JULY newsLETTER
From the Community Foundation’s Program Team
Collaboration is in the DNA of Elkhart County nonprofits. When neighbors and colleagues from other communities hear about what happens in our communities, they observe the difference. Those of us who have a long history here can easily take it for granted. From my vantage point, I see strong collaborations continuing to flourish and even grow. Each area of focus here at the Community Foundation is served by growing coalitions of partners across systems and sectors, all working together toward a common vision. Thank you for your efforts, in programming and in partnering, to make our community strong, resilient, and vibrant….for all.
Sincerely,
Candy Yoder
Chief Program Officer
Building Strong Brains is growing
Kimberly Boynton joined the Community Foundation in June as the coalition director for Building Strong Brains, the initiative to build a system supporting children under age 6 and the families who raise them so that every child is prepared when they enter elementary school.
The initiative arose out of the collaboration of five partners launched in November and Kimberly is providing leadership.
She’s no stranger to this work. She’s a longtime child speech language pathologist who worked in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties before becoming an assistant professor at Saint Mary’s College. We are thrilled to have her return to focus on Elkhart County and lead this effort.
She is meeting with a range of people in our community and building a Leadership Table for the BSB as it undertakes this work over the coming decade or more. The table will be comprised of educators, business leaders, parents, and others who can help shape the work from a range of perspectives. This group will both ask and field hard questions to envision a new system in our community to help children and families.
You can reach Kimberly at [email protected] or (574) 295-8761.
Changes in the team
Online grant applications are open
We updated the resources available to help you build a successful grant application. You can apply for Community Investment Grants under $25,000 any time throughout the year and we have two primary deadlines for grants larger than that. The next one is approaching quickly. Grant applications are due August 15. We urge you to reach out to one of the program officers if you are considering applying. You can find information on our Community Investment Grants page. Reach out to us with your questions.
The Well Foundation, which offers grants in our community in the area of healthcare, will begin accepting applications August 15. The application window will close October 1. Learn more about the Well Foundation.
Scholarship time again
We were delighted to celebrate donors and recipients at our annual scholarship brunch. Each year, we award more than 50 scholarships to new high school students and at least 50 more to adults. We often renew those scholarships for multiple years. When you add all of them together, we give more than $2.5 million in scholarships each year.
We’ll soon be accepting applications again. The application for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship and Gundlach Memorial Scholarship opens on July 31. These scholarships are for first-generation students. Each Elkhart County high school has a process for nominating one student for consideration. If you know of a student (or are the parent of one), have them check with their guidance counselor to learn more.
The Learning Center schedule announced
Our season of free training sessions for nonprofits will start soon. We are in the process of finalizing some of the last details and will soon have more of the events posted on our website. The first event will be on strategic planning and you can learn more and register.
Bookmark our Learning Center page to learn more about all the events.
Kevin Deary, director of organizational and professional development, is overseeing this year’s slate of events, which include:
August 23, 2023
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Organize, Imagine, Launch: Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Leaders, Toni Pauls
Elkhart Health & Aquatics
September 13-14
CEO Retreat
Primary speaker: DeCoffette Ward
Oakwood Resort
October 11-12
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Program Evaluation, Tom Stuckey
Elkhart Health & Aquatics
(Offered to cohort in Indiana University School of Philanthropy track)
October 26
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Building a World-Class Team For Your Local Organization, Ross Chastain
Elkhart Health & Aquatics
November 8
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Fundraising Your Way to Nonprofit Success, Tamela Spicer
Ivy Tech Community College
January 9-10
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Strategic Operational Planning Leadership, Christy Shephard
Ivy Tech Community College
(Offered to cohort in Indiana University School of Philanthropy track)
February 8
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Time Management and Organizational Skills in Nonprofit Event Management, Bekah Houff
Ivy Tech Community College
March 14
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Volunteer Resource Management: Creating a Culture of Service, Mandy Sharp Eizinger
Elkhart Health & Aquatics
April 16
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
How to Lead a Nonprofit (And Mistakes To Avoid), Angela Logan
Ivy Tech Community College
May 22
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Financial Skills to Strengthen Organizations, Margene Zink
Elkhart Health & Aquatics
Connect in Elkhart County moving forward
In case you missed it, the final section of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail is under construction.
The second annual Pedal Party in Nappanee/Wakarusa is August 12. You’re invited to attend and can learn more information.
To stay up to date on all that’s happening with our initiative to grow and knit together trails in our community, sign up for the newsletter.
Speaking Candidly
We are thrilled that folks are accessing Candid.org, a powerful set of databases that can help your organization as it seeks grants and more.
You can learn more at inspiringgood.org/Candid.