The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution announced Friday that the organization will donate $10,000 to the  Indiana Bar Foundation to teach about the United States Constitution. Funding for this project was made possible through the sponsorship of the Rushville, Ind. chapter, National Society DAR.  

The grant will allow for the training of up to 25 teachers in the We The People civic education curriculum. The bar foundation predicts the training could mean that as many as 600 new students annually will learn about the U.S. Constitution and their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Since the elimination in federal funding in 2010, the foundation has maintained resources for teachers but has been limited in expanding the program to train new teachers.

“We are thrilled to receive such a generous donation from the DAR,” said Charles R. Dunlap, executive director of the foundation. “Indiana needs more informed and engaged citizens, and with this training for teachers, we can ensure that future generations have the grounding in civics to become active members of their communities.”
               
The National Society DAR provides grant funding to support projects in local communities which promote the organization’s mission areas of historic preservation, education and patriotism. The DAR Special Projects Grants program was started in 2010. The DAR receives hundreds of applications for funds each year, so applicants must follow a thorough process.  Interested groups must be sponsored by a local DAR chapter, submit a copy of their 501(c)(3) IRS documentation, and include a narrative that describes the need and urgency of the project as well as planned activities and benefits to the community which will result from the grant.  

The National Society DAR was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for children. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With nearly 170,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world’s largest and most active service organizations.