How fun was that?!
It’s been a great two-plus years for the Little Big Idea Grant. We’ve loved seeing all the creativity and fun this program brought out from people who quite obviously love living in Elkhart County.
Here are just a few reminders of how much we accomplished since Little Big Idea Grants started in summer 2017.

Grant Highlights
Grants Awarded
Date Awarded | Applicant | Award | Name of Event |
July, 2017 | Clarke, Kim | $1,000 | Pumpkin Races |
July, 2017 | Bennett, Tom | $1,000 | Waky Gardens |
August, 2017 | Cooper, Joshua | $500 | Goshen Rocks |
August, 2017 | Schroeder, Leah | $1,000 | Goshen Youth Art |
August, 2017 | Judd, Macey | $1,000 | The Makery |
August, 2017 | Ulloa, Nayo | $750 | Encuentro in the Alley |
August, 2017 | Smart, Damond | $1,000 | Memory Cups |
September, 2017 | Stillson, Rocki | $1,000 | Countywide Treasure Hunt |
September, 2017 | Sokolowski, Elizabeth | $1,000 | Central HS Casting Kits |
October, 2017 | Meeks-Wade, Susie | $1,000 | Lunar Lunch |
October, 2017 | Poling, Betsy | $1,000 | Litte Library Boxes |
October, 2017 | Allen, Laury | $1,000 | Heroes of Hope |
November, 2017 | Joldersma, Banita | $1,000 | Pots of Grace |
November, 2017 | Taylor, Robert | $1,000 | Canvas and Kool-Aid |
November, 2017 | Clarke, Kim | $1,000 | Faces of Middlebury |
December, 2017 | Ambrosen, Kelsey | $1,000 | Scavenger Book Hunt |
December, 2017 | Bienz, Delilah | $250 | Positive Posters |
December, 2017 | Kroening, Lindsey | $750 | Goshen HS Guinea Pigs |
December, 2017 | Stofleth, Jalyn | $1,000 | Shine through Slime |
December, 2017 | Thompson, Trot | $1,000 | No Bullying Club |
December, 2017 | Kovach, Wendy | $1,000 | Makerspace Supplies |
December, 2017 | Munoz, Virginia | $1,000 | Spanish Play Date Class |
January, 2018 | Blosser, Tricia | $1,000 | Multi-Dance Concert |
January, 2018 | Bawtinheimer, Sally | $650 | Little Library |
January, 2018 | Korte, Gregory | $1,000 | Windmill in Goshen |
January, 2018 | Rauch, Elisha | $1,000 | Kids Sports Podcast Update |
January, 2018 | Rothshank, Justin | $1,000 | Vase Giveaway |
February, 2018 | Miller, Annika | $1,000 | Student Mural |
February, 2018 | Stillson, Jeff | $1,000 | Flower Gardens Art in Bloom |
March, 2018 | Beachey, Carrie | $1,000 | Fiber Art in Art Alley |
March, 2018 | Wagner, Amanda | $1,000 | Youth Art Sale |
March, 2018 | Coleman, Stephanie | $1,000 | Parent Literacy Night-Elkhart Schools |
March, 2018 | Czarnecki, Jamison | $1,000 | Elkhart Bike to Work Day |
March, 2018 | Parker, Paula | $1,000 | CAPS Cookie & Canvas |
May, 2018 | Gull, Carla | $500 | Nature Play Days |
May, 2018 | Stemm, Brooke | $1,000 | Kits & Canvas |
June, 2018 | Lackore, Mary | $1,000 | Pedal Power Bike Shop |
June, 2018 | Anderson, Carol | $1,000 | Bristol Library Grand Opening |
June, 2018 | Finefrock, Branston | $1,000 | Friendly Friday |
June, 2018 | Scharf, Adam | $1,000 | Art in the Barn |
July, 2018 | Beauchamp, Desiree | $1,000 | Imaginarium Spectorium |
September, 2018 | Miller, Mekenna | $1,000 | Refresh Church Community Services Food Pantry |
October, 2018 | Dechnik, Stacy | $750 | Goshen Artisan Holiday Market |
November, 2018 | Kramer, Kelly | $500 | St Pat's Scavenger Hunt |
November, 2018 | Clarke, Kim | $1,000 | Recyclable Boat Races |
January, 2019 | Agutu, Achieng | $1,000 | NONE Art Event |
January, 2019 | Kauffman, Darla | $1,000 | Night of Nostalgia |
January, 2019 | Brow, Liz | $250 | Lemonpalooza Nappanee |
February, 2019 | Beachey, Carrie | $1,000 | Public Art Piece |
February, 2019 | Mitchell, Michael | $1,000 | Bristol Christmas Decorations |
March, 2019 | Pieri, Chuck | $1,000 | Elkhart Library Party in the Moonlight |
March, 2019 | Brubaker, Phoebe | $1,000 | Celebrate Mothers |
March, 2019 | Enright, Tom | $1,000 | Wild Animal Show |
April, 2019 | Short, Ida | $1,000 | Pirate Printing Day |
April, 2019 | Beauchamp, Desiree | $1,000 | Puppet Parade |
April, 2019 | Worsham, Amy | $1,000 | Downtown Murals/Social Media |
May, 2019 | Davis, Jo Ellen | $1,000 | Sprouts Kids Club |
May, 2019 | Busari, Oluwatobi | $1,093 | Children's Radio Show |
May, 2019 | King, Amy | $1,000 | Buddyboxes |
June, 2019 | Egan, Allison | $1,000 | Elkhart River Cleanup |
June, 2019 | Bodenhorn, Suzanne | $1,000 | Camp Crafty |
June, 2019 | Musley, Shaima | $1,000 | Recycle Fashion Show |
July, 2019 | Beachey, Carrie | $1,000 | Public Art Program |
August, 2019 | Steury, Paul | $998 | Nature Journals, Bags |
September, 2019 | Pieri, Linda | $1,000 | Community Painting |
September, 2019 | Pairitz, Stephanie | $1,000 | Epic Holidaze |
September, 2019 | Boucher, Marcus | $1,000 | Infinity Box |
September, 2019 | Graber, Viki | $1,000 | Living Willow Structure |
September, 2019 | Freeto, Steve | $1,000 | Coffee House Stories |
September, 2019 | Rothshank, Justin | $1,000 | Scavenger Hunt |
October, 2019 | Beachey, Carrie | $750 | Youth Art Exhibit |
October, 2019 | Kempher, Dave | $1,000 | Pasture Productions |
October, 2019 | Ervin, Tina | $700 | Goshen Library on the Go |
November, 2019 | Beauchamp, Desiree | $1,000 | Found Sculptures |
November, 2019 | Beauchamp, Desiree | $1,000 | Found Gift Cards |
November, 2019 | Beauchamp, Desiree | $1,000 | Crayon Sculpture |
November, 2019 | Davis, Paul | $1,000 | Silent Movie at the Lerner |
November, 2019 | Ardahji, Mo | $1,000 | 100 Tulip Trees |
November, 2019 | Crump, Larry | $1,000 | Project Amplify Art |
November, 2019 | Rothshank, Brooke | $1,000 | Own Image Paper Dolls |
December, 2019 | Eckelbarger, Amanda | $1,000 | Strut for Strays |
December, 2019 | Busari, Idris | $1,000 | Baby Rave |
December, 2019 | Carter, Dorothy Jean | $1,000 | Women of Color Art Show |
December, 2019 | Mahaja, Sunday | $1,000 | Sculptural Bike Rack |
January, 2020 | Elizalde, Jose | $500 | Game Night |
January, 2020 | Grant, Willie | $1,000 | Chess on the Plaza |
January, 2020 | Enright, Tom | $1,000 | Clean Water |
January, 2020 | Brown, Don | $1,000 | Bike Painting |
January, 2020 | Steury, Paul | $1,000 | Weed Scavenger Hunt |