Collaboration is Key: 2021 Annual Report

A Letter from Our Leadership

Kelly K. Shrock, President, and Trent Dowling, Chair, Board of Directors

M. E. Hahn Photography | mehahn.com

Dear Friends,

Relationships take time.They take energy. Theytake thoughtfulness. TheCommunity Foundationinvests time and energyto build relationships forthe benefit of the people ofMuncie and Delaware County.Over time, we build upon ourexperiences, learn new waysto accomplish our missionand work to meet the bestpractices of today’s world.We build relationships withdonors, directors of nonprofitorganizations, communityleaders, and neighbors.Through these relationships,we create partnerships andcollaborations that allowus to do more to benefitthe community.

In this 2021 annual report, we highlight stories of those collaborations. We share the story of a relationship with one donor that extended more than two decades and across staff and Board changes. Through the relationship and trust developed, that donor’s legacy lives on through a fund dedicated to animals, a cause dear to her heart. You’ll also read about how one organization worked with The Community Foundation to find the funding needed to install new flooring. The Foundation helped them piece together just what they needed from multiple funds and referrals to other community funders. We also share stories of partnerships with nonprofit organizations and fellow funders and how those partnerships will have led to opportunities with large and lasting impacts on our community.

Through these stories, you’ll see that the work of the Foundation – grantmaking, fundraising, and endowment building – is more art than science. The Community Foundation takes time to look toward the big picture desires for the community. Then, we thoughtfully consider what partnerships are needed to create that picture.

The members of our Board of Directors are one set of partners. In 2021, board members Gary Thomas and Kathy White completed their service. In addition to his service on the Board, Gary was a dedicated committee member on the Competitive Grants Committee. Kathy continues to serve as Chair of the Foundation’s Finance Committee. Derron Bishop and Mia Johnson joined the Board. Both Derron and Mia have served on the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee and will continue working together on that committee while serving on the Board.

More can be accomplished when we are working together. We are thankful for the many volunteers who lead and serve the Foundation, the nonprofit organizations who serve as partners in enhancing the quality of life in our community, and the donors who share their vision of a better community. We are honored by the trust given to The Community Foundation to help paint a brighter future for Muncie and Delaware County today, tomorrow, and always.

Thank you for being a partner toward a better community,

Kelly K. Shrock, President

Trent Dowling, Chair, Board of Directors