Non-Profit

By Jud Fisher— MUNCIE, IN — Ball Brothers Foundation has presented its 2025 John W. and Janice B. Fisher Governance Award to Anthony (Tony) Pierce, board president of the Delaware County Futbol Club (DCFC). Pierce was recognized with the award at the Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner on November 18. The Fisher Governance Award honors a nonprofit board member in Delaware County whose strategic leadership, planning, and oversight have strengthened their organization’s mission, financial health, and general effectiveness….

By Tania Said— MUNCIE, IN—The Muncie Arts and Culture Council (MuncieArts) has been awarded significant operations-related grant funding from three major partners to strengthen its mission of championing arts experiences, public art, and a thriving community of artists and allies in Muncie, Indiana. For Fiscal Year 2026, MuncieArts received an $8,150 grant from the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) and a $25,000 grant from the Ball Brothers Foundation in support of operations and community arts programming. Earlier this year, MuncieArts was…

By Sheryl Swingley— MUNCIE, IN—Linda Hanson, president of the League of Women Voters Indiana chapter, will share information about “Vote Centers, the Importance of Primaries and Redistricting” at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 4800 W. Bradford Drive. Hanson, who has more than 30 years of involvement in civic engagement and election reform, will explore how Delaware County’s new vote centers, which will replace precinct polling places in May 2026, can expand voter access and efficiency;…

By C.S. Hendershot— MUNCIE, IN – As the federal government shutdown continues and November SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits remain unfunded, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana is preparing for a surge in need across its eight-county service area. According to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, over 50,000 Hoosiers in East Central Indiana, including Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Jay, Madison, Randolph, and Wabash counties, rely on SNAP to help feed their families. With benefits paused…

By Heather Good— INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) announced an ambitious new initiative to strengthen support networks for Indiana’s youth during the 2025 KIDS COUNT Conference in downtown Indianapolis. The “FIVE by 50” vision aims to ensure that by the year 2050, every child in Indiana will be connected to at least five caring, supportive adults who help them thrive. The two-day conference brings together hundreds of youth-serving professionals including teachers, mentors, coaches, counselors, and community leaders who work…

By Jud Fisher— MUNCIE, IN — Ball Brothers Foundation, a family foundation committed to place-based grantmaking in Indiana for nearly a century, has awarded more than $5 million in its second round of grants for 2025. A major focus of this round supports projects that strengthen East Central Indiana’s healthcare workforce pipeline. This funding will help expand medical education, launch new healthcare credential programs, and provide hands-on experiences for high school and college students preparing for healthcare careers. Among the…

By Juli Metzger— MUNCIE, IN—You may not always get to see the result of your kindness, but never doubt that it leaves a mark. Lives are transformed not just by systems and shelters, but by people — people who choose to care, choose to give, choose to believe in someone else’s better future. Nearly 400 supporters turned out for YWCA Central Indiana’s 2025 annual Walk In HER HEELS fundraising event recently. HEELS is an acronym for Help, Empower, Encourage, Lift and…

By Jud Fisher— MUNCIE, IN — Ball Brothers Foundation recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Fellows Program, bringing together nearly half of the program’s alumni for a special evening of reflection, connection, and recognition at the Delaware Country Club. The Fellows Program, launched in 2004, was created to provide two East Central Indiana nonprofit leaders each year with an opportunity to broaden their understanding of the foundation world. Through meetings with Foundation staff, Fellows are invited to step away…

By Mitch Isaacs, Executive Director, Shafer Leadership— MUNCIE, IN—Community members from East Central Indiana are invited to attend the annual All Aboard: Board Leadership in Action Workshop on Tuesday, November 18, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the YWCA of Central Indiana, located at 310 E. Charles Street in downtown Muncie. This free event is made possible by Shafer Leadership Academy, Heart of Indiana United Way and Nonprofit Support Network. Additional programmatic and in-kind support comes from the…