By: Eunice Whitlock—
Muncie, Ind. – The Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County, Inc. is awarding $617,750 to 17 nonprofit organizations during the first Quarterly Competitive Grant Cycle of 2016.
The Community Foundation’s purpose is to improve the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County for this generation and generations to come. To that end, Quarterly Competitive Grants are awarded to fund projects for which there is a demonstrable community benefit in one of the following areas of interest: arts and culture, human services, economic development, education and community betterment.
The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. is a publicly supported philanthropic institution governed by a volunteer board of local citizens. The Foundation manages contributions donated by individuals, businesses and corporations as a permanent community endowment. Distributions from these funds are given back to the community in the form of grants to nonprofit organizations and agencies. To date, more than $40 million has been awarded to enrich the lives of the residents of Muncie and Delaware County.
Unless otherwise noted, the following grants were awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc.
A Better Way Services, Inc., received $40,000 (partial funding from the Bassett Family Fund, Jane Harrell Buckles Fund, William and Margaret Dutton Fund, Julian and Suzanne Gresham Fund, and Jeanne and John Smith Fund) to defray the cost of providing advocacy and services for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault and their children, a 24-hour suicide hotline and a general crisis hotline.
Big Brothers/Big Sisters, received $10,000 (from the Morris Youth Fund) to defray the cost of a community-based mentoring programming focused on the child as a whole in order to help them develop and maintain skills that enable and empower them to achieve educational and life success.
Bridges Community Services, Inc., received $46,150 (partial funding from the Bassett Family Fund, MutualBank Charitable Foundation Fund, and Jeanne and John Smith Fund) to defray the cost to repurpose programming efforts for services for the homeless including establishing a coordinated access point to act as an evaluation, hygiene, and placement center working in collaboration with other homeless providers in Delaware County.
Cancer Services of East Central Indiana, received $4,000 for the Miles for Health program designed to assist cancer patients with transportation costs to get to and from appointments through a physician-authored treatment verification process.
Cardinal Greenway, received $30,000 (partial funding from the Stefan and Joan Anderson Fund, Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Fund, John and Janice Fisher Unrestricted Endowment Fund, and Jon and Barbara Moll Fund) to defray the cost to control invasive vegetation along the trail including spraying for weeds and cutting back dangerous growth.
Christian Ministries of Delaware County, received $29,000 to defray the cost to replace the roof that covers their office, Treasure Shop Food Pantry, and homeless shelters.
Delaware Advancement Corporation received $100,000 (partial funding from the Economic Development Fund) to implement the Vision 2016 Economic Development Plan, which seeks to create 2,000 primary income jobs for the Delaware County community and attract $250 million in new investment.
Eaton Public Library, Inc., received $2,500 (from the MutualBank Charitable Foundation Fund) to update the cataloging and circulation process including a new computer, a subscription to a catalog service and migration of existing data.
Habitat for Humanity, received $50,000 (partial funding from the Ball Corporation Community Betterment Fund, John and Janice Fisher Quality of Place Fund, Jeff and Beth Lang Fund, and Old National Bank Fund) to defray the cost of the 2016 housing program including neighborhood revitalization projects in the Thomas Park/Avondale and South Central neighborhoods.
Home Savers of Delaware County, received $43,000 (partial funding from the Day Star Fund, Michael O. and Nicole T. Lunsford Fund, Mary Kate Pingry Fund, Jim and Mary Rosema Fund, Jeanne and John Smith Unrestricted Fund, and Faye Wingate Fund) to fund urgent home repairs and construct wheelchair ramps for up to 30 low-income homeowners that are ineligible for repairs through other funding means.
Muncie Civic Theatre Association, received $17,000 (from the Louisa and Waldo Beebe Unrestricted Endowment Fund, Gordon and Pam Cox Fund, MutualBank Charitable Foundation Fund, Martin D. and Helen B. Schwartz Unrestricted Named Endowment Fund, Shafer/Muncie Power Products Legacy Fund and the Mary Jane Sursa Fund) to replace the aging communication system, acquire a portable ramp for easier accessibility to the stage for program participants, and purchase virtual stage management software.
Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, received $5,000 (from the Endowment for the Arts Fund, Patrick and Marilyn Cleary Fund, Kent Shuff and Steve Fennimore Fund, Charles and Claudia Sursa Unrestricted Named Endowment Fund, and the Mary Jane Sursa Fund) to defray the cost of the 2016 Muncie Three Trails Music Series, a set of four free concerts featuring nationally known and critically acclaimed artists.
Shafer Leadership Academy, received $6,100 (from the John and Katherine Littler Fund, Mid-West Metal Products Fund, and the Hamer and Phyllis Shafer Fund) to provide scholarships for employees of local nonprofit organizations and neighborhood association members to attend the Emergence and Allegience leadership program.
Sustainable Muncie Corporation, received $75,000 to defray the cost of restroom facilities for the main floor for GearBox: Muncie.
TeenWorks, received $20,000 (partial funding from the Robert P. Bell Fund, Roni Johnson Fund, KAKATU Foundation/David and Joanna Meeks Fund, Francis Lafferty Fund, Morris Youth Fund, and Youth as Resources Fund) to provide a summer program focusing on employment and college readiness for 80 economically disadvantaged Muncie high school students to help prepare for success in college, careers and the community.
United Day Care Center, received $65,000 (partial funding from the 5000th Charitable Fund, Inc. Fund, Robert P. Bell Education Fund, Jane E. Hughes Fund, and Morris Youth Fund) to provide quality early childhood education and kindergarten readiness for 28 at-risk children at United Day Care Center, Huffer Children’s Center and BSU Child Study Center, a collaboration that captures matching funds through the Early Education Matching Grant (EEMG) from the State of Indiana.
Youth Opportunity Center, received $75,000 (partial funding from the Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Fund, William and Margaret Dutton Fund, Beulah M. Frogge Fund, Morris Youth Fund, Mac and Lila Warrell Endowment Fund, and Joseph and Janet Wilson Unrestricted Endowment Fund) to enhance treatment programs and increase visibility and safety by install lighting on campus, updating antiquated technolgy infrastructure, and replacing furniture, improving aging facilities and upgrading security for youth and families served.
For information on how to apply for Second Quarter 2016 Competitive Grants, visit our website at www.cfmdin.org or contact Marcy Minton, Senior Program Officer. The next deadline for nonprofit organizations to apply for a Quarterly Competitive Grant is April 8, 2016.
