Nineteen non-profit organizations received a total of over $135,000 in grants Wednesday at the Terre Haute Holiday Inn.

Wabash Valley Community Foundation volunteers chose each group. The non-profits were chosen after a long and competitive application process.

The grants come from donors who give money to reinvest in the community. Efforts also go towards saving up money for non-profits.

The Wabash Valley Community Foundation gave out more than $135,000 dollars in grants Wednesday. Gifts ranged from $500 to 30,000 dollars.

The foundation awarded 19 agencies.

Each organization spoke about what the money will provide.

Leaders say it feels good to be able to support the community.

Beth Tevlin, the Executive Director of the Wabash Valley Community Foundation says,” We’re very humbled to be able to have donors who've invested in the community foundation and then we're very humbled to be able to partner with all of these great organizations and be able to give them grants. If we had more unrestricted endowed funds, we would be able to give more grants because there are non-profits out there who have fabulous ideas for programs that will really benefit Vigo County."

Community foundations suffered steep investment losses last year, ending a five-year streak of positive returns and damaging their purchasing power, according to a new report from the Council on Foundations, an organization that represents grant makers.

Stocks accounted for just over 53 percent of community foundations investment portfolios last year, down from 61 percent in 2007. Alternative investments, such as hedge funds, accounted for more than 20 percent of foundation portfolios last year, up from less than 1 percent nine years earlier.

The Council on Foundations report, 2008 Investment Performance and Practices of Community Foundations can be ordered from the councils Web site, by faxing an order form to 703-879-0988