Community Grants Totaling $411K Awarded

BY5 Early Childhood Initiative was awarded $40,000 to support the BY5 Professional Learning Institute which provides training and professional development opportunities to childcare providers in Delaware County. Pictured, Childcare workers participate in a professional Learning Institute session in partnership with Dr. Beth Trammell and the Make Words Matter Fellowship.BY5 Early Childhood Initiative was awarded $40,000 to support the BY5 Professional Learning Institute which provides training and professional development opportunities to childcare providers in Delaware County. Pictured, Childcare workers participate in a professional Learning Institute session in partnership with Dr. Beth Trammell and the Make Words Matter Fellowship. Photo provided

By Kallie Sulanke—

MUNCIE, IN – The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County awarded $411,897 in Community Grants this week.

Community Grants provide nonprofit organizations serving Muncie and Delaware County with the opportunity to apply for funding to support their work. Grants are awarded to address the broad needs of Muncie and Delaware County in arts and culture, community betterment, economic development, education, and human services.

Organizations interested in applying for funding are encouraged to connect with the Foundation’s Program and Nonprofit Relations team. Through these conversations, Foundation staff and volunteers develop a deeper understanding of the needs within the community, identify resources and support beyond grantmaking, and provide nonprofits more time to focus on their mission work.

Community Grants are announced quarterly. The Board of Directors of The Community Foundation approved 20 Community Grants totaling $411,897 during the second quarter of 2024.

Beautification Committee of Albany, Inc. in partnership with Albany American Legion Post 167 received $6,000 to support renovations that include updates to the community room, electrical and lighting system, the façade of the building, signage, and point of sale and inventory system. This grant was awarded from the Albany Fund in Memory of the Frazee Family, Mike and Cathy Galliher Fund, and the Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Fund.

BY5 Early Childhood Initiative, Inc. received $40,000 to support the BY5 Professional Learning Institute. This grant was awarded from the Harry and Janet Kitselman Fund and the Mutual Legacy Fund.

East Central Indiana Regional Partnership, Inc. received $25,000 for activities related to new business investment, talent attraction, and community development investment. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Economic Development Fund, Mutual Legacy Fund, and Shafer/Muncie Power Products Legacy Fund.

ecoREHAB of Muncie received $40,000 to support the STEP/YouthBuild program. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Fund, Gordon and Pam Cox Fund, Frances Lafferty Fund, Jon and Barbara Moll Fund, Maxon Foundation Fund, and Mutual Legacy Fund.

Gaston Lions Club received $6,215 to install benches in Thompson Cemetery. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation and Gaston Town Endowment Fund.

Innovation Connector received $32,500 for updated IT hardware and software and to retrofit the front doors with ADA-compliant automatic accessible doors. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Bassett Family Fund, and Mutual Legacy Fund.

Ivy Tech Foundation received $20,000 to expand the entrepreneurial program from a certificate program to an associate degree program. This grant is the first year of a three-year commitment totaling $60,000. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Gordon and Pam Cox Fund, Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Fund, and the Michael O. and Nicole T. Lunsford Fund.

Kesem at Ball State received $5,000 to support the cost of an overnight camp for Delaware County youth impacted by a cancer diagnosis in their family. This grant was awarded from the Old National Bank Charitable Foundation Fund.

Meals on Wheels received $10,000 to support the cost of meals. This grant is the final year of a two-year commitment totaling $20,000. This grant was awarded from the Mutual Bank Charitable Foundation Fund, Mary Kate Pingry Fund, and Jack and Thelma Peckinpaugh Fund.

Motivate Our Minds, Inc. received $25,000 to support after-school and summer academic and enrichment programming. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, the Louisa and Waldo Beebe Unrestricted Endowment Fund, Larry Dollison Fund, John C. Kelly and Marcia Ressler Kelly Fund, and Harry and Janet Kitselman Fund.

Muncie Children’s Museum received $2,200 to purchase and install child diaper changing stations. This grant was awarded from the Harry and Janet Kitselman Fund.

Muncie Downtown Development Partnership received $25,000 to support the cost of operations and marketing. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, and Mutual Legacy Fund.

Muncie Fire Department received $4,982 to purchase and install a new interactive display in the training center. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of the Community Foundation.

Precious Hearts Development Center received $25,000 for a new 15-passenger van. This grant was awarded from the Harry and Janet Kitselman Fund.

Project Leadership, Inc. received $25,000 to support the cost of operations. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Patrick and Marilyn Cleary Fund, Leap Managed IT Fund, Old National Bank Fund, and Daniel and Catharine Stewart Fund.

Recovery Café Muncie received $30,000 to support the cost of operations. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Gordon and Pam Cox Fund, Linda and Connie Gregory Fund, Maxon Foundation Fund, and Mutual Legacy Fund.

Shafer Leadership Academy received $25,000 to support the cost of operations. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Bassett Family Fund, Jane Harrell Buckles Fund, and Mutual Legacy Fund.

TeenWorks, Inc. received $30,000 for the Summer Program including wages for teen participants. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Beulah M. Frogge Fund, Laura Stanley Keppler Fund, Maxon Foundation Fund, Morris Youth Fund, Old National Bank Charitable Fund, and Youth as Resources Fund.

Urban Light Community Development Corporation received $35,000 to defray the cost of neighborhood and housing program needs. This grant was awarded from the Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation, Bassett Family Fund, John and Janice Fisher Quality of Place Endowment Fund, KAKATU Foundation/David and Joanna Meeks Fund, Hamer and Phyllis Shafer Fund, and Mary Jane Sursa Fund.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Grant requests are reviewed and approved quarterly. Community 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. For more information on Community Grants, contact The Community Foundation at 765.747.7181 or grants@cfmdin.org.

About the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County

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 $88 million. Using the earnings on the endowment, the Foundation distributes grants to nonprofit organizations, including scholarships to support students through post-secondary education. To date, the Foundation has awarded nearly $65 million to enhance the quality of life of the residents of Muncie and Delaware County.