Reflecting on the Founding and Future of The Community Foundation
By Casey Stanley, Board Chair of The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County—
MUNCIE, IN—Last month, I had the privilege of attending an intimate luncheon honoring the Founding Committee of The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County as part of our 40th anniversary celebration. Sitting with the remaining members, Steve Anderson, Tom Kinghorn, and Van Smith, of that original group was a strong reminder of how deeply their vision and generosity have shaped our community.
Forty years ago, a handful of leaders believed Muncie and Delaware County deserved a foundation dedicated to its future. They set out not simply to meet the needs of the day, but to build an institution that would endure. As Steve Anderson recalled, “The most important attribute the foundation can have is trust.”
That trust became the cornerstone of an organization that has since grown into a $100 million foundation, supported by more than 4,000 donors, stewarding 400 funds, and awarding $68 million in grants to date. This principle continues to guide our work today, shaping how we engage with donors, partners, and the broader community.
The luncheon was not just a reunion — it was a lesson in servant leadership. Tom Kinghorn reflected, “My fondest memory was serving with men I respected so much. I took away much more than I gave.”
What Makes Us Unique
The community foundation model exists worldwide to address the unique needs of specific geographic areas. While each foundation has its strengths, Muncie stands out for its unusually high percentage of unrestricted funds. Nearly 40 percent of our endowed assets were given without donor restriction. This flexibility has enabled us to respond swiftly to emerging needs — from pandemic relief to placemaking initiatives — ensuring our grantmaking remains both timely and transformative. From the very beginning, the first gifts were unrestricted. As Van Smith noted, “For those first years, there was only the unrestricted fund — and that has given us the flexibility to be responsive.”
That strategy continues to serve us well. Our unrestricted funds empower us to adapt to changing needs, live out our values of being relevant, representative, and responsive, and act boldly when new challenges arise.
We invite you to continue that legacy of flexibility through an unrestricted gift that gives future generations the same freedom to act.
A Community Asset for All
As Board Chair, I see every day how the Foundation belongs to the entire community. It is not the possession of its founders, its board, or even its donors alone — it is a shared resource for every resident of Delaware County. The Foundation exists to support grassroots ideas, uplift nonprofits, and provide opportunities for all that would not otherwise exist.
Current Board Member and Grants Committee Member, Ermalene Faulkner, said it well: “At the grants committee table, the discussion is equitable, robust, and accountable. That kind of decision-making has lifted voices and organizations that otherwise may never have had a chance. ”This approach reflects our commitment to being relevant, representative, and responsive — values that ensure every voice has a seat at the table.
If you’ve ever wondered how your voice or your organization can make a difference, now is the time to pull up a chair at our table.
Honoring the Past, Investing in the Future
As we celebrate 40 years, we are mindful of both how far we’ve come and the work that lies ahead. Our community faces challenges — economic, educational, cultural — that will require the same boldness that defined our founders. But we are not without hope. As Marcy Minton, President and CEO said, “We choose to move forward with hope and joy, turning vision into action. The Community Foundation can help be a catalyst for that transformation.”
The next forty years depend on all of us — our ideas, our energy, and our commitment to Muncie’s future.
That is the task of the next forty years: to continue building trust, to stay responsive to changing needs, and to catalyze the kind of transformation that will make Muncie and Delaware County stronger for generations to come.
We are fortunate to have this resource in our community. And we are grateful to those who, forty years ago, dared to imagine what was possible.
The next chapter of our Foundation’s story will be written by all of us. Whether you give, volunteer, or bring forward an idea that strengthens our community, your participation matters. Together, we can ensure the next forty years are even more transformative than the first.
Casey Stanley is Board Chair of The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, a local public foundation that 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. To learn more about The Community Foundation, visit cfmdin.org or call 765.747.7181.
