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Author: Shelly Jones

05 Nov

Posted at 21:48h in Featured Story
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Marion, Indiana – Today, on behalf of GM Corporate Giving, GM Marion Metal Center presented the latest installment of its Community Impact Grants (CIG) to local Marion area organizations. The $60,000 grant this year targeted three local nonprofits aimed at supporting STEAM education and Transportation initiatives. Through the CIG program, GM facility leaders selected local nonprofits working to address issues facing their community. “Through our Community Impact Grants, we are able to strengthen local nonprofits that have a meaningful effect in the neighborhoods where our employees live and work,” said Charles Geller, plant director at GM Marion Metal Center. “Seeing the positive outcomes these grants create, along with the dedicated work of community organizations, highlights just how crucial our support is in fostering a vibrant and unified community.” The 2025 Marion-area nonprofit recipients include:  - United Way of Grant County - Community Foundation of Grant County - Cardinal Greenways This is the 15th year of the CIG program, providing financial support to nonprofits across its U.S. manufacturing communities. As an organization, GM is committed to investing in the future of American manufacturing, in our workforce and in our communities. “We are truly grateful for the strong partnerships and meaningful relationships within our community that make programs like this...

05 Nov

Posted at 16:51h in Community News, Featured Story
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Grant County, IN — The Community Foundation of Grant County is pleased to recognize six local high school seniors as Grant County finalists for the prestigious Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. Two of the finalists will be selected as 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars. The two scholars will each receive a full-tuition scholarship to pursue a baccalaureate degree at any accredited public or private Indiana college or university and an annual book and equipment stipend. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program has provided approximately $6 million in tuition and book stipends to benefit 54 Grant County students since 1998. “These six remarkable students represent the very best of Grant County. Their drive, compassion, and commitment to excellence give us every confidence that the future is bright. Being named a Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalist is an extraordinary achievement, and we are honored to support them as they take the next step in their educational journeys,” said Dawn Brown, President/CEO of the Community Foundation. “These six seniors have shown what it looks like to lead with purpose, serve with heart, and dream big for their future. We couldn’t be prouder and hope everyone reading this will join us in celebrating their remarkable accomplishments.”  The...

16 Aug

Posted at 16:09h in Community News
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Grant County, IN — The partners at Collabora are committed to honoring and enhancing the role of public art in our community. As part of our renovation and revitalization of the Collabora building, we are carefully reviewing the full range of options for the murals currently on the property. Because we want to ensure that all decisions are made with the benefit of a thorough review, we are taking additional time to consider the possibilities before a final decision is made. To that end, the Foundation is shifting this important conversation back to the six Collabora partners, who will work together to determine a path forward. We are confident that, through collaboration, they will identify an artistic solution that both highlights public art and continues to tell the many stories that make Grant County unique. Collabora remains committed to fostering a space where creativity, community, and collaboration thrive—and where the arts are celebrated as a vibrant part of our shared future. About Community Foundation of Grant County, Indiana, Inc. The Community Foundation of Grant County is an advocate for local philanthropy and is dedicated to improving the lives of people in the Grant County area. An effective steward of the community’s charitable resources...

13 Aug

Posted at 13:18h in A Message from Dawn, Featured Story
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Ok, I know for a fact some of you were feeling downright gruntled after my last blog. My challenge to you today (and to myself) is to feel… whelmed. Yep, whelmed. Remember the movie Ten Things I Hate About You? There’s a character named Chastity Church who asks, “I know you can be underwhelmed, and you can be overwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?” Great question! Yes, Chastity—yes. Whelmed is that sweet in-between stage where you’re not bored, but your hair’s not on fire either. I won’t lie, this past month has been overwhelming. When that happens, I sometimes try to recall the last time I was underwhelmed. Spoiler: I didn’t love it. My brain needs to be thinking, connecting, creating. I need to be working toward something and looking forward to something. Remembering the idle playground of “underwhelmed” helps me appreciate “overwhelmed” a little more. For me, overwhelmed means big things are happening. Plans are in motion. Big, hairy, audacious goals are set. Positive change is on the horizon. It often means I’m tackling something brand-new, full of unknowns, with a fast-moving timeline. The waterline feels like it’s hovering just below my nose. And then I remind myself—leadership is hard,...

04 Aug

Posted at 12:25h in Community News, Featured Story, Grantmaking Impact
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[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Grant County, IN — The Community Foundation of Grant County is proud to announce the official launch of Vireo, a Career to Cradle initiative with five Collaborative Action Networks (CANs). This is a bold, countywide initiative that brings together cross-sector partners to tackle the root causes of child poverty and drive sustainable change starting from Employment and working down the network to Kindergarten Readiness. “Each of these networks represents the power of collaboration,” said Dawn Brown, President/CEO of the Community Foundation of Grant County, “bringing together passionate local leaders and organizations committed to improving outcomes for every child in Grant County.” These Collaborative Action Networks are the pillars of a community-powered effort known as Vireo, focused on transforming systems through data-informed strategy, community engagement, and long-term collaboration. Five networks have been awarded funding and are now taking flight: Employment CAN - Led by Greater Grant County Recognizing the vital connection between stable employment and community well-being, this CAN seeks to build a stronger pipeline from education to employment. By fostering relationships between schools and local employers, the network will expand work-based learning opportunities, equip students with real-world career readiness, and align local talent with the evolving...

22 Jul

Posted at 15:55h in Community News, Featured Story
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The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, makes permanent several provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and introduces new regulations that may affect your charitable giving. While the law brings more certainty to tax and estate planning, it also may create new hurdles that could influence how and when you choose to give to the Community Foundation and the other charities you care about. Some of these changes offer new opportunities for giving. Others may create challenges depending on your income and how you make your gifts. Understanding the impact can help you make the most of your giving in the years ahead. Tax and Estate Planning Changes to Note Several key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) were scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. The OBBBA made them permanent, giving you more clarity for long-term planning: • The estate and gift tax exemption rises to $15 million per person ($30 million per married couple) in 2026. • The standard deduction increases to $15,750 (single filers) and $31,500 (married couples filing jointly) in 2025. • The top income tax rate remains at 37% (rather than reverting to 39.6%). These...

01 Jul

Posted at 20:46h in Featured Story
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Now’s the time—and we’ve got an incredible opportunity for you at the Community Foundation of Grant County. Thanks to the Lilly Endowment’s GIFT VIII initiative, every $1 you give becomes $3 to support our local community. Your gift goes into an unrestricted endowment fund, which means it’s invested permanently—and only the earnings are used each year to support local needs. Your gift keeps giving, year after year, long after we’re gone. So the grants that are awarded, never dip down into that principal gift you made. And these funds will continue to award every year. Right now, your donation to any new or existing Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund fuels positive change—supporting local ideas, worthy nonprofits, and urgent needs across Grant County. These are the most flexible and powerful funds we have—able to respond to changing needs, fill gaps, and step in where one fund or person can’t do it alone. So, here’s how the match works: 💛 $50 becomes $150 💛 $500 becomes $1,500 💛 And $1,667 becomes $5,000—the minimum amount needed to start your own named unrestricted fund. Yes, for just $1,667—and with the match, it instantly becomes $5,000—you can create a lasting legacy—in your name, in memory of someone you love, or even...

01 Jul

Posted at 16:54h in Featured Story
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Friends, I’m gruntled. It’s true. June has been a wonderful month. And despite what social media might indicate, with so many disgruntled people serving as unpaid keyboard warriors spewing negative and often meaningless commentary via text-limited and misspelled posts, I’m here to tell ya, I’m gruntled…and I don’t care who knows it! Gruntled must be the shy, introverted sibling of disgruntled as she doesn’t get near the attention she deserves. Let’s change that, shall we? Merriam-Webster defines Gruntled as contented, happy, in good humor—that’s what I feel like this week and I’ll tell you why…and maybe some hints on how! To give you some context, let me take you back to a fond memory I have of my husband. Although this specific highlight in our marriage happened around 13 years ago, I’ll never forget it. Are there any parents reading out there? If not, you were once a child, so maybe this will remind you of those glorious days of childhood chaos. The schedule was hectic, the needs were endless, and the time was limited. Truth be told, the house was always in some state of disarray too, but we were making memories, so it was fine! Fine, I say! Picture this, Marion, circa...

09 Jun

Posted at 16:28h in Featured Story
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You may not be able to live forever, but your generosity can. Whether you have modest means or significant wealth, one of the most meaningful things you can do is include a gift to charity in your will. It’s a powerful way to ensure that the values you cherish—community, education, faith, family—continue to shape the future. Experts call it “symbolic immortality,” and it simply means that a part of your story lives on through the impact you make. Still, more than half of Americans don’t have a will. If that includes you, you’re not alone. Many people delay this task because they believe it’s time-consuming, expensive, or emotionally difficult. But the truth is, it’s easier than ever to get started. Thanks to user-friendly online tools like FreeWill.com, you can create a legally valid will in as little as 20 minutes—from the comfort of your own home. And here’s the best part: leaving a charitable gift in your will is as easy as pie. FreeWill and similar platforms gently guide you through the process, offering the opportunity to support your favorite causes with just a few clicks. This kind of planned giving isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy—it's for anyone who wants to make a difference,...

20 May

Posted at 15:20h in Featured Story
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Grant County, Ind. — Collabora has officially launched Data Drive, a new community indicators dashboard designed to serve as a one-stop, 24/7 digital resource for local data. Accessible at CollaboraGC.com/Data-Drive, the dashboard complements other Collabora initiatives, including the Grant County Strategic Vision, and Collabora Leadership Intensive: Mobilizing the Bold (The CLIMB). Developed by the Collabora Stewards—Community Foundation of Grant County, Grant County Economic Growth Council, Grant County Visitors Bureau, Greater Grant County, Project Leadership, and United Way of Grant County—with support from Transform Consulting Group, Data Drive eliminates the guesswork typically involved in finding current, reliable information about Grant County. “We were thrilled to partner with the Collabora Stewards to create the Data Drive dashboard for Grant County. Data Drive is a unique, engaging dashboard that helps paint the data story of Grant County and makes data more accessible for community members. We look forward to following how community partners can accelerate their community impact using data from this tool.” said Amanda Lopez, President, Transform Consulting Group.  With more than 50 data sources and 90+ indicators, the dashboard organizes information around four community-prioritized themes: Economic Vitality, Talent Development, Quality of Place, and Quality of Life. These categories reflect the focus areas outlined in...