History

Our story starts and
ends with community.

For nearly 40 years the Vandalia-Butler Foundation has worked with generous individuals, families and businesses to focus squarely on assessing and responding to community needs with flexibility and compassion.

The Vandalia-Butler Foundation has always been a catalyst for positive change in our community.

In 1983, Vandalia-Butler City Schools Superintendent Phillip G. Price convened a group of local leaders to look into ways the community could support enrichment projects not eligible for tax dollars or existing sources of funds. This group researched options, reviewed the experience of other communities, and encouraged local interest and participation.

In 1985, the Vandalia-Butler Foundation was formally established through the Dayton Foundation. In the early days, the Foundation’s trustees raised funds for specific initiatives, such as the Vandalia Food Center (now the Vandalia-Butler Food Pantry) and asbestos removal in the schools.

Today, the Foundation supports a wide variety of initiatives from the Passport to Safety Program for incoming kindergarteners to a leading-edge STEM curriculum at the high school. Our long-term scholarship funds help support the dreams of deserving graduating seniors. When discretionary grants and the Small Business Opportunity grant are added to the mix, our philanthropy — fueled by your generosity — makes a lasting impact.

In 2018, the Foundation was named the 2018 Non-Profit of the Year by the Vandalia-Butler Chamber of Commerce. In 2022, the Foundation received an Award for Excellence in Community Leadership from The Dayton Foundation after dispersing a record volume of grants to classroom teachers.