A small part of history
One year ago in May, I joined what had seemed like my millionth Zoom call. We just passed the one-year mark of the pandemic and tireless work of flattening the curve. Finally, a spark of excitement after a year of bouncing between remote work and my corner office space in downtown Muncie. I remember how excited I was to be a small part in developing a piece of work that would unfold into an institution designed to support nonprofit organizations in our community. The excitement fueled even more by the chance to sit shoulder-to-shoulder (virtually, of course) with some of the most respected organizational leaders I’ve come to know throughout the community. We were coming together to bring to life what The Community Foundation had identified as an institutional strengthening program that would focus on providing nonprofit organizations with what they need to be high functioning and sustainable. Through ten sessions guided by a consultant, a team of community partners established the framework of what came to be known as the Nonprofit Support Network.
The design and creation of Nonprofit Support Network is a really a beautiful story about discovery, collaboration, and taking risks.
In 2019, The Community Foundation was awarded a planning grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. The grant enabled the foundation to deepen its understanding of challenges and opportunities in our community and explore their identity as a community leader. Through research, conversations, and lived experiences, it quickly became apparent to The Community Foundation that nonprofit organizations had a strong support system made up of volunteers, donors, businesses, and foundations, but they lacked an easily accessible and available network of resources to help strengthen their operations and sustainability. By launching a supporting organization designed to help nonprofits, The Community Foundation is making room for nonprofits to have open and honest conversations that aren't necessarily linked to funding. The Nonprofit Support Network will have the autonomy to listen to what organizations need and serve them in a space that doesn’t involve a funder-grantee power dynamic. A supporting organization is not a new concept for The Community Foundation; since 2013, BY5 has operated as a supporting organization.
Nonprofit organizations face a lot of challenges that can limit their ability to meet their missions. These challenges range from fundraising and operational issues, to governance, personnel, and financial stability. None of these challenges are unique to one organization and they sometimes spend hours searching for resources and help. The Nonprofit Support Network hopes to reduce the amount of time nonprofits, and those who serve them, spend looking for solutions and help by creating a central location for programs and services. The goal isn’t to duplicate programs and services, but instead strengthen the connection to them; make them more accessible and relevant.
I’m excited to be in this new role and to be a small part of history in launching a program designed to uplift nonprofits and encourage philanthropy across our community. Somewhere in the history of Muncie, my name could be remembered alongside women like Judith Barnes and Beth Turcotte, Mary Dollison, Laura Janney, and Pat Hart. I understand the privilege and responsibility bestowed upon me in bringing to life a dream and vision of so many. I’m eager to learn, grow, and build a stronger connection to the nonprofit sector in our community, which is one of the things I love most about Muncie. I think there is no better way to serve my purpose than to lift up our community of nonprofits and the resilient people who serve them.
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