Non-Profit

By Dan Wolfert— MUNCIE, Ind. — The V!VA (Very Important Volunteer Award) Awards were developed as a gift to the community in 1993 by the Muncie Noon Rotary Club and are now held in conjunction with the Muncie Sunrise Rotary Club to recognize Delaware County’s proud volunteer heritage. Up to four individuals and one organization will be recognized with V!VA Awards for their volunteer efforts to the community within the past 12 months. In addition, The Edmund F. Ball Lifetime Achievement Award will be given for outstanding long-term, lifetime volunteer commitment. Each V!VA Award Recipient will receive a plaque. Eligibility…

Competition winner will receive $100,000 of strategic support and funding to amplify their impact. By Jennifer Erbacher—  INDIANAPOLIS — Nonprofit organizations working in Indiana have an opportunity to reimagine their futures, seize new opportunities and create transformative change through the second-annual Mapt Solutions Transformation Challenge, which launched this week. The winner of the Mapt Transformation Challenge will receive a $75,000 grant for strategic planning services with Mapt Solutions and an additional $25,000 in cash to support the organization in acting on its plans.  “Organizations today face challenges like never before: ever-increasing digital innovation, customers and clients who are resource limited…

Buck Creek Fen Preserve protects rare wetland; wildlife corridor in east central Indiana. By Kelley V. Phillips— MUNCIE, IN— Red-tail Land Conservancy, a conservation nonprofit headquartered in Muncie, is proud to announce the successful protection of a vital piece of a historic wetland with the acquisition of Buck Creek Fen Preserve, a 68-acre wetland habitat in the heart of the Big Blue River Valley north of Summit Lake. This announcement comes on World Wetlands Day, a day recognizing the contributions of wetlands to flood control, water quality, carbon sequestration, and wildlife habitat. Carved by glaciers and historically home to a…

By WaTasha Barnes Griffin— MUNCIE, IN—There is a time for independent action and a time for collaboration. There’s a time for singular objectives and a time for the collective good. We’re at that moment in Muncie. You’ve probably heard about the decision by the City of Muncie to close the Muncie Inn, a longtime location for the unhoused, and sometimes for addicts or recovering addicts. It’s a place most don’t want to go near because of what they know to be there. The decision was not made lightly. The City of Muncie, to a certain extent across various administrations, have…

By Jason Donati— MUNCIE, IN – As the Muncie Action Plan (MAP) closes out the year, we would like to share MAP’s efforts to improve quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County as we approach our Annual Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 31st at 6:00 p.m. The public is invited to join MAP at Minnetrista’s Indiana Room to hear from each of our four task forces as they share the work completed during 2023. This is the fourth of four reports from our task force leaders. Task Force 4 is tasked with increasing investments in Muncie’s parks and improve…

By Kallie Sulanke— MUNCIE, IN – The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County is strengthening operations by investigating and implementing best practices for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). In the Summer of 2023, the Foundation began work with expert consulting firm Optiplied to evaluate current policies, procedures, and perceptions. The consultation will result in the creation of a task force and subsequent action plan focused on organizational improvements with a DEIB lens. As part of its engagement with the Foundation, Optiplied is seeking community input. To capture community perception of The Community Foundation, Optiplied is conducting a variety…

By Kim Williams— EAST CENTRAL, IN – Each year, frigid temperatures throughout the Heart of Indiana region produce large utility bills for residents. This past week’s extreme below-freezing temperatures will produce even larger utility bills than normal.  Thousands of local families will struggle to cover the cost of those bills and may face the possibility of utility disconnection and the resulting loss of heat during the remaining coldest weeks and months ahead. Heart of Indiana United Way’s Friend to Friend Utility Assistance Fund provides help to struggling local families at risk of not being able to heat their homes because…

By Heather Williams— MUNCIE, IN – As the Muncie Action Plan (MAP) closes out the year, we would like to share MAP’s efforts to improve quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County as we approach our  MAP’s Task Force 3 is charged with improving Muncie’s Neighborhoods by cultivating partnerships around comprehensive, block-level strategies for improvement. The best indications of progress towards achieving healthy blocks and healthy neighborhoods are stabilized housing markets, improved housing conditions, increased resident engagement and grassroots leadership capacity, and improved neighborhood image. Task Force 3 worked to move the needle on healthier neighborhoods by continuing to…

Editor’s note: Delaware County, will conduct the Point-In-Time count on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the rest of the State of Indiana. By the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority— INDIANAPOLIS—The statewide annual count of individuals experiencing homelessness will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024. Service providers and volunteers in local communities across Indiana will be conducting the 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count for the Indiana Balance of State (BOS) Continuum of Care (CoC) in 91 of the 92 counties in the state. Marion County (Indianapolis) conducts its own PIT Count. The purpose of this…