Ball Brothers grants strengthen, enrich community assets

Muncie, Ind.—Projects to revitalize Muncie’s downtown neighborhoods and expand Delaware County’s recreation opportunities received $550,000 in support recently as Ball Brothers Foundation announced its Cycle II grant allocations. Seventeen nonprofit organizations—15 operating in Delaware County—shared in awards totaling $3.6 million. This brings BBF’s 2013 investment in area initiatives to $6.3 million.

“We’re convinced that a key to economic growth in East Central Indiana is to make our communities more attractive to families,” said Jud Fisher, president and chief operating officer of the foundation. “Physical upgrades to Muncie’s core plus new and sustained outdoor amenities can give us an edge when we compete for business and industry. Companies today are very aware of their employees’ expectations outside of the workplace.”

With this in mind, the foundation is collaborating with three partner organizations to address needs in the inner city:

· A $75,000 grant to Greater Muncie, IN Habitat for Humanity will help strengthen and equip construction teams as they build new homes and rehabilitate existing properties that will serve several families.

· A $200,000 grant to Ball State University’s Building Better Neighborhoods initiative will assist in the development of neighborhood associations throughout Muncie. A project coordinator will identify specific needs in partner neighborhoods and tap into resources to fulfill the needs.

· A $10,000 grant to Inside Out Community Development Corporation is earmarked to support the creation of a comprehensive plan to revitalize the Goldsmith Gilbert neighborhood adjacent to Muncie’s center. The initiative will utilize the talents of BSU’s Urban Planning Department.

Two grants—one to The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County and another to the Boys Scouts of America—are intended to expand recreation and outdoor learning opportunities in the county. The Community Foundation will use its $225,000 allocation from Ball Brothers Foundation to establish a land acquisition fund to be utilized for the acquisition of properties for conservation and recreation purposes. The fund will be used to match local applications to state and federal funding sources such as the Bicentennial Nature Trust, Indiana Heritage Trust, etc. A $40,000 grant to the Boys Scouts will repair and improve facilities at Camp Red Wing where youth learn about the environment as they develop leadership skills under the guidance of adult mentors.

Other BBF Cycle II grants approved include:

Ball State University Family Financial Fitness Program ($9,600); Ball State University Indiana Certified Public Managers Program ($25,000); Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc., Planned Giving Course ($13,000); Energize-ECI, Inc., ($100,000); Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site ($10,000); Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc., ($80,000); Ivy Tech Community College Step Up College Prep Program ($40,000); Minnetrista ($2.55 million); Motivate Our Minds ($40,000); Muncie Civic Theatre ($7,000); Muncie Delaware Clean & Beautiful ($15,000); Muncie/Delaware First Robotics Team ($15,000); Muncie Symphony Orchestra ($50,000); Philips Outdoor Center, Inc. ($19,500); United Way of Delaware County Community Solutions Program ($75,000).

Other awards approved through separate grant programs outside the Foundation’s second cycle include: Boys & Girls Club of Muncie, Organizational Stability, $10,000; Cardinal Greenway, Inc., Trail Maintenance and Staff Development, $7,500; Cornerstone Center for the Arts, Organizational Marketing Plan & Brand Messaging, $7,500; Muncie Public Library, 2013 Fisher Governance Award, $10,000; A Better Way Services, Inc., Strategic Planning, $5,000; Boys & Girls Club of Muncie, Administrative Support Upgrade, $4,825; Community Enhancement Projects, Inc., Saving Historic Statuary at Archie Park, $5,000; Cornerstone Center for the Arts, Winter 2013-2014 Emergency Upgrades, $1,200; Delaware Advancement Corporation, 2014 FAFSA Workshops, $1,400; Delaware County Soil & Water Conservation District, Bicentennial Nature Trust Planning, $5,000; Delaware County Soil & Water Conservation District, Craddock Wetlands South Plaza, $5,000; Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry, Meat Processing and Distribution, $1,000; Shafer Leadership Academy, Converge 2013, $2,000; Market Place Outreach Community Center, 2013-2014 Programming, $2,500; Muncie Light Horse Club, Trail Repair, $2,300; YWCA of Muncie, Emergency Shelter, $5,000.

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Ball Brothers Foundation, an 87-year-old family philanthropy based in Muncie, focuses its grant-making efforts on East Central Indiana with a particular emphasis on Delaware County. For additional information, visithttp://www.ballfdn.org/