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Author: Shelly Jones

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...

20 May

Posted at 13:44h in A Message from Dawn
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Purple peanut butter. That’s what we called it when we were kids. It was my grandma’s specialty. Well, technically Southern fried chicken was her *real* mouth-watering delight. But in the non-cooking category, purple peanut butter was all the rage. Maybe it was because we got to ‘help.’ In this team sport, my grandma would simply throw a tablespoon of peanut butter into a bowl with a tablespoon of grape jelly and we’d get to stir it up until it became this purply eggplant color. Then she’d spread it on one slice of bread, slap another slice of bread on top, and it was A La purple peanut butter sandwiches, as The Amazing Mumford from Sesame Street might have said. With hungry kids, you need efficiency. Better to slather the concoction on one piece of bread versus two, right? With impatient kids, you need effectiveness. Better to get them involved while making memories. Bonus points if you let them lick the bowl. It really is the simple things in life, isn’t it? This memory got me thinking about so many amazing collaborations that are currently happening right here in Grant County. It’s an active ‘better together’ approach that’s proving to be a highly effective...

09 Apr

Posted at 13:56h in Featured Story, Grantmaking Impact
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For many of us, the word “endowment” can feel intimidating. It conjures up images of billion-dollar family foundations or Ivy League universities, entities that seem to exist in another dimension from our own. In reality, an endowment is far more accessible – and versatile – than many realize. For our purposes, an endowment is a financial asset invested by a not-for-profit and held like a long-term savings account (but with better investment returns). A percentage of the fund is available for withdrawal each year – on a tiered scale based on the average fund balance – 4.00% ($5K-$99K), 4.25% ($100K-$249K), and 4.50% ($250 or greater). It is the earnings from the investments that can provide revenue for the organization’s mission. The original (principal) investment remains intact to sustain the organization over the long term. Let’s say a donor plans to leave your organization $100,000 in their estate plan. First off, congrats! But why might you want to use that gift to start an endowment rather than spend it? In a word: sustainability. An endowment is a near-guaranteed source of yearly revenue. As long as it exists, you have flexible dollars to help fund your mission. Now, at 4.25%, that $100,000 is “only” going to...

08 Apr

Posted at 13:11h in Featured Story
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You should be so proud. Your Community Foundation team is working so hard for Grant County. I wish you had the front row seat that I have to the big hearts and big brains that give all they have each day making Grant County a great county. It’s truly remarkable how they work together to accomplish the Foundation’s strategic plan established by our Board of Directors. And while it’s invigorating to know this quality work is happening, and even more unreal to be a small part of it, it’s not work for the faint of heart. And it’s definitely not  work for impatient types. Almost everything we do takes time. So. Much. Time. Your patience muscle gets a real workout! But we’re all honored to be doing this kind of work thanks to your generosity. We can’t serve as a community leader without your help! Then, occasionally, our patience pays off and our programs and projects are ready to be born. April is one of those months! If you haven’t heard yet, we are highlighting two BIG REVEALS on April 17th from 3-4:00 PM. The first is our Data Drive: Insights for an Informed Grant County and the second a super BEFORE...