The Charitable Assets Pillar

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HTC General Overview

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs along with Ball State University's Building Better Communities, Indiana Grantmakers Alliance, Indiana Rural Development Council, Purdue University's Center for Regional Development/Extension Service, and USDA - Rural Development are pleased to introduce an exciting new tool called the Indiana - HomeTown Competitiveness (IHTC) Pilot Program. IHTC harnesses the power of the nationally recognized community development program entitled: HomeTown Competitiveness.

The IHTC Partners listed above believe in the potential of IHTC and have committed various resources to help communities initiate, implement, and sustain the activities associated with the four crucial pillars.

Washington County HTC Overview

Washington County Hometown Competitiveness’ (WCHTC) mission is to foster community and economic growth, creating a bright and prosperous future which encourages people to live, work and serve here. 

We will accomplish this by

This program has a proven record of helping smaller and more rural communities build significantly stronger and more sustainable development.

The Charitable Asset Pillar

In Washington County, we are fortunate that we have a successful, sustainable community foundation.  The Washington County Community Foundation was established in 1993.  In our first 15 years, we have issued over $1.5M in grants to Washington County and we have secured over $6.3M in grants and scholarships from outside sources, for a total impact of $7.8M for our county. 

Like many rural counties, we face significant community and economic challenges.  However, we have the resources, ingenuity and capability to overcome the challenges we currently face.  In the next decade, as well as in the next fifty years, we have a great opportunity to work together and build our charitable assets so that our children and grandchildren will have greater opportunities to live and work in Washington County. 

The Great Depression in the 1930s and World War II in the 1940s challenged America’s very soul.  The Depression ended, we won World War II and America entered into a golden age of growth and prosperity.

Think about it -- over the past 50 years Americans produced great wealth that is today transferring from one generation to the next.  Boston College estimates that during the next 50 years, $41 trillion of wealth will be transferred.  This is a remarkable opportunity for making America and its communities stronger.

Our team at the Community Assistance Initiative has developed a methodology for estimating the transfer of wealth (TOW) opportunity for states and counties. 

Their analysis found that the current net worth for the county is $1.11 billion in 2005.  Over the next 50 years, the estimated TOW for the county is $1.46 billion.  During the coming decade, the TOW is $270 million. 

If over the coming decade alone, just 5% of this TOW opportunity could be captured into county endowments, nearly $13.5 million would be realized.  With a conservative 5% payout, an estimated $680 thousand would be available annually for community betterment.  Just imagine what we could do with an extra $680 thousand!

Please consider joining our WCHTC efforts by bequeathing just 5% of your estate to your favorite charity or to our community fund through the Washington County Community Foundation.  We truly can make Washington County a better place to live and work for our children and grandchildren.

For more information, please contact the Washington County Community Foundation at 812-883-7334. 

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