AIMING FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF THE FOUNDATION

As our role within the community continues to evolve, we have moved beyond solely a grantmaking organization and into a community leader and partner. Staff build relationships with nonprofit leaders. Through these relationships, we make connections, direct resources, and work together to contribute to larger community goals that enhance Muncie and Delaware County’s quality of life. We shared this work in our latest annual report – Serving the Community.

For nearly 35 years, we have done this work through fund administration fees and The Unrestricted Fund of The Community Foundation. But just as we encourage our nonprofit partners to develop a sustainability plan, our Board of Directors saw the need for a fund to support our internal sustainability. The Board of Directors Endowment Fund was established in 2018 to capture GIFT VII matching dollars. In 2020, Foundation Board members made qualifying gifts resulting in a $100,000 board engagement grant from the Lilly Endowment to benefit this fund.

Through the Foundation’s spending policy, The Board of Directors Endowment Fund will produce funding each year to support general operations. This added sustainability will ensure that the Foundation can maintain knowledgeable and skilled staff, manage additional funds and programs, continue convening and connecting community groups, and extend into emerging fields to meet the community’s evolving needs.

We want the Foundation to continue; and to continue to evolve To be a strong leader in the community, we have to support ourselves too.

"We want the Foundation to continue; and to continue to evolve,” said Carol Seals, who ended her term as board chair last month. “As we grow, we want to help in other ways. To be a strong leader in the community, we have to support ourselves too. That’s why I had this idea of starting the Board of Director’s Endowment Fund.”

Carol was instrumental in establishing the Board of Director’s Endowment Fund and setting its purpose to support long-term sustainability for The Community Foundation.

While contributions to the Foundation’s Unrestricted Fund continue to provide the most flexibility to meet the community’s changing needs, we are also inviting you to support the Foundation’s sustainability with a gift to The Board of Directors Endowment Fund. To learn more about how you can contribute to the sustainability of The Community Foundation today or in the future, contact Kelly K. Shrock, president, at 765-747-7181 or kshrock@cfmdin.org.