From Founding to Forward-Thinking
How Planning Committees Shape Community Impact
Bold Vision Then
In 1984, a small group of visionary leaders gathered around a bold idea: Could Muncie and Delaware County sustain a community foundation that would serve generations to come?
The answer, they believed, was yes—but not without careful planning, deep listening, and a commitment to shared values. The Founding Committee, to investigate the inception of a community foundation, spent more than a year researching best practices, conducting a feasibility study, and engaging the community. Their work laid the foundation—literally and figuratively—for what would become The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County.
Their legacy lives on in the Foundation’s enduring values: to be relevant, representative, and responsive to the needs of our community—today, tomorrow, and always.
Bold Vision Now
Fast forward nearly four decades, and another group of community leaders came together with a similarly bold vision. This time, the challenge was different but no less important: How can we ensure that our nonprofit sector—so vital to the wellbeing of our community—is healthy, well-supported, and sustainable?
In 2021, a steering committee of six partners convened over eight months to answer that question. They brought expertise, did their homework, and—most importantly—listened to the voices of local nonprofit leaders.
Their conclusion was clear: Strong nonprofits build strong communities. And to be strong, nonprofits need dedicated support, strategic resources, and space to grow.
The result of their work is the Nonprofit Support Network, an organization designed to strengthen the capacity of nonprofit organizations across Muncie and Delaware County.
Just as the Foundation’s founding committee envisioned a better future through philanthropy, the Nonprofit Support Network steering committee envisioned a better future through partnership. Both groups believed in the power of people coming together to create lasting change.
Their stories—then and now—remind us that bold visions don’t just happen. They are built, step by step, by people who care deeply about this place and its future.
Make a Difference
Caring, giving donors are key to developing an enduring source of charitable assets to benefit our community today, tomorrow, and always.