Connecting nonprofits with the resources they need to meet their missions.
About Nonprofit Support Network
Nonprofit Support Network is a capacity-building organization dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations serving Muncie and Delaware County by providing them with the resources and time they need to meet their missions. We believe our community is best served when nonprofits have the resources they need to focus on their mission. We take a targeted approach to support organizations in areas they need it the most by cultivating relationships and addressing resource needs. We were established to provide quality and valuable training and coaching resources to nonprofit organizations and the individuals that serve them.
In our community, nonprofit organizations provide some of the most vital resources to keep our neighbors fed, sheltered, educated, healed, protected, and nurtured. But, in doing so, nonprofit organizations often face challenges that limit their ability to serve the people and communities that rely on them. We seek to strengthen the network of resources available to nonprofits in our community to encourage them to do more better, while uplifting the public’s appreciation of the work of nonprofits, and creating a successful environment for advancing nonprofit mission work.
Our 2023 Impact Report is out now.
Our Mission
The mission of Nonprofit Support Network is to provide support to ensure a healthy, well-supported, and sustainable nonprofit sector in Muncie and Delaware County.
In 2022, we were established as a supporting organization of The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County to extend the organization’s mission of supporting nonprofit organizations in our community, providing them with the resources they need to be impactful.
Originally launched as a concept of institutional strengthening, the Nonprofit Support Network was designed through an eight-month planning session by a steering committee of six local organizations that have demonstrated expertise in coaching and supporting nonprofit organizations and the individuals that serve them. The steering committee provides ongoing support and guidance to the Relationship and Resource Director in the planning and implementation of organizational activities.
Nonprofits have a strong role in creating a just and equitable community in Muncie and Delaware County. Nonprofit Support Network is committed to fostering and maintaining an environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion are integrated into the work we do.
As our organization grows, we will assess and refine how we can be strong partners to all people and organizations, especially those who have been historically underrepresented. We commit to identifying how to build core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion into our operations and mission advancement.
Utilizing a Results Based Accountability (RBA) approach, the institutional basics of Nonprofit Support Network aim to contribute to our community’s work in the areas of education, health & wellness, economic development, neighborhood revitalization, and community pride by helping to foster a healthy, well-supported sustainable nonprofit sector.
We provide support and programming for Executive Directors/CEOs, staff, board members, and volunteers from nonprofits that serve Muncie and Delaware County.
6 Pillars
We believe that nonprofits need these six things to be healthy, well-supported, and sustainable. These primary areas of support now serve as the pillars by which Nonprofit Support Network intends to fulfill its mission - these serve as the guiding principles for program and service design and delivery.
Access to funding
Access to training
Access to shared services
Assistance planning and executing
Help to create collaboration and partnerships
Help developing relationships
Our Staff
Jena Ashby, (she/her)
Relationship and Resource Director
Jena Ashby is Nonprofit Support Network’s Relationship and Resource Director. She has extensive nonprofit work and volunteer experience, and a wealth of experience convening diverse groups to build authentic, collaborative relationships. She is passionate about the Muncie/Delaware County community and connecting people and organizations in meaningful, mutually beneficial ways.
Jena is a lifelong Muncie resident who earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Ball State University in 2001 and continues to serve on the Department's Advisory Council. She has also served on the staff of the following nonprofits: A Better Way, Habitat for Humanity, 8twelve Coalition, and Scholar House. Her Board involvement has included Muncie YMCA, Second Harvest Food Bank, Teamwork for Quality Living, and Step Ahead Preschool.
Jena and her husband have two young adult sons and enjoy outdoor activities, including cycling, hiking, and kayaking. They are active in leadership roles within their church. She brings her skills in organizational management, public speaking, program development, connection/relationship building, and strategic planning to the many roles she is actively engaged in.
Ellie Parkison, (she/her)
Program and Strategic Initiatives Coordinator
Ellie Parkison is Nonprofit Support Network’s Program and Strategic Initiatives Coordinator, aiding in the operation and coordination of various programs and initiatives that support nonprofits and early education providers. Her role involves administrative tasks, event coordination, communication management, and project support.
Ellie graduated in May 2024 from Ball State University with a bachelors in Communication Studies, with minors in Strategic Communications and Family Engagement. She was born and raised in the Muncie area and attended Burris Laboratory School. She has a wide variety of professional experience, including childcare, administrative support, and social media management.
Ellie began interning with Nonprofit Support Network in the spring of 2023 and was able to continue her internship until being offered a permanent role with the organization a year later. She feels honored that she gets to play even a small part in bettering the community she grew up in, helping provide Muncie’s nonprofits with the resources they need to do vital work.
Board Members
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Joann McKinney
Board President
President & CEO of Horizon Convention Center -
Peggy Cenova
Board Vice-President
Retired, Regional Director of the Indiana Small Business Development Center -
Dave Heeter
Board Secretary & Treasurer
Northwest Bank -
Mia Johnson
Board Member
Chancellor of the Anderson Campus, Ivy Tech Community College -
Marcy Minton
Board Member
President of The Community Foundation
Supporting Partners
