Dubois County Chamber Expands Quarterly Grant Program for Businesses, Nonprofits

The Dubois County Chamber of Commerce announced an expanded quarterly grant program March 6 that it says will create new funding opportunities for locally owned businesses and nonprofit organizations across Dubois County, according to local reporting by 18 WJTS. The station described the initiative as designed to support growth, innovation, and community impact throughout the area.

Sources differ on the size of awards. 18 WJTS reported the updated program would award $1,000 to a Chamber-member business and $500 to a nonprofit organization. The Chamber’s own 2025 program post and reporting in the Dubois County Herald, however, show business grants of $1,500: the Herald reported the Chamber presented a 4th Quarter Business Grant of $1,500 to Legendary Lanes in Huntingburg on January 14, 2026. No single source in the record explains or reconciles the differing figures.

Eligibility requirements for businesses are explicit in Chamber materials and the WJTS report. Applicants must be physically located in Dubois County, be locally owned and operated, employ 50 or fewer full-time employees, be a member of the Dubois County Chamber of Commerce, and be in good standing with the Indiana Secretary of State. The Chamber’s site adds that applications must be fully completed to be considered and directs applicants to download the application or contact the Chamber office.

Nonprofit eligibility is listed in the WJTS coverage: nonprofit applicants must serve Dubois County residents, be physically located in the county, operate locally, and be in good standing with the Indiana Secretary of State. WJTS also notes full eligibility requirements and application forms for both business and nonprofit grants are available on the Chamber’s website.

The Chamber and WJTS provide examples of permissible uses: equipment purchases, facility improvements, marketing initiatives, program expansion, and other investments that strengthen local organizations and services. The Herald’s coverage of the Legendary Lanes award gives a concrete example: owner Carrie Boerner plans to use the $1,500 to cover facility updates and to purchase new child-sized bowling shoes. The Herald also reported Legendary Lanes partners with SIRS and local nursing homes, hosts fundraising events for school teams, and supports other community organizations. Angie Sanchez-Hostetter, executive director of the Dubois County Chamber of Commerce, told the Herald, "Legendary Lanes is a great example of a business that truly gives back to its community," and "The Chamber is proud to support a business that provides safe, healthy entertainment for Dubois County while continuing to invest in improvements for the future."

Application timing differs across sources. The Chamber’s 2025 post lists an application deadline of Dec. 10 for that cycle; 18 WJTS reported on March 6, 2026 that applications for the current round must be submitted by March 30. Applicants can contact the Chamber office at (812) 827-4095 or at 327 E. 4th Street, Huntingburg, IN 47542 for forms and membership information. WJTS and the Chamber site both emphasize that full application materials and eligibility details are available through the Chamber.

The Chamber’s website frames the 2025 post as a continuation of its Quarterly Business Grant Program and the Herald’s Jan. 14, 2026 presentation to Legendary Lanes documents an active award cycle into early 2026. With the March 6 announcement described by WJTS as an expansion, the program remains an ongoing source of small-dollar capital and operating support for county businesses and nonprofits while questions about current award sizes and deadlines remain unresolved.