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Strengthening Owen County Communities
COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Notable Partnerships
Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development
High School Alumni Funds
Indiana Association of United Ways
McCormick's Creek State Park
Owen County Cemetery Assoc.
Owen County Township Funds
Owen County Public Library
Smithville Charitable Foundation
Spencer-Owen Community Schools
Town of Gosport
Town of Spencer
OCCF Supports Community & Economic Development
2021 Grantees
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Beech Cemetery Association: Designated grant from the Irene & Arthur Kelley Beech Cemetery Fund
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Carolina Church & Cemetery Association: Designated grant from the Carolina Cemetery Fund
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Fiscus Cemetery: Designated grant from the William Donald & Maxine Wells Fiscus Cemetery Fund
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Gosport Business Association: Christmas decorations for Main Street
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Gosport Business Association: Clock restoration
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New Union Carolina Church & Cemetery: Church remodel
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Owen County Chamber of Commerce: Designated grant from the Economic Development Fund
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Owen County Chamber of Commerce: Back-to-School Expo
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Owen County Chamber of Commerce: Community fireworks display
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Owen County Chamber of Commerce: Overstreet Center for Entrepreneurship partnership
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Owen County Chamber of Commerce: Chamber membership for Lewis Worman HOA
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Owen County Public Library: Outdoor pavilion
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Patricksburg Lutheran Cemetery: Designated grant from Irene & Arthur Kelley Patricksburg Lutheran Cemetery Fund
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Riverside Cemetery Association: Designated grant from Riverside Cemetery Fund
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Riverside Cemetery Association: Development of new cemetery section
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Spencer VFW Auxiliary Post 1405: 9/11 and PFC Brett Wood remembrance event
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Town of Gosport: Cleanup and maintenance of Gosport Town Park
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Town of Spencer: MYPath South Main Street Project
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Town of Spencer: Security for Public Restroom Project
2021 COVID-19 Recovery Grants
Non-Profit Organizations
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Cunot Community Center Inc.
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Cunot Food Pantry
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Delta Theta Tau Sorority IOTA CHI Chapter
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First Church of the Nazarene
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Friends of McCormick’s Cree State Park
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Girl Scout Troop 04698
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Gosport Community Building
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Gosport Lazy Days Festival
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Kappa Kappa Sigma
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Owen County 4-H Council
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Owen County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development
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Owen County Farmers’ Market
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Owen County Public Library
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Rev 20, Inc.
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Senior Friends of Owen County
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Spencer Lions Club
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Spencer Pride, Inc.
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Tivoli Theatre
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Upland PEAK Sanctuary
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VFW Auxiliary Post 1405
Small Businesses
Indiana OCRA Funds Administered by OCCF
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Abram Farm, LLC
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Bill Ranard Auto Repair
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Chambers Restaurant
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Civilian Brewing Corps
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Cliff’s Edge Paintball
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Ed’s Body Shop
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Elliott Construction
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Frye Towing
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Genuine Auto Service
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Gosport Dental Clinic
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Insurance Pros - Brinson Agency
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Interior Restorations
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Mader Mill
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Main Street Coffee
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McCormick’s Creek Stables
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Nate’s Candy Jar
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Simple Divine Suds
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Reeves Farm Market
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Rolling Meadows Golf Course
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Show Barn Quality Equipment
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World Arts, Inc.
Past and Present Grant Stories
Incubating Owen County's Bright Ideas
Program proudly supported by the Owen County Community Foundation
$35,500 Granted to Overstreet Center for Entrepreneurship in 2021
The Overstreet Center for Entrepreneurship is Owen County’s new coworking and shared co-working space. Our members are startups, freelancers, new workforce, remote workers, creatives, side hustlers, and small companies. Members will enjoy a beautiful workspace in Spencer with natural light, business equipment, podcast room, free coffee, free printing, and super, fast WiFi. Users will be more comfortable and productive.
Program Overview:
The Overstreet Center for Entrepreneurship will be located on the second floor of the OCCCEDC building located at 119 S. Main Street, Spencer, Indiana. The OST will occupy 1920 sq. ft. accommodating ten office spaces with lockers, a conference room, media room, and a communal space with kitchenette and unisex restroom facilities. The OST will offer Owen County’s independent workforce a physical home to advance business initiatives and economic development. Several scheduling packages will be offered ranging from 365/24/7 access to a nights and weekends only availability. The priorities of the OST include the following initiatives:
(1) to attract and train the region’s future work force
(2) to provide physical business resources, WIFI access, and amenities for OST members
(3) to develop opportunities to support diverse and minority owned businesses through program and resource access
(4) to partner with the Gayle and Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship to aid OST members in business start-up and growth
(5) to collaborate with area industry employers.
A compelling component of the OST Center for Entrepreneurship is the partnering with the Gayle and Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship. The OST will be able to offer access to such academic courses as business planning, marketing, taxes, and finance for the entrepreneur. In addition, the partnership will also afford the clients of the OST resources for business consulting and involvement in community programs and seminars that engage the entrepreneur. The OST also seeks to partner with area industry employers for expertise and input regarding in-demand jobs. Collaborating with local industries that will open up opportunities for creative response and economic advancement for diverse and minority owned businesses, provide input into work-base needed skills, and insights into the demands of the market for the entrepreneur. The Covid-19 pandemic fostered a collaborative spirit within the Owen County community which has been the catalyst for exceptional economic growth. The Owen County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development has witnessed this unprecedented growth and wishes to align with the need of the growing business community by providing capacity building resources through the OST co-working space. The Overstreet center will be a viable component of the future economic development of the county and region.
- Owen County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development
$21,300 Granted to Owen County Public Library in 2010
Every Child Ready to Read - Owen County Public Library
Research on early literacy and brain development indicates that it is never too early to prepare children for success as readers. Trained personnel from OCPL will present early literacy concepts in a story-time format for young children and parents who are their first teachers. Initiating the project in under-served areas of Owen County, story-times will be held in Coal City, Cunot, Freedom, Gosport, and Patricksburg. Children and parents will focus on six pre-reading skills that children must know in order to learn to read. Repeated meetings with children in a fun, story time format will offer repetition of early literacy concepts, as well as opportunities for parents to check out children's library books from a rotating collection. OCCF thanks the Smithville Charitable Foundation for $21,300 in grant support and OCPS for in-kind support to help the youngest Owen County residents learn to read.