By: Kallie Sullanke—
Muncie, Ind. – Funders in Delaware County have come together to pool knowledge, experiences, and resources to make a collective impact on a current issue in the community. The Funders Forum Collaborative awarded $31,000 to three Delaware County organizations to support programs that address drug prevention and recovery in our community.
Delaware County CASA Program received $15,000 to launch a Family Recovery Court in Delaware County. Family Recovery Courts have been identified across the state and nation as an effective model to achieve positive outcomes for families with children in the welfare system due to parental substance abuse. Through this grant, CASA will be able to provide information to participants and the public about the program, use best practices to establish a successful program, increase the ability for parents to address substance abuse disorders, and decrease the time children spend in out-of-home placements.
Delaware County Prevention Council received $1,000 to bring the Hidden in Plain Sight Education Trailer to Delaware County three times during 2019. This traveling exhibit and program is designed to help parents of teens recognize unfamiliar hazards that are often in plain sight. Parents and other adult caregivers can visit the trailer, which is set up to look like a teen’s bedroom, to see more than 100 items that might be cause for concern.
Urban Light CDC received $15,000 to support the Urban Lighthouse Recovery and Transitional Program. Urban Lighthouse directly serves up to 15 women per year who are seeking residential addiction treatment. This grant will allow Urban Light CDC to increase capacity of the program’s director, make improvements and safety upgrades to the housing facility, purchase additional program materials such as books, study-guides, and drug screens, and provide residents with necessities during the program and to aid with successful re-entry.
As early as 1997, the Funders Forum was convened as a way for local funders to discuss community issues and hear from non-profit organizations about their programs and services. Since then, the group has evolved to include collaborative grantmaking. Members with the Funders Forum Collaborative include: Ball Brothers Foundation, George and Frances Ball Foundation, The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Delaware Advancement Corporation/Muncie Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, First Merchants Corporation, Indiana Michigan Power, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital Foundation, Harry and Janet Kitselman Foundation Fund, Kiwanis Club of Muncie, Maxon Foundation Fund, Muncie Altrusa Foundation, MutualBank Charitable Foundation, Office of Community Development – City of Muncie, Old National Bank Foundation, Psi Iota Xi, Rotary Club of Muncie, Shafer Foundation, Tri Kappa, United Way of Delaware County, and the Sherman and Marjorie Zeigler Foundation.
Through an examination of common funding priorities and community needs, the group identified programs that address drug prevention and recovery. Organizations were identified by the Funders Forum Collaborative and invited to submit proposals.
Applications to the Funders Forum Collaborative are accepted by invitation only.
