By Kallie Sulanke—
MUNCIE, Ind.—Grants totaling $1,150,589 were awarded from The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County to benefit the community during the first two months of 2022. Most grants are awarded through permanently endowed funds that benefit our community today and always.
The Community Foundation’s purpose is to contribute to improving the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County for this generation and generations to come. Quarterly Competitive Grants are awarded to fund projects and programs for which there is a demonstrable community benefit in one of the following areas of interest: arts and culture, community betterment, economic development, education, and human services. The following grants were awarded through the Quarterly Competitive Grants Program:
A Better Way Services, Inc. received $60,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Beulah M. Frogge Fund, Shafer/Muncie Power Products Legacy Fund, Kent Shuff and Steve Fennimore Fund, Jeanne and John Smith Fund, and Charles and Claudia Sursa Unrestricted Named Endowment) to support the costs of operations.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Muncie received $60,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Jane Harrell Buckles Fund, Leap Managed IT Fund, Morris Youth Fund, MutualBank Charitable Foundation, and Youth as Resources Fund) to support the costs of operations.
Cardinal Greenway, Inc. received $35,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Fund, Gordon and Pam Cox Fund, Gayle and Jeannine Harrold Fund, and Bill and Nancy Mitchell Living Well in Delaware County) to support the costs of operations
City of Muncie Parks and Recreation Department received $11,633 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation and Mac and Lila Warrell Endowment Fund) to upgrade the safety of existing facilities.
Community Enhancement Projects received $27,500 (from the Ball Corporation Community Betterment Fund, Bassett Family Fund, and Historical Preservation Fund) for the Muncie Memory Spiral, an addition to Muncie’s park system and cultural landscape in Heekin Park.
Cornerstone Center for the Arts received $60,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, J. Robert and Joanne N. Baur Fund, Francis Lafferty Fund, John and Katherine Littler Fund, and David and Mary Jane Sursa Fund) to support the cost of operations.
Greater Muncie, IN Habitat for Humanity, Inc. received $60,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Jon and Barbara Moll Fund, Hamer and Phyllis Shafer Fund, Jeanne and John Smith Unrestricted Fund, and Mary Jane Sursa Fund) for the 2022 housing program.
Home Savers of Delaware County received $30,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Day Star Center Fund, Nancy J. Smith Fund, Daniel and Catharine Stewart Fund, and Joseph and Janet Wilson Unrestricted Endowment Fund) to provide urgent home repairs and accessibility modifications to low-income homeowners.
Muncie Arts and Culture Council received $38,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Patrick and Marilyn Cleary Fund, The Endowment for the Arts Fund, KAKATU Foundation/David and Joanna Meeks Fund, Mary Kate Pingry Fund, and Robert and Janet Stratton Fund) to support the cost of operations.
Muncie Children’s Museum received $50,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, 5000th Charitable Fund, Inc. Fund, Louisa and Waldo Beebe Unrestricted Endowment Fund, Jeff and Beth Lang Fund, and Morris Youth Fund) to support the More to Explore capital campaign.
Muncie Mission received $37,500 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, John and Janice Fisher Unrestricted Endowment Fund, Linda and Connie Gregory Fund, Julian and Suzanne Gresham Fund, and Jim and Mary Rosema Fund) to support a transitional housing neighborhood.
Ross Community Center received $35,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Gary Addison Fund, Jane E. Hughes Fund, John C. Kelly and Marcia Ressler Kelly Fund, Laura Stanley Keppler Fund, MutualBank Charitable Foundation Fund, and Wayne E. and Carolyn K. Thomas Fund) to support the cost of operations.
Shafer Leadership Academy received $10,000 (from the J. Robert and Joanne N. Baur Fund, William and Margaret Dutton Fund, and Martin D. and Helen B. Schwartz Unrestricted Named Endowment Fund) to support the cost of operations.
Urban Light Community Development Corporation received $30,000 (from The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Bassett Family Fund, Pat and Jane Botts Fund, Edgar Faulkner Sr./Ermal S. Roundtree Fund, Linda and Connie Gregory Fund, and Roni Johnson Fund) for the 2022 neighborhood engagement program and housing renovation project.
YMCA of Muncie received $75,000 (from the Stefan and Joan Anderson Unrestricted Fund, Economic Development Fund, John and Janice Fisher Quality of Place Endowment Fund, Michael O. and Nicole T. Lunsford Fund, Mid-West Metal Products Fund, and Ontario Systems – Wil Davis and Ron Fauquher Fund) to support their capital campaign for a new community YMCA.
YWCA Central Indiana received $55,000 (from the Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Fund, Muncie Power Products Community Impact Fund, Mary Kate Pingry Fund, Jeanne and John Smith Fund, and Faye Wingate Fund) to support the cost of operations.
Teachers often have instructional ideas they would like to implement in their classrooms. Sometimes, a lack of funds can prevent them from moving forward. The Robert P. Bell Education Grants are awarded to teachers with innovative ideas, programs, or projects that are related to a classroom unit or lesson. Grants range in size from $50 to $600 and support projects that are designed to stimulate learning in students. The following grants were awarded through the Robert P. Bell Education Grants Program:
Becky Fulton, Wes-Del Community School Corporation, received $593.04 for a project titled Blend It Up!
Ashley Flannery, Muncie Community Schools, received $116.2 for a project titled Positivity Plants.
Beth Buehler, Muncie Community Schools, received $592.67 for a project titled Visualizing the Earth’s Spheres.
Bethany Clegg, Burris Laboratory School, received $578.88 for a project titled Stem in the Gym – Engineering Our Own Putt-Putt Golf Course.
Becky Fulton, Wes-Del Community School Corporation, received $402.25 for a project titled Story Time Finger Puppets & Fine-Motor Skill Book.
Sarah Finn, Muncie Community Schools, received $420 for a project titled Echoing with Harmonicas.
Bonnie Coffman, Liberty Perry School Corporation, received $509.25 for a project titled Paws and Claws Clinic.
The Strategic Grants program of the Foundation funds programs and projects designed to impact specific, strategic areas of our community. During January and February of 2022, $161,150 was awarded through the Strategic Grants program.
Four organizations were awarded $22,409 in grants from donor advised funds managed by The Community Foundation.
An additional $289,185 was awarded to non-profit organizations with designated funds. Designated funds are established by donors or by the organizations the fund benefits to provide ongoing support for the organizations they benefit.
About the Community 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.
