Hendricks County Community Foundation Supports Indiana Agricultural Leadership Program
Agricultural and rural leaders across the state rely on the AgrIInstitute to provide leadership development and to prepare leaders to advance agriculture in their communities. The Agricultural Leadership Program (ALP) provides training sessions locally and educational experiences in both Washington D.C. and abroad to agricultural students across the state. The program focuses on education on public policy issues impacting agriculture and leadership skill development. While tuition is $5,000 per member, the total investment for each participant is approximately $15,000.
Since its beginning, AgrIInstitute has provided this training to nearly 500 individuals. Hendricks County is home to seventeen of the graduates of the ALP. Hendricks County ALP graduates include: David Booher, Sarah Browning, Lynn Campbell, Jerry and Vyanne Chandler, Denise Derrer, Michael Edmondson, Todd Greenwood, David Hardin, Michael Larr, Jamie Price, Vanessa Smith, Hal Truax, David Whicker, David Wyeth, Amy Berg, and Brooke Smith.
To continue growing and developing strong leaders in the agriculture world, the Hendricks County Community Foundation (HCCF) awarded AgrIInstitute $513 from the Hendricks County AgrIInstitute Fund to provide a portion of the funds needed to administer the two-year program. "ALP provides a valuable platform for the adults who are actively engaged in serving agriculture to become better informed and skilled decision-makers and leaders for agriculture locally and nationally," said Beth Archer, the Executive Director of the AgrIInstitute. "The investment made in this program is one that will have a lasting benefit as these leaders advance the industry that feeds the world."
The Hendricks County AgrIInstitute Fund is a permanent, designated fund at HCCF that was established in 2010 and grants every year to the organization to support their programs. Designated funds like this one empower people who care about Hendricks County to forever support a charity they believe in. HCCF President and CEO William Rhodehamel expressed the importance of designated funds, "Designated funds like the Hendricks County AgrIInstitute Fund are one of the simplest and most effective ways for donors to invest their money in organizations they love."