BEYOND GRANTMAKING, THE VALUE OF NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP

For nearly five decades, children in Muncie and the surrounding communities have come to learn and play at the Muncie Children’s Museum (MCM). Since our first year of grantmaking, 1986, The Community Foundation has supported MCM as one of many resources that make this community a place where people choose to live, work, and play.

Nonprofit organizations, like MCM, make an impact on the lives of the people who live here. A healthy, well-supported, sustainable nonprofit sector is essential. Through various programs, the Foundation aims to contribute to the strength of the sector.

While grantmaking is often the most visible way The Community Foundation works with nonprofit organizations in our community, our relationships extend beyond that of funder and grantee.

The Community Foundation is a resource. Sometimes there are opportunities to apply for grants. Other times they can connect us to tools and resources. Often they provide a listening ear and let us know that we aren’t going at this alone.

"The Community Foundation is a resource,” said Kynda Rinker, executive director of Muncie Children’s Museum. “I can reach out and float ideas by their team. Sometimes there are opportunities to apply for grants. Other times they can connect us to tools and resources. Often they provide a listening ear and let us know that we aren’t going at this alone.”

A little over a year ago, just a month or so into the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Foundation president, Kelly K. Shrock, reached out to Kynda to check in on MCM. It was one of many conversations that Foundation staff members had with nonprofit organizations during the stay-at-home order. Foundation staff spent time listening to the needs of the nonprofits and making connections when possible to meet those needs.

“Because of the nature of the museum and our capacity, we were closed from March 17 through July 8,” said Kynda, “Kelly called in those early days to check-in. She reminded me that we could access funds. It was a godsend at the time because we needed the money to continue operating while the museum was closed to visitors.”

Incredible, Unforgettable, Bug Lab Experience!

MCM is the beneficiary of five designated funds at the Foundation. Two of the designated funds were started by donors through their estate plans and provide automatic annual distributions to multiple organizations. Donors started two additional funds specifically to benefit the Muncie Children’s Museum in the names of the families that established the funds. The fifth fund, the Muncie Children’s Museum Fund, was established in the mid-90s as part of a capital campaign that funded the move of MCM from their original location on Walnut Street to their current home in the convention center. The Board of Directors of MCM at that time saw the value of a fund that could provide long-term sustainable support.

The Muncie Children’s Museum Fund, a designated endowment fund, provides annual unrestricted funding to MCM to ensure that basic operating expenses like facility costs are met year-to-year.

“Those funds are amazing,” said Kynda. “I am so thankful for the donors who were able to look at the big-picture. You can give a one-time gift to a fund, and it will keep giving to the organization.”

The Foundation manages 129 designated funds benefiting more than 100 organizations. Last year, designated fund distributions topped $1.2 million.

Additionally, MCM has applied for grants from competitive grantmaking programs at the Foundation. Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded a grant to support updates to exhibits. In 2019, MCM received a grant to upgrade decade-old technology, including a server, staff computers, and the point-of-sale system for ticketing and the gift shop. The Community Foundation is fortunate to have a strong pool of unrestricted funds to award grants that support projects like those at MCM. However, funding isn’t all that nonprofits in our community need.

Hometown Market

The Foundation often partners with nonprofits to provide resources and tools to help strengthen their organizations. Beneficiaries of designated funds benefit from regular meetings and presentations that support peer learning on relevant topics, like board development, grant management, marketing and communication, and fundraising. Specialized training, like the CORE Fundraising Training, presented in 2019 and again this year, provides organizational leaders with in-depth opportunities to learn and develop fundraising plans for their organizations. Kynda was a participant in the first CORE Fundraising cohort.

Through the fundraising training, I gained knowledge and skills. Even more than that, I built a circle of people that I can partner with. Collaborations help strengthen what each of us does.

"Through the fundraising training, I gained knowledge and skills to put to use at the museum,” said Kynda. “Even more than that, I built a circle of people that I can reach out to and partner with. Collaborations help strengthen what each of us does.”

The Foundation agrees with Kynda. It takes individuals and organizations working together to make things better. Through our existing programs and new opportunities on the horizon, The Community Foundation is looking forward to contributing to a healthy, well-supported, sustainable nonprofit sector in Muncie and Delaware County.

KEEP UP WITH THE MUSEUM

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