By Melissa Jones—
MUNCIE, Ind. — Muncie and Delaware County have recently welcomed a multitude of economic development announcements rife with job opportunities. But the region has long faced a shortage of qualified workers—a shortage that was only further fueled by the pandemic. Ball Brothers Foundation recently made two grants to support local workforce development efforts, hoping to help Muncie to be more competitive and ready for post-pandemic ventures.
“By partnering with a number of community organizations on workforce development initiatives—in addition to supporting education and quality of place efforts—Ball Brothers Foundation has long been committed to improving the work/live/play ecosystem here that helps welcome new workers and retain current workers,” said Jud Fisher, president and CEO of the foundation.
Ball Brothers Foundation awarded $150,000 to Sustainable Muncie Corporation for ongoing Madjax Makerforce initiatives and the continuation of Future of Work efforts, as well as $100,000 to The Arc of Indiana Foundation to support operations at Erskine Green Training Institute.
“Many cities across the country are in disrepair, and well-intentioned community leaders are working hard to identify opportunities for revitalization,” said Jane Ellery, chairman of the board for Sustainable Muncie, which oversees Madjax. “Currently, the focus for Madjax is to support the development of a diverse makerforce.”
Recently, that makerforce has grown to include hair salon suites, an aerial silks fitness studio, and continued growth in the FireFly space, which houses Future of Work, a design lab, and more.
“We are committed to developing and managing places where new and unique opportunities become available to individuals of all income levels and ages, and to bringing community members, change agents, and practicing professionals together,” Ellery said.
More specifically, Ellery said the recent funding from Ball Brothers Foundation will, in part, allow Madjax to develop intergenerational programming related to its design lab, a new Citizen Science Center, and workforce development efforts.
“One issue that Muncie faces is our inability to develop the skilled workforce that is needed to meet the staffing requirements of our local employers,” Ellery said. “By supporting Madjax and the Future of Work initiative, we will provide leadership in bridging silos among organizations working in this area.”
For several years now, Future of Work has focused on building the education-to-career pipeline, leveraging partnerships with K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions, and local employers. Madjax has been an instrumental asset in these efforts, hosting VEX Robotics League tournaments, onsite labs and workspaces, and STEAM workshops. Drone flying workshops are also on the horizon.
“We are currently working with manufacturers who are interested in a more skilled workforce, schools interested in innovative educational and support opportunities, … and a range of individuals and organizations interested in creativity, innovation, and prosperity,” Ellery said.
In addition to its continued efforts for students and young adults, Madjax plans to expand its workforce development opportunities to include a new population: older adults, through the creation of a Retirees Entrepreneurial Club.
“In Muncie, we have many seniors who are looking to find their ‘encore career’ or purpose after retirement,” Ellery said. “Our goal is not to provide services to them, but instead to provide a place where they can come together to dream about how they can work toward making a positive impact on the world and access administrative support to help realize that change.”
The Arc of Indiana Foundation is also using its recent grant to support workforce development opportunities for an underserved population.
In 2016, The Arc of Indiana Foundation launched Erskine Green Training Institute, which provides postsecondary vocational training for people with disabilities.
“EGTI is flipping the script on an employment story that historically did not offer good news,” said Andy Kirby, executive director of The Arc of Indiana Foundation. “In its first five years, 208 students—who previously would have been part of the 83% unemployment rate for people with disabilities—have graduated from EGTI, and 84% were employed before the pandemic.”
Like many other organizations, 2020 posed significant challenges to EGTI. In March, the program had to send its Session 1 students home a few weeks earlier than planned, finishing the session virtually; session 2 had to be cancelled; and by mid-April, 68% of the program’s graduates who were previously employed had lost their jobs.
“Statistics show that when a person with a disability maintains successful employment for two years, their employment trajectory looks like everyone else,” Kirby said. “Many EGTI alumni were close to hitting that critical milestone. Now they are starting over.”
Though EGTI was able to welcome back students in Sessions 3 and 4 last year, enrollment was significantly reduced. Paired with the lack of revenue from the cancellation of Session 2 and the increased operating costs for extra cleaning supplies, masks, and social distancing protocols, EGTI took a hard financial hit.
The grant from Ball Brothers Foundation will support EGTI as it implements new and innovative ways to market EGTI to future students, adjusts curriculum for COVID protocols, and develops and implements increased virtual training and instruction.
“No one is sure what the new normal will look like post-pandemic. As the world is reeling from COVID-19 and its impact on employment, this funding will poise EGTI to provide a solution for this often-overlooked population,” Kirby said.
To learn more about Ball Brothers Foundation and its funding focus areas, visit ballfdn.org.
About Ball Brothers Foundation
Ball Brothers Foundation is one of the state’s oldest and largest family foundations. Annually, the foundation makes approximately $8 million in grants to support arts and culture, education, the environment, health, human services, and public affairs. The Muncie-based private foundation gives priority to projects and programs that improve the quality of life in the foundation’s home city, county, and state.
