The Scott County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the establishment of an endowment fund to benefit a local organization. The Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District Fund will provide income for Scott County?s SWCD and protect their ability to meet future needs.

The Scott County Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that assists donors with their charitable giving. Donations are invested in endowment funds, where only a portion of the earnings is spent, thereby ensuring the fund supports a donor?s passion for generations to come.

The Scott County SWCD was the first organization to take advantage of a new program offered by the Community Foundation to grow funds over time. The Acorn Fund program allows donors to establish a fund with $1,000 and grow to $5,000, the minimum required for endowment funds, over a period of five years. SWCD supporters have been faithful in their quest to grow the fund, and took only three years to reach their goal after they established the fund in 2009.

Scott County?s SWCD addresses issues such as agricultural conservation, urban conservation, forestry, wildlife habitat enhancement, water management, land use change and natural resource education. They have numerous activities to support their mission, including the Cover Crop and Clean Creek Clinic, Stewardship Week, Hardy Lake Sweep, Agribusiness committee, free wildlife food plot seed, pasture and hay land workshop, education programs at the schools, and much more. By working to protect and conserve Scott County?s soil and water resources, they are not only benefiting farmers, but all residents of our community.

Through their endowment fund, these efforts will have additional support. Farmers have many creative options of giving to the fund, including:? instruct your grain elevator to make the first 200 bushels of your delivery the property of the Scott County Community Foundation and have them assign the check directly to the Foundation (this may be the most tax efficient option). Or farmers may choose to give $1 per acre; or an amount of their choice per chicken, cow, hog, etc. Donors may send a tax-deductible check to the Scott County Community Foundation for the Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District Fund.

?It is great that the Scott County Community Foundation and Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District have partnered with each other to make this happen,? said SWCD Board Chairman John Hardin. ?Good soil health, conservation, and water quality will be thought of for many years to come. Thank you to all the SWCD partners and contributors, now and in the future.?

For more information on donating to the Scott County SWCD Fund at the Scott County Community Foundation, please call 752-2057, email info@www.scottcountyfoundation.org or stop in the office at 60 N. Main St., Scottsburg.