News

15 Mar The Indiana Communities Institute (ICI) is Coming to Grant County

Together, the Grant County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Grant County Economic Growth Council, Greater Grant County, Indiana Wesleyan University, and the Community Foundation of Grant County are all partnering together to bring a Community Development Course to Grant County. “Each of these sponsors believe that to remain relevant and, ultimately, to thrive, communities of all sizes must tackle challenges and pursue opportunities comprehensively, creatively, and collaboratively," said Kylie Jackson, President/CEO at Greater Grant County. “That means, assets and trade-offs must be understood and investments in people and place require increased focus.” “That’s why we’ve invited Ball State University’s Indiana Communities Institute, in partnership with Creative Insight Community Development, to deliver a 2.5-day Community Development Course to help build a foundation for a stronger and more sustainable Grant County,” said Dawn Brown, President/CEO at the Community Foundation of Grant County. The Indiana Communities Institute (ICI) at Ball State University, in partnership with Creative Insight Community Development (CICD), will help local communities work together to realize positive change through the Community-Based Action Planning (CBAP) process. The facilitators from both organizations have more than 150 years of community development experience. CBAP is a participant-oriented, “learn by doing” experience rooted in social science research and built on practical...

02 Feb Local Nonprofits Receive Grants Totaling More Than $300,000 from Community Foundation Press Release

Every day at the Community Foundation of Grant County, individuals and families create lasting impact for the betterment of Grant County by ensuring their generosity will benefit generations to come through endowment. Last week, $316,000 was distributed to 65 local nonprofit organizations that benefit from an endowment fund at the Community Foundation. This Designated Grant Cycle is the first of six grantmaking cycles offered in 2023 by the Foundation. The grants come from designated funds, which support one or more specific organizations. The funds have been established by the organization itself or by donors to provide a reliable source of support for organizations they care about. This year’s designated fund grants range from $110 to more than $22,000. “No doubt, nonprofit budgets continue to be challenged. We are grateful for the donors who have established these funds and for the opportunity to provide these designated grants to support the good work of our nonprofits,” said Dawn Brown, Community Foundation President and CEO. “Because the funds are endowed, our nonprofits can count on these grants every year.” Earnings provide an additional source of annual income for the nonprofit organizations. Each year, a portion of each organization’s fund growth is distributed through a grant and a...

30 Nov Local Investing Press Release

The Community Foundation of Grant County announced recently that it is committed to building a bold new way to accelerate positive social outcomes through a local impact investing program as an extension of its community leadership efforts. The Foundation recognizes that its assets, over 90% of which are endowed, positions the organization to bring new tools, such as local impact investing, to address the needs and opportunities of Grant County. The purpose of the Impact Investing program is to make socially impactful loan investments that provide a financial return and measurably advance a prosperous Grant County via the social return on investment. The program will invest in people, projects, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that address economic prosperity, quality of life, and access to opportunity for residents of Grant County. “We believe that philanthropic capital can further the betterment of Grant County through grants as well as investments,” said Dawn Brown, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “More than any nonprofit organization, community foundations have the ability to deploy a diverse set of tools to address community needs, including grantmaking, donor engagement, and loan investments. As community foundations seek innovative ways to build community wealth and health, more are adopting impact investing...

08 Nov Bridge the Gap Loan Program

A new alternative to payday lending in Grant County will provide financially vulnerable families with convenient, small-dollar, low-interest, flexible-term loans. This innovative hybrid loan program will provide families with immediate access to the cash they need to provide some much-needed financial stability while also helping them build a savings account for future financial security. The alternative payday lending program is made possible through a unique partnership between Afena Federal Credit Union and the Community Foundation of Grant County. The alternative payday lending program was designed to help financially under-resourced families in three ways: 1) By providing affordable financing to assist families in getting back on their feet once they return to work following the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) By helping financially under-resourced families build an emergency savings account, and 3) By helping income-vulnerable families improve their credit scores. We know that our professional lenders are working hard to serve the people of Grant County. And we know that there are times when they simply can’t approve a customer’s loan request due to credit issues, income limitations, and other challenges. For people who don’t qualify for traditional financing options, an unexpected expense can quickly spiral into a major problem. Which means if the refrigerator...

21 Sep Continuing Education Credits for Professional Advisors Breakfast

On Friday, October 21st at 8AM, Professional Advisors are invited to join the Community Foundation of Grant County for a free breakfast and 3 hours of Continuing Education Credits with speaker, David Bennett, President Community Foundation Research and Training Institute. “Federal tax laws regarding charitable giving have changed dramatically in the last few years – and more changes are on the horizon," said David Bennett, President Community Foundation Research and Training Institute. “In this seminar, we will review recent changes in federal tax law, as well as tax-smart options for your clients. Topics to be covered include federal income and estate taxes, Qualified Charitable Distributions, tax implications of noncash gifts, gifts with income, and retained life estates.” “Philanthropy should be fun, it should be simple and flexible, it should offer tax benefits and professional management with public accountability and transparency," said Dawn Brown, President and CEO. “Which is what we offer to your clients. Some of the greatest opportunities to make charitable gifts arise when making major business, personal, and financial decisions. Let us help.” “Strong community foundations help build strong communities which is what we all want,” said Shelly Jones, Development Manager. “We know our Professional Advisors care about their clients and...

26 May TWO Local Crowdfunding Campaign Goals Officially Launched

(Grant County, IN) The Community Foundation of Grant County is excited to announce two crowdfunding campaign goals launched with Habitat for Humanity of Grant County (Habitat) and the City of Marion Parks and Recreation Department (Parks Department). The Parks Department launched their crowdfunding campaign on May 12th, Habitat launched theirs on May 23rd. Habitat aims to crowdfund $20,000 to support the construction of a new Habitat home in Grant County. The Parks Department aims to crowdfund $20,000 to fund the dredging and renovation of the Matter Park fishing pond. The Foundation will track all charitable contributions made by donors for each project. If the organizations meet their fundraising goals, the Foundation will award them a dollar-for-dollar matching grant to complete their projects for a total of $40,000 each. Any amount raised over these goals will also be awarded to the organizations. If either organization does not meet their goal by the deadline, they will not receive the matching grant. However, all donations raised will be awarded to the projects. The Parks Department's campaign will end July 11th at midnight, and Habitat's will end July 22nd at midnight. City of Marion Parks Department The City of Marion’s Parks Department was approved for a...