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Nonprofit Support Network Announces New Peer Groups and Spring Programming

By Carly Acree King, Nonprofit Support Network— MUNCIE, IN —Nonprofit Support Network is excited to announce the kickoff of 2023 Network Huddles, which will dive into topics relevant to the needs of nonprofits serving Muncie-Delaware County. Network Huddles are free peer group meetings hosted and facilitated by Nonprofit Support Network. The Huddles provide a supportive and collaborative environment that allows nonprofits to connect with peers and learn from each other. The new topics include community food service, board leadership, and shared…

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Side Gigs and Side Hustles

By Ted A. Baker, CEO/Executive Director, Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc.— MUNCIE, IN—Over the past years, the Innovation Connector has become the Muncie community’s hub for business startup and growth assistance.  Calls and emails come to us nearly every day from entrepreneurs and hopeful business startup owners asking for assistance in some way.  Regular requests include the need for funds to start or grow a business, help formally organize the business as an LLC or S-Corp, and some turn to us…


Empowering Entrepreneurs in 2023

By Ted A. Baker, CEO/Executive Director, Muncie Innovation Connector— MUNCIE, IN—After a successful initiative last year, Celebrating Entrepreneurs in 2022, the Innovation Connector has chosen a new theme for 2023: Empowering Entrepreneurs in 2023. While we will continue celebrating entrepreneurs, we believe the next step is to provide opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners to be empowered – to learn, collaborate, and share their knowledge with others.  As I have expressed in prior articles, one key trait of a successful…


George and Frances Ball Foundation 2022 End of Year Recap and Grantmaking Focus

By Kelsey Harrington, Program and Analytics Officer, GFBF— George and Frances Ball Foundation Convenes 50+ Community Organizations Through Collective Impact Initiative: Cradle to Career Muncie, Awards a Record $5.4 Million in Grants MUNCIE, IN—In 2022, The George and Frances Ball Foundation (GFBF) continued its commitment to extending equitable educational assistance and support to families and youth in the historically underserved neighborhoods of Muncie (Promise Neighborhoods), starting at birth and extending through to successful employment that provides a greater opportunity to…


Entrepreneur Showcase Week – A Great Week for Muncie Entrepreneurs and Business Owners

By Ted Baker, CEO/Executive Director, Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc.— MUNCIE, IN—A little over eight months ago, our creative Innovation Connector team began planning a new event that we hoped would impact both entrepreneurs and business owners. We wanted this event to be something that had never been done before. As we worked through our thoughts and dreams for this event, the idea of Entrepreneur Showcase Week began to take shape. As we plotted our strategies to make this event unique, and…


Nonprofit Support Network and Shafer Leadership Academy Announce Joint Programming for 2023

By Carly Acree King, Relationship & Resource Director— MUNCIE, IN—Nonprofits serving or located in Muncie-Delaware County will have access to expanded educational programming in 2023 thanks to a collaboration between Nonprofit Support Network and Shafer Leadership Academy. Launched in the fall of 2022, Nonprofit Essentials is designed to address a gap in the training resources available to nonprofits in the east central Indiana region. This collaboration comes after almost two years of work between the organizations as Shafer Leadership Academy was…


Ball Brothers Foundation Awards Over $5 Million in Funding for 39 Projects

By Melissa Narlock— MUNCIE, IN — Ball Brothers Foundation approved over $5 million in funding for 39 projects during its second round of grantmaking in 2022. The grants included funding to support efforts that further bolster school counseling programs and expand outdoor learning throughout schools in the heart of Muncie. During its fall grant round, Ball Brothers Foundation awarded funding to educational organizations including: Project Leadership: $15,000 to support continuation of the Delaware County Comprehensive Counseling Coalition. Burris Laboratory School…


Small Businesses Thrive and Grow in Muncie

By Michele Owen— MUNCIE, IN—On Monday morning, Mayor Ridenour addressed a packed room of Muncie’s best and brightest entrepreneurs at the Innovation Connector to kick off Entrepreneur Showcase Week. The brainchild of Ted Baker, Executive Director of the Innovation Connector, the week is packed with 20 events for local businesses of all sizes. Ranging from workshops about Quickbooks and creative marketing to networking opportunities, many of the free events filled up with registrations weeks in advance. For Ridenour, investing in…


Announcing the Inaugural 2022 Entrepreneurs of the Year Award Winners

By Ted A. Baker, CEO/Executive Director, Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc.— MUNCIE, IN—Since May of this year, the Innovation Connector has been planning and preparing for Entrepreneur Showcase Week in Muncie.  As a reminder, this event is unique to the Muncie community, and no other community has attempted anything like this.  Entrepreneur Showcase Week comprises twenty workshops, panel discussions, discussion groups, and networking groups during one week – all at the Innovation Connector facility.  Because of our very supportive sponsors, all…


Marta Moody Recognized with 2022 Fisher Governance Award

By Melissa Narlock— MUNCIE, IN — Ball Brothers Foundation presented its annual Fisher Governance Award this year to Marta Moody, board president of Cardinal Greenways. Moody was recognized with the award at the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce’s 128th Annual Meeting Celebration on October 27. The John W. and Janice B. Fisher Governance Award annually honors a nonprofit board member in Delaware County for exemplary leadership, integrity, responsibility, and accountability. “I can attest to the strong, passionate leader Marta Moody…