About Us

"The community foundation is an organization to give money through, not an organization to give money to."

George Bennett
Former President, NCCF

Though growing in strength and familiarity, your Community Foundation can easily be considered one of those "best kept secrets" in our region. The Community Foundation offers a uniquely flexible and innovative philanthropic service which appeals to a broad cross-section of charitable and community minded individuals. People of both wealth and modest means find a community foundation suited to their individual desires.

The Noble County Community Foundation and its affiliate, Community Initiatives, Inc., have more than 500 colleague Community Foundations nationwide. What was started quietly by a banker in Cleveland some 80 years ago has today become the fastest growing sector of philanthropy, with combined assets of more than $10 billion.

The Noble County Community Foundation is the product of a collaborative effort. The founding partners of the Noble County Community Foundation are committed to a structure that sustains local engagement, leadership and capacity while supporting an expanded level of philanthropic service and growth for the region.

What is most important to know about the Community Foundation is that we are here for good. A fund established with us will be carried on as intended for generations to come. And, if a problem arises somewhere along the line - a beneficiary organization closes its doors, for example - the heart of the Foundation (its people) have the legal ability to find another beneficiary most closely matched to the original intent of the fund.

A fund established with the Community Foundation receives the maximum charitable deduction allowed by law. Investments are guided by some of the country’s top financial advisers. And, our grant makers have years of expertise in the nonprofit community.

The advantages of using the Community Foundation are many to donors and grant seekers. Take a look and see what you think, then contact us.

"...To improve the quality of life in Noble County by serving as a catalyst for positive change, enabling donors to carry out charitable intent, and making grants..."

We’re a community foundation, a tax-exempt public charity that enables people like you to establish charitable funds. Your fund will be commingled with our other funds and managed professionally. Its assets will grow over time. You and your family and colleagues are encouraged to continue giving to the fund to help it grow even more. Grants will be awarded from your fund to support local nonprofit organizations, in accordance with your interests.

Like all community foundations, we are overseen by a volunteer board of leading citizens and run by professionals with expertise in knowing our community’s needs. We go beyond simply making grants that advance charitable activities: we also identify current and emerging issues, stimulate resources to address those needs and help our region prepare for the future.

It’s for these reasons that community foundations represent one of the fastest growing areas of philanthropy. When charitably minded people like you seek suitable ways to give, we can help you make a difference.

Since 1991, area residents have been turning to the Noble County Community Foundation, Inc. to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern—improving the quality of life in Noble County.

Individuals, families, businesses and organizations create permanent charitable funds, known as endowment funds, that help our region meet the challenges of changing times. The foundation invests and administers these funds. We then use the distributions to award several hundred-thousand dollars in grants each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable region we call home.

The Foundation, through its custodial banks and Investment Managers, invests the principal of each Fund for the continued production of distributable income. It distributes that income in accordance with the provisions of the instrument creating each Fund, in the form of grants to a wide variety of organizations and individuals. The areas in which the Foundation makes these grants include arts and culture, education, health and human services, civic affairs and other charitable areas of interest.

The volunteer Board of Directors consists of fifteen members from throughout Noble County, who are responsible for policy and direction for the Foundation. They are committed to the preservation of the purchasing power of the assets entrusted to the Foundation's care. They appoint members to the Foundation's Investment Committee annually. The Grants Committee, upon consideration of requests, recommends grants for confirmation from the Board of Directors.

Our Volunteer Board of Directors:

Larry Baker of Kimmell —President
Nancy Flint Shambaugh of Rome City —Vice President
Deb Spidel of Rome City —Treasurer
Arthur Grawock of Avilla - Secretary
Dave Blackman of Albion/Kendallville
Dan Parker of Albion
Robert Probst of Kendallville
Roger Schermerhorn of Ligonier
Jonathan Leman of Avilla
James Shrock of Albion
Janet Sweeney of Cromwell
Jeanna Hagen of Cromwell - Member at Large
Dr. Doug Jansen of Kendallville
Ruthann Richards of Topeka
 

Community Initiatives, Inc. Board of Directors

Chris Egolf of Ligonier - President
Jose "Joe" Vargas of Ligonier 
Judy Dowen of Rome City - Vice President 
John Fitzpatrick of Albion 
Diane Groff of Millersburg
Deb Spidel of Rome City - Secretary/Treasurer
Janell Martin of Wawaka
Sarinna Dazey - Central Noble Teen on Board
Luc Heffner - East Noble Teen on Board
Adam Smith - West Noble Teen on Board

Investment Committee Members:

Max A. Roesler of Rome City - Chairman
Jana Miller of Kimmell - Vice Chairman
Mark J. Demske of Avilla
Robert L. Allman of Churubusco
Dave Blackman of Albion/Kendallville
Robert Probst of Kendallville
Robert Wechter of Ligonier
Jonathan Leman of Avilla
 

Grants Committee Members:

Brian Baker of Kendallville
Larry Baker of Kimmell
Joy LeCount of Wawaka
Julie Buttgen of Ligonier
Don Monesmith of Avilla
Brenda Patton of Ligonier
Max A. Roesler of Rome City
Robert Wechter of Ligonier
Janet Sweeney of Cromwell
Cathy Seymoure of Albion