Community Foundation of Elkhart County again ranks high in national survey

Columbus Survey shows ongoing growth of Community Foundation of Elkhart County     

November 18, 2020                                              

ELKHART, Indiana. — The Community Foundation of Elkhart County is ranked among the top 75 community foundations nationally in four key categories, according to the recently released Columbus Survey.

Each year CF Insights, a national association of community foundations, publishes peer data collected from community foundations across the country. Earlier this year, Community Foundation of Elkhart County voluntarily submitted the institutional data along with 237 other foundations for the 2019 fiscal year.

The report shows the ongoing growth of assets, grants and number of gifts and holding steady in the gifts per capita ranking.

  • Assets                                     CFEC ranked 67, up from 68 in 2018
  • Distribution Rate                     CFEC ranked 40, up from 75 in 2018
  • Gift Count                               CFEC ranked 71, up from 101 in 2018
  • Gifts per Capita                      CFEC ranked 23, down slightly from 21 in 2018

Only a handful of community foundations make it into the top 100 on all four of these lists in any given year. CFEC has been in the top 100 of all four lists four out of the last five years. The only exception ranking below 100 in the last five years was 101 last year on Gift Count.

“These are truly amazing indicators of our work together with our volunteers, donors, and nonprofit partners,” said Pete McCown, president of Community Foundation of Elkhart County. “I am so grateful for the work of our staff and the board and committee members who guide our work in this community.”

Donors gave $35.6 million to the Foundation during the fiscal year 2019-20, which ended June 30.  That along with $11.3 million of investment returns increased the total assets, after costs and grant awards, from $302 million to $315 million. The Community Foundation was able to award a total of $35.1 million in grants during the fiscal year from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, including $9 million from the Fund for Elkhart County and $2.6 million in scholarships.

About Community Foundation of Elkhart County

Community Foundation of Elkhart County partners with donors to leverage their philanthropy in ways that transform lives. Since 1989, the Community Foundation has created more and improved pathways by helping generous donors to meet community needs, providing scholarship opportunities to local students, and making grants to nonprofit organizations working to improve Elkhart County. The Community Foundation strives to be a local entity known for inspiring good and impacting success. To learn more, go to www.InspiringGood.org.