Marshall County Community Foundation awards $300,622 in fall grants

The Marshall County Community Foundation (MCCF) announced $300,622 in Fall 2026 grant awards, including $284,449 from Community Funds and $16,173 from the Ralph C. Vonnegut Jr. Fund.

Twice each year, nonprofit organizations are invited to request funding for projects that improve quality of life in Marshall County. MCCF Grants Committee members evaluate proposals through a competitive application process. This fall’s awards support projects ranging from technology training and grief support to arts facilities, environmental stewardship, and spaces where residents can gather and connect.

Fall 2026 Community Fund Grants

• Marshall County Neighborhood Center — $15,000 for HVAC and building improvements that will help maintain a safe, welcoming space for the people it serves.

• enFocus — $65,000 to expand its work in Marshall County for one year across five areas: education and workforce; health and social services; energy and housing systems; government services; and civic data and systems.
• Bremen Arts Collective — $30,000 to replace its septic system and support continued use of its facility for arts programming.
• Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ — $3,600 for the Seasonal Dignity & Wellness Initiative, which trains volunteers to build relationships with Marshall County residents, offer seasonal wellness support, and connect people with community resources.
• Dustin’s Place — $7,500 to strengthen coordination among schools, healthcare providers, first responders, and community partners so grieving children and families can access compassionate support.
• Human Delta, Inc. — $50,000 for Next Path 2.0, which provides technology training to Marshall County residents, students, and organizations.
• Marshall County Park and Recreation Department — $5,500 for professional removal of hazardous trees and invasive species at Memorial Forest.
• Garden Court Horizons — $102,849 for bike racks, a greenhouse, a play yard, a resident garden, and signage to create spaces where residents can grow, play, and connect.
• UMatter2 — $5,000 for the Veteran Community Food Program, which provides food to veterans and their families who face barriers to accessing other food resources.

Community Funds: Meeting Local Needs Today and Tomorrow

Community Funds are MCCF’s most flexible resources for addressing current and emerging needs. These unrestricted endowment funds support projects in areas such as arts, education, health and human services, recreation, and the environment.

Since awarding its first Community Fund grants in 1995, MCCF has distributed more than $6 million from these funds alone. In addition to the Marshall County Community Fund, the following named unrestricted funds support competitive grant rounds:

Alan and Barbara Neidlinger Community Fund; Barbara and Ralph Winters Community Fund; Billy and Vickie Ellinger Community Fund; Brian and Patricia Kitch Family Community Fund; C & M Overmyer Unrestricted Endowment Fund; Constance K. Danforth Community Fund; Earl and Susie (Lemler) Houin Community Fund; Eleanor & Randy Danielson Community Aesthetic Improvement Fund; First Merchants Bank Community Fund; Gibson Community Fund; Janet Newberg Community Fund; John and Kay Finlay Community Fund; Paul and Carol Nye Community Fund; Philip and Sylvia Bieghler Community Fund; R&T Jacobs Community Fund; Starr Harbor, LLC Community Fund; and Will and June Erwin Community Fund.

Through June 30, 2028, or until matching dollars are exhausted, gifts to Community Funds qualify for a $2 match for every $1 donated. MCCF also provides an additional match equal to 20% of the donor’s gift to a permanent endowed fund of the donor’s choice at MCCF.

The 2:1 match is made possible by a $750,000 matching grant through Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT IX), an initiative of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about this opportunity or donate at marshallcountycf.org/gift-ix.

Ralph C. Vonnegut Jr. Grant

The Ralph C. Vonnegut Jr. Fund provides annual funding for environmental, educational, or recreational projects directly related to Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver.

This fall, Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Fund received $16,173 for environmental scientists to evaluate Wilson and Curtiss Wetlands and recommend any needed maintenance or repairs.

Learn more about the fund at bit.ly/VonnegutFund.