Community Foundation of Elkhart County Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $31 million (fiscal year ending June 30, 2024)
Total Grants in 2024: 281 awards totaling $27,633,433
Decision Time: 6 weeks for grants under $25,000; 2-3 weeks after committee meetings for grants over $25,000
Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,000,000 (most common: $10,000; grants have gone as high as $12 million)
Geographic Focus: Elkhart County, Indiana
Total Assets: $461 million (2024)
National Ranking: Top 50 community foundations in the U.S., top 200 foundations worldwide

Contact Details

Address: 240 E Jackson Blvd, Suite 104, Elkhart, IN 46516-3976

Phone: 574-295-8761

Pre-Application Support: The foundation strongly encourages applicants to speak with a program officer before submitting an application to ensure a smooth and efficient process.

Overview

Founded to improve the quality of life in Elkhart County by inspiring generosity, the Community Foundation of Elkhart County (CFEC) is one of the most successful community foundations in the United States. Established in 1989, the foundation has grown to hold $461 million in total assets as of June 30, 2024, making it one of the top 50 community foundations nationally. Under the leadership of President Dr. Pete McCown since 2011, the foundation has received more than $400 million in gifts and has become a transformative force in Elkhart County. The foundation's mission centers on advising donors of all types on charitable giving, awarding grants to effective nonprofit organizations, and providing leadership to address critical community needs. In fiscal year 2023-24, the foundation received $39 million in gifts and granted $31 million to the community, with a total of 2,978 grants distributed including $18 million from donor advised funds and $2.4 million in scholarships. The foundation has been recognized for ranking in the top 100 nationally across all four key metrics (assets, transactions, gifts per capita, and distribution rate) for four out of the last five years.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Investment Grants - The foundation's largest and most robust program, supporting a wide variety of issues and initiatives across three focus areas:

Career Pathways Grants: $10,000 - $1,000,000
- Support education, post-secondary success, workforce development, transition programs, and internship/apprenticeship programs
- Applications over $25,000 reviewed twice yearly (mid-February and mid-August deadlines)
- Applications under $25,000 reviewed weekly on a rolling basis
Kids and Families Grants: $5,000 - $643,000
- Support early childhood services, summer programs, youth programs, mentoring, after-school programs, parental support, and social services related to senior care and rehabilitation
- Same application schedule as above
Placemaking Grants: $10,000 - $140,000
- Fund the arts, neighborhoods, transportation, disaster relief, parks and trails, downtowns, the environment, and animal care
- Same application schedule as above

Well Foundation Grants

Support nonprofits with programs or projects focused on improving the health and wellness of residents of Goshen and Elkhart County

Bontrager Family Foundation Grants

Support Christian faith-based organizations, youth and family programs, and the Middlebury community

Emergency Grants

Help nonprofits overcome "sudden, unanticipated and unavoidable challenges" before they become insurmountable

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on three strategic priority areas:

Career Pathways: Education initiatives, workforce development, post-secondary success programs
Kids & Families: Youth development, early childhood services, family support, senior care
Placemaking: Arts and culture, community infrastructure, environmental initiatives, neighborhood development

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's primary focus is on nonprofits serving Elkhart County, Indiana. Specific exclusions are not extensively documented in public sources, but eligibility is generally limited to organizations with charitable purposes serving Elkhart County residents.

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership

Dr. Pete McCown, President

Serving since 2011
Also serves as Chief Investment Officer
Previously served as professor of business and vice president for advancement at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana
Has guided the foundation's growth to become one of the top 100 community foundations in the United States
Under his leadership, more than $400 million in gifts have been given to the foundation

Cole Patuzzi, Chief Financial Officer

Oversees financial operations for the foundation

Alex Strati, Director of Professional Advisors

Joined January 2025
Supports financial and legal professionals who assist individuals with estate planning
Facilitates charitable giving through the foundation

Tressa Huddleston, Executive Assistant/Office Manager

Coordinates calendars and office activities
Primary support for President Pete McCown

Board Structure

The foundation operates with board and committee members, including dozens of volunteers who help guide grantmaking decisions through grant committees that review larger requests twice annually.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Grants Over $25,000:

Applications reviewed by grant committees twice per year
Deadlines: Mid-February and mid-August
Submit application through the foundation's process
Strongly encouraged to speak with a program officer before applying

For Grants Under $25,000:

Rolling application process with no deadlines
Applications reviewed weekly
Submit application through the foundation's process
Consultation with program officer still recommended

Eligibility:

All public charities with IRS 501(c)(3) status serving Elkhart County are eligible
Schools, municipalities, governmental units, and chambers of commerce may also be eligible for charitable purposes

Decision Timeline

Grants under $25,000: Reviewed and awarded within 6 weeks
Grants over $25,000: Applicants typically notified of decisions within 2-3 weeks following grant committee meetings (which occur after mid-February and mid-August deadlines)

Success Rates

281 grants awarded in 2024
257 grants awarded in 2023
315 grants awarded in 2022
Distribution rate of 6% of total assets (ranking 103rd nationally in this metric)

Specific application-to-award success rate percentages are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is publicly documented. Applicants are encouraged to contact a program officer to discuss their application and potential for reapplication.

Application Success Factors

The Community Foundation of Elkhart County provides specific guidance for creating strong applications:

Key Success Factors

1. Specify Your Target Population The foundation emphasizes that applicants must "specify the exact population you're planning to serve with the grant dollars." Knowing your specific audience helps the foundation understand how monies will be used and who will benefit.

2. Make a Compelling Case in Context According to the foundation, "it's not just important to have a great project; it's important that your project fits in the landscape of Elkhart County and serves a unique niche." Applications must demonstrate how the project fits within the broader community context.

3. Know the Landscape The foundation advises applicants to "know other organizations like yours and how they differ from yours." Understanding the competitive and collaborative landscape is essential.

4. Emphasize Collaboration "Collaboration always makes for the best results and that's equally true in terms of the non-profit landscape - finding ways to collaborate with other strong organizations is looked at positively by their team." The foundation highly values collaborative approaches.

5. Provide Clear, Targeted Budget Details "Targeted totals help keep your project on task and help committee members understand the scope of your project - it's very important to understand exactly how you'll be spending the grant monies."

6. Consult Before Applying The foundation strongly recommends that applicants "speak to a Community Foundation program officer before submitting an application - a program officer can guide you to make the process smooth and efficient."

Recent Funded Projects (Examples)

2024-2025:

Goshen College: $322,594 for college-wide strategic initiative to strengthen engagement with Elkhart County (expanded summer/weekend camps, athletics engagement with schools, Ivy Tech transfer pathways)

2023:

Goshen College: $1,000,000 for capital campaign for nursing and health sciences (Career Pathways)
Oaklawn Psychiatric Center: $643,000 for Growing The SOURCE (Kids and Families)
Faith Mission of Elkhart: $157,000 for family shelter on Middlebury Street (Kids and Families)
Maple City Health Care Center: $150,000 for expanding maternal and children's health services (Kids and Families)
Premier Arts: $140,000 for new theater space (Placemaking)
Potawatomi Zoological Society: $100,000 for The Concession Lodge and Bear Habitat (Placemaking)
Elkhart Education Foundation: $50,000 for Summerscape 2023 (Career Pathways)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Consultation is critical: The foundation strongly encourages pre-application consultation with program officers - this is not optional if you want to be competitive
Context matters more than quality alone: Demonstrate how your project uniquely fits the Elkhart County landscape; it's not enough to have a great idea
Collaboration is highly valued: Show how you're working with other organizations or how your project complements existing efforts in the community
Be specific about beneficiaries: Vague target populations will weaken your application; specify exactly who will benefit
Choose the right track: Applications under $25,000 get faster decisions (6 weeks) and rolling review, while larger requests have semi-annual deadlines
Align with priority areas: Ensure your project clearly fits within Career Pathways, Kids & Families, or Placemaking to maximize competitiveness
Budget precision is essential: Provide detailed, targeted budget information that shows exactly how grant funds will be deployed

References

Information accessed December 2024