By Kallie Sulanke—
MUNCIE, Ind.—The Community Foundation is pleased to announce that $3,763,453 was granted to enhance the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County in 2021. Most grants are awarded through permanently endowed funds that benefit our community today and always.
Through the Quarterly Competitive grants program, non-profit organizations were awarded $995,402 in highly competitive grants. Grants address the broad needs of Muncie and Delaware County in the areas of arts and culture, community betterment, economic development, education, and human services. The Community Foundation received more than $1.4 million in requests this year. A committee of 12 volunteers reviews each application and makes grant recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
The Strategic Grants program of the Foundation funds programs and projects designed to impact specific, strategic areas of our community. This year, $270,000 was granted through the Strategic Grants program. Grants included operating support for Delaware County BY5 Early Childhood Initiative and Delaware Advancement Corporation; training for nonprofit organizations through CORE Fundraising; Mental Health First Aid Training for educators; participation in Funders Forum, a collaborative funding effort by local funders; and several other strategic programs and initiatives of the Foundation.
Additional grant programs support specific areas of community interest. Local teachers and educators received $12,819 in classroom grants through the Robert P. Bell Teacher Grants program. The Maxon Foundation Fund supported at-risk families and children with $84,348. The Harry and Janet Kitselman Fund granted $116,849 to programs focused on fine art, recreation, children, and the history of East Central Indiana. The Gaston Town Endowment Fund, Liberty Perry Selma Town Endowment Fund, and Town of Yorktown Endowment Fund awarded $4,500, $1,000, and $3,500 respectively to support programs and projects benefiting those communities. Additional grant dollars supported key programs and initiatives of the Foundation.
The Community Foundation additionally manages 32 donor advised funds. Donor advisors recommended $586,525 in grants this year.
Also, the Foundation manages funds designated to the mission of specific organizations or causes established by donors or by the organizations the fund benefits. These permanently endowed designated funds provide ongoing support for the organizations they benefit. Grants from designated funds totaled $1,402,397 in 2021.
Lastly, scholarships totaling $222,380 were awarded to graduating seniors from local high schools and current college students to support post-secondary education.
About the Foundation
The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. encourages philanthropy, assists donors in building an enduring source of charitable assets, and exercises leadership in directing resources to enhance the quality of life for residents of Muncie and Delaware County. Since 1985, community members and businesses have helped the Foundation grow our endowment to $80 million. Using the earnings on the endowment, the Foundation distributes grants to non-profit organizations, including scholarships to support students through post-secondary education. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than $57 million to enhance the quality of life of the residents of Muncie and Delaware County.
