20 years, since joining in 2001. Fate brought us to Vesper Chorale and we found a musical home dedicated to excellence in music. We have enjoyed the opportunity to sing major master works, new kinds of music, and different styles. And we have made life-long friends over the years. This group of excellent musicians has been a blessing.”

Grantee:  South Bend Museum of Art
Project:  Consultancy for fund raising and institutional advancement
Amount:  $3,500
Date Approved:  12/17/2019
Final Report Submitted:  9/30/2020

The South Bend Museum of Art (SBMA) received a capacity building grant of $3,500 to help pay for consultancy for fundraising and institutional advancement with Charmaine Torma. The fee includes services such as: philanthropic coaching; constructing a strategic development & constituent engagement plan; and building a customized plan to achieve goals for institutional development. The intent was to increase the fund-raising potential of SBMA, growing the budget and, therefore, arts programs.

SBMA did report success related to the consultancy. In fact, the SBMA is still seeing growth as a result of the consultant’s work beyond the contract timeline. The final report contained links for documents and procedures which continued to guide the organization and the addition of these resources was a strong point of the consultancy. SBMA has been tailoring the tools and resources provided by Torma to fit their needs and to help them move to the next level of financial sustainability. Torma also provided guidelines and training in fundraising for the three staff members who are involved in that activity: Executive Director, Development Manager; Director of Marketing.

The greatest challenges that the organization faced were as a result of the pandemic. Board members were isolated and unable to participate fully, staff was advised to curtail direct mail solicitations and priorities were shifted to seek emergency funding and pivot programming to suit the current needs. Torma was also unable to train the board and volunteers to campaign for the organization and assist in broadening and strengthening the donor base since this was impossible during the pandemic.

Grantee:  South Bend Heritage Foundation
Project:  2021-2022 Colfax Gallery Season
Amount:  $3,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  07/29/2022

South Bend Heritage Foundation (SBHF) received $3,000 to support The Colfax Gallery. The Gallery is positioned to enhance the cultural and artistic education of those that may not have access to the arts, with 6 exhibitions hosted in the unique gallery spaces: 3 shows for local artists; a Middle School Exhibition for students; a 4-state juried exhibition on the subject of art and social justice; and a community arts organization exhibition.

The organization’s biggest success was the Middle School Art Exhibition. With the loss of SBCSC’s Art Coordinator, SBHF had to coordinate one-on-one with each middle school art teacher, establishing a relationship and engaging thoroughly with each to get the show established. The teachers were grateful, the students active and excited and the parents very present. The event was appreciated by all those involved. Success was also measured through the number of artists involved and attendance at exhibits and exhibit receptions. In total there were 9 local, individual artists, 100+ middle school students across SBCSC schools, 30-40 artists from 4 regional states, and 40-50 community arts organization members. All 3 Exhibit receptions hosted anywhere between 45-65 guests and the middle school art exhibit had around 80 guests. It is a challenge to track the number of gallery visitors, as people travel through the gallery to get to local non-profits, dance classes and studios located in the building.

Navigating COVID-19 was the organization’s biggest challenge. SBHF engaged with artists to gauge their comfortability with mask regulations and requirements, chose when to have masks as a requirement versus a recommendation, keeping masks and hand sanitizer supply on hand and changing refreshments to only pre-packaged individually wrapped snacks. With the uncertainty and constantly changing updates on regulations, SBHF did their best to ensure everyone felt safe and comfortable.

Grantee:  Downtown South Bend Foundation
Project:  2022 Red Table Plaza Lunch Time Concert Series
Amount:  $3,000
Date Approved:  06/21/2022
Final Report Submitted:  10/25/2022

Downtown South Bend (DTBS) received $3,000 to support the 2022 Red Table Plaza Lunchtime Concert Series: A free concert series in the heart of downtown South Bend featuring an array of local, acoustical musicians & songwriters. The series is attended by a wide spectrum of downtown workers, residents, and visitors.

The biggest challenge faced during this project was the COVID-19 pandemic. The downtown workforce has not yet fully returned to in-office work, and there was also a lot of turnover, so there were quite a few new employees who were not aware of the series. DTSB continues to work on promoting the series and hopes to better reach downtown offices and residential buildings for 2023.

Success was measured through attendance metrics and survey feedback. The attendance was up this year from the 2021 count – from 625 to 1050, a 68% increase. DTSB received positive survey feedback from event attendees expressing gratitude for the Red Table Plaza Lunchtime Concert Series and hope that it will continue for years to come. Survey comments included “Great to have this downtown!” and “Very nice idea; love listening to the music and every day is something different.” Throughout summer 2022, over 1050 people attended to listen to live music with an average survey satisfaction rating of 4.2 out of 5.

Grantee:  South Bend Heritage Foundation
Project:  2020-2021 Colfax Gallery Season
Amount:  $3,000
Date Approved:  06/16/2020
Final Report Submitted:  07/29/2021

South Bend Heritage Foundation (SBHF) received $3,000 to assist with their 2020-2021 Colfax Gallery Season. The Colfax Gallery is a non-traditional gallery space that hosts a total of 6 exhibitions: 3 shows for individual, local artists; the annual Middle School Exhibition for SB middle school students; a 4-state juried exhibition on the subject of art and social justice; and a show for community arts organizations. The Gallery is designed to invite people who may not normally visit a gallery space to become interested in the visual arts.

The two biggest successes that the organization had this season were their crane exhibit with the Middle School show and the Art & Social Justice show. While there wasn’t a reception for this show, there was still a great turnout to the gallery, and many people came to see the crane exhibit. Building tenants also enjoyed that show as it was interactive for the children/students that take classes at the Colfax building. The outcomes of the shows were the most tangible successes. There were 9 total local, individual artists, 200+ middle school students across all SBCSC middle schools, 30-40 artists from 4 regional states, and 30-40 community arts organization members. Non-quantifiable successes include a rising interest in visual arts and a raised awareness for the arts and culture across all Gallery visitors.

The biggest challenge was the pandemic. Not only did COVID-19 stunt the number of visitors to the gallery, but it also prevented some of the exhibitions from having a reception. The organization had a hard time determining the best way to begin in-person exhibits and receptions again, but the pandemic did inspire other ways for the Gallery to reach the community and those who have barriers getting to the gallery through virtual means. Even with COVID-19, people still visited the gallery to check out the artwork and viewed the online/virtual exhibitions as well.

Grantee:  Downtown South Bend Foundation
Project:  2021 Red Table Plaza Lunch Time Concert Series
Amount:  $3,000
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  08/30/2021

Downtown South Bend received $3,000 to support their 2021 Red Table Plaza Lunch Time Concert Series. The Red Table Plaza Lunchtime Concert Series is a free concert series in the heart of downtown South Bend featuring an array of local, acoustical musicians & songwriters. The concert series ran Mon-Thurs from June 1st – August 31st. The series is attended by a wide spectrum of downtown workers, residents & visitors, with a daily attendance of over 50 people.

The success of the program was measured through attendance counts and surveys, which were on the QR code provided at the event. The surveys could also be found on Downtown South Bend’s Facebook page and website. Throughout summer 2021, over 625 people attended to listen to live music with an average performance rating of 4.7 from the surveys. DTSB received positive feedback from event attendees and they hope Red Table Plaza will continue for years to come.

Due to COVID-19, DTSB was faced with a number of challenges this year. The biggest decision DTSB was faced with was whether having Red Table Plaza Lunchtime Concert Series was safe for the community to attend. DTSB ensured to follow any guidelines put in place by the CDC, local Health Dept., or the State. Due to COVID-19 many office building in downtown South Bend were also still working from home, so Red Table Plaza had less downtown employees than previous years. Also, due to inclement weather on a number days DTSB had to cancel performances. Overall, Red Table Plaza Lunchtime Concert Series was still a success, many new members of the community attended looking for safe ways to get outside of their homes and enjoy the summer.

Here are a few quotes DTSB received from event attendees on the survey:

• “This event created a beautiful atmosphere in such a weird time. We are grateful to be able to enjoy outdoor music still during this time.” —Downtown Visitor
• “The singer/musician was excellent today! I never heard of her until today. I want of attend more of her performances.” —Downtown Resident

Grantee:  South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras, Inc.
Project:  SBYSO Free Music Lessons Project
Amount:  $2,500
Date Approved:  12/21/2021
Final Report Submitted:  12/31/2022

The South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras (SBYSO) received $2,500 to support its Free Music Lessons Project. This project provides free music lessons to students whose families cannot afford a private instructor due to financial need. Qualifying students receive a need-based tuition scholarship in exchange for their participation with SBYSO. A private instructor is then paid directly by SBYSO at the end of each month.

The biggest challenge the organization has faced is providing private space for lessons. IU South Bend has provided space so lessons can take place. Efforts have been made to expand the program for the future. SBYSO has been developing partnerships with the Salvation Army Kroc Center and South Bend Community School Corporation in an attempt to bring the program to more members of the community. At the time of the report, SBYSO was in the planning stages of reaching out to La Casa and Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County to promote the program.

SBYSO measures success through annual evaluation forms to all students and teachers, inviting them to provide feedback. The conductors and Executive Director are in touch informally with teachers since many also serve as sectional coaches. Several instructors have asked if lesson times can be extended to 60 minutes instead of 30 minutes since their students have made significant progress. A couple of students were moved to tears when they found out they could receive free private instruction since they believed it was not possible. SBYSO received the following feedback from a student in the program: “The Free Music Lesson Program […] has been a cornerstone in my development as a young musician and has forever changed the trajectory of my life and career in amazing ways I couldn’t have ever imagined. I fervently recommended that this program be renewed for SBYSO in order to provide the same life-changing possibilities it has provided me.”  The Music Lesson Program will continue and received recent grants from Wells Fargo and Teachers Credit Union Foundation.

Grantee:  City of South Bend, Venues, Parks and Arts
Project:  2021 Fiber Art Show at Howard Park
Amount:  $2,500
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  11/03/2021

The City of South Bend (CoSB) received $2,500 to host two art-focused community events in South Bend during Best. Week. Ever. 2021, taking place August 1-8. The two events were an art show at Howard Park and a mural project and corresponding event in the Wayne Street Garage. However, due to financial restraints, the Wayne Street Garage installation was not completed, and funds were allocated to the arts show at Howard Park.

One of the main successes of the project was new partnerships. First, CoSB was able to partner with the Pokagon Band and feature an artist who is a member. Second, the South Bend Museum of Art donated art walls. This opportunity for partnership has opened the door for future projects between all parties. The fiber arts show also received positive feedback including several pick-ups by local news stations and thousands of individual pieces of engagement on social media. On its opening night, the exhibit hosted 75 patrons, and just under 800 patrons throughout the month.

One of the main challenges the organization faced was meeting their attendance goal for the project. Unfortunately, CoSB fell short of their attendance goal on this project by about 200 patrons. Another challenge was gathering funds necessary to host both arts events and as noted previously, the Wayne Street Garage installation was not completed.

Grantee:  The Acting Ensemble
Project:  2021-2022 Performance Support
Amount:  $2,500
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  07/13/2022

The Acting Ensemble (AE) received $2,500 to support its 2021-2022 season, and to assist the organization in reaching its goals to provide the community with the chance to see plays that are geographically and historically relevant at the local level; to provide a theater experience in an intimate setting to allow the audience to have a more personal relationship with the play and actors, to provide growth opportunities for the local theater community, and to provide an opportunity to stretch artistic boundaries.

One of the main challenges AE faced was their initial lack of a building permit to occupy the building for performances and lack of internet, expertise, and equipment for streaming performances with the continued impact of the pandemic. In moving to a new building in Mishawaka, the organization also lost some audience members, but hopes to rebuild interest and attendance at their new location.

Success was measured through attendance, increased funding, and overall growth. All performances were well attended, with between 82% and 94% of the audience staying for the post-production talkbacks: a measure of engagement. AE also secured funding from the Indiana Historical Society for a locally written play about the role of the media in the decline of the Indiana KKK and funding to “take the play on the road” in summer of 2022 from the Community Foundation. AE provided all performances in their new building and was also able to hold children’s classes, and while starting small, attracted a diverse group and has started a new program engaging poets, playwrights, and script writers.

Grantee:  South Bend Chamber Singers – Saint Mary’s College
Project:  South Bend Chamber Singers 2021-22 Season
Amount:  $2,500
Date Approved:  06/15/2021
Final Report Submitted:  07/05/2022

The South Bend Chamber Singers (SBCS) received $2,500 to support their 33rd season during 2021-2022. This season featured three performances: the Christmas at Loretto, a joint performance of Verdi’s La Traviata with the South Bend Lyric Opera and the South Bend Symphony, and Day is Done.

The biggest challenge the organization faced throughout the 2021-2022 concert season was dealing with lingering COVID-19 concerns, quarantine, and other restrictions. SBCS set out to be as safe as possible, asking all choristers to be vaccinated before the season began. However, most of the year was unfortunately spent rehearsing and performing in masks. Fortunately, they performed all three planned concerts without issue.

SBCS used ticket sales and voucher exchanges, identifiable collaborations, performed music commissions, and the development and usage of surveys for both performers and audience members to measure success. Informally, measures also included verbal and written reactions of the audience and the media reviews. Christmas at Loretto saw 325 attendees at Saint Mary’s College and 150 in South Haven, Michigan; this performance also marked the first live performance in two years. La Traviata sold 721 tickets, bringing the attendance to 91% of the Leighton Concert Hall capacity and Day is Done had 275 attendees. Feedback and reviews from both of these concerts was also very positive.

Grantee:  South Bend Venues Parks and Arts Foundation
Project:  Best. Week. Ever. 2022 Traveling Art Exhibit
Amount:  $2,500
Date Approved:  06/21/2022
Final Report Submitted:  11/11/2022

South Bend Venues Parks and Arts Foundation (SBVPA) received $2,500 to support the Best. Week. Ever. 2022 Traveling Art “Exhibit.” The plan was originally to incorporate many canvases from numerous artists, but the project shifted into a community art project.

The biggest success the organization saw during the project was the number of participants. The birthday card was illustrated and painted by 1600 attendees over the course of the two-day celebration. Community members then signed the birthday card with congratulatory remarks over the course of the festival. Overall, over 2,000 community members of all ages and ethnicities were able to participate in free art projects. Volunteers and community members alike were sharing positive remarks throughout the celebration.

The main challenge faced was being unable to secure the original artists to do the live painting, so SBVPA improvised by having community members participate in the “live painting” by painting and signing a giant, wooden birthday card. The idea of having multiple artists painting birthday features and placing them around South Bend also wasn’t feasible. Due to the unpredictability of weather and crowd turnout, it was difficult to engage artists for public art demonstrations. By changing the plan to the balloon art and birthday card, SBVPA was able to control the timeline and location of each feature.

Grantee:  The Acting Ensemble
Project:  Boyd Gurley and the Decline of the KKK in Indiana
Amount:  $2,225
Date Approved:  12/21/2021
Final Report Submitted:  12/09/2022

The Acting Ensemble (AE) received $2,225 to support their production of Boyd Gurley and the Decline of the KKK in Indiana titled Kluckers. They presented the show six times at AE’s building and the History Museum. Funding received was used to expand the production of the play to add additional locations and audiences with emphasis on minority communities and historical societies.

One challenge the organization faced was securing locations for the play. Due to concern about a possible conservative reaction to the production, including violence and unease with the topic itself, 3 locations declined to host despite interest in the topic. The picture on the program was changed from one of the KKK to one of the actors in the play to decrease negative reaction and unease among audience members.

Project successes were measured through feedback, new performance locations, and attendance metrics. In addition to presenting in their building, AE took the play to three additional locations, the Elkhart County Historical Museum, The First Unitarian Church of South Bend and the Westside Leadership Academy, a high school in Gary, Indiana. Audience size was 21 to 95 (Gary), total of 154 attending, with 96% staying for the post-play discussion indicating a high level of engagement with the content. The audience rated the play as meeting or exceeding expectations 100% of the time. The play generated productive discussion of institutional racism, how people receive news today, and the role over time of both racist movements and black resistance movements. CFSJC funds were focused on St. Joseph County efforts.

African American Community Fund Grants

Grant reports for AACF are limited for this dashboard time period as many supported events were postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Grantee:  South Bend Symphony Orchestra
Project:  2022 Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Concerts
Amount:  $3,000
Date Approved:  01/18/2022
Final Report Submitted:  07/15/2022

In collaboration with former IUSB Dean of the Arts, Marvin Curtis and two church gospel choirs, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra (SBSO) conducted “Celebration for a King” at Olivet AME Church and Sweet Home Ministries. SBSO received $3,000 to fund the project. The Celebration for a King project is one of the initiatives specifically outlined in SBSO’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion five-year strategic plan. The goal of this project was to impact underrepresented community populations in meaningful ways through collaboration.

Challenges SBSO faced were mainly related to the pandemic. These challenges included the postponement of one of the three planned concerts. Rescheduling interfered with the momentum of the three events intended to be done in succession surrounding Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The performance was rescheduled at a later time, and the footage was captured as originally intended. The project was also a learning opportunity for SBSO staff as it touched every staff perspective – operations, community engagement, development, marketing, etc. and good communication is always necessary.

SBSO measured success through total audience hours (the governing measurable outcome metric applied to all Symphony activity – concerts, community engagement, education, etc.) as well as total audience numbers. “Celebration for a King” saw 2327 audience members and 2359 total audience hours. Roughly 110 new audience members were engaged, a big success given the goals of this project.

Personal Story: Music Directors Emorja Roberson (Olivet AME Church) and Turrell O’Neal (Sweet Home Ministries) described the powerful impact that these collaborations with African American churches have within the community. They each spoke to the importance of bringing musicians together in the places and environments – in this case the sanctuaries of historically black churches – where their own art thrives. These collaborative concerts not only produced a new fusion of performance practices, but introduced new audiences to SBSO ensembles, and the joy of these musical partnerships.