Articles by Mike Rhodes

By Jud Fisher, President/CEO, Ball Brothers Foundation— MUNCIE, IN — In its 100th year, Ball Brothers Foundation is continuing a long-standing tradition of learning alongside the community it serves. The foundation is pleased to welcome two new Fellows for 2026: Jena Ashby, Relationship and Resource Director at Nonprofit Support Network, and Kenyonta (Ken) Hudson, Executive Director of Whitely Community Council. For more than two decades, the Fellows Program has created space for open conversation between local nonprofit leaders and foundation…

By Arrick Garringer— MUNCIE, IN — Community members from East Central Indiana are invited to attend All Aboard: Board Leadership in Action, an annual workshop designed to help individuals explore nonprofit board service, on Tuesday, May 12, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the YWCA of Central Indiana, 310 E. Charles St., downtown Muncie. The free event is presented by Shafer Leadership Academy, Heart of Indiana United Way, and the Nonprofit Support Network, with additional programmatic…

By Michelle Kinsey— MUNCIE, IN—The 11th IDEA Conference returned on March 6th with a playful, purposeful nod to Sesame Street, inviting neighborhood leaders to “come and play” while engaging in networking, workshops, and more at Ball State University’s L.A. Pittenger Student Center. Nearly 130 people attended this year’s sessions, which covered a range of topics, from political action and leadership development to project planning and community engagement. In one session, led by the Whitely Neighborhood Association, participants played a new…

CenterPoint Energy Foundation Funds Scholarships for Nonprofit Professionals By Arrick Garringer—   MUNCIE, IN — Shafer Leadership Academy is expanding access to its signature leadership program, Emergence: Personal Foundations of Effective Leadership, by offering scholarships to nonprofit professionals and organizations across the region. Recognizing the critical role nonprofit leaders play in strengthening communities, Shafer Leadership Academy is committed to making high-quality leadership development more accessible to those working in mission-driven organizations. Emergence is a five-week, highly interactive program designed to…