SCCF's youth philanthropy program, FIST, welcomed special guests at their March meeting. The superintendents from Fremont, MSD of Steuben County, and Hamilton were invited to join FIST for lunch to learn more about what they do. Dr. Stitt from Fremont and Dr. Weidenhoffer from MSD both congratulated the students on taking initiative in their community and making a difference. Each student spoke briefly during the lunch, sharing a piece of what they have learned about philanthropy, teamwork, and nonprofits. The lunch was a demonstration of the importance and power of collaboration - when schools work together across the county, they can make a big difference. Thank you to the school administrations and community members who support SCCF's youth philanthropists!

PS - FIST students joined other youth philanthropists from Indiana, Iowa, Alabama and Minnesota at the Dekko Foundation Youth Pod retreat on March 4 and 5. Check out what they had to say about being a philanthropist.

Save the date, the Steuben County Water/Ways exhibit will be here soon! This interactive exhibit has traveled across the country, stopping in communities where water plays an extra important role. Steuben County was selected as one of those communities this summer. The exhibit will be available for viewing from May 28-July 17, 2022 at the Carnegie Public Library.

The Smithsonian exhibit will join a local exhibit, which highlights Steuben County's unique experiences with water - environmentally, culturally, historically, and more. This was all made possible thanks to the hard work of volunteers led by the Steuben County Lakes Council and Carnegie Public Library of Steuben County, facilitated by Steuben County Community Foundation. Thank you to the dozens of volunteers who brought a wide variety of perspectives and expertise to the discussions as the local exhibit was being developed.

SCCF would also like to thank the generous donors - both individuals and a number of lake associations and organizations - who have given to support this project. Your donations have enabled the volunteers to think big and develop an incredible local exhibit that will be available for community education even after the Smithsonian Water/Ways exhibit has moved on to its next location.

Water/Ways is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and Indiana Humanities, and was adapted from an exhibition organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Indiana Humanities support is made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Learn how to become an engaged and effective board member at this free nonprofit workshop, open to anyone who works with a board in our community. You can choose to register for the lunch session (12-1:30 pm) or the evening session (6-7:30 pm). Click here to RSVP.

Learn more about the grant opportunities available for community projects at this Q&A session. If you are interested in applying for an Impact Grant, we encourage you to attend. Click here to RSVP.

SCCF is celebrating 30 years of community impact! We're inviting the public to join us for a big celebration at the T. Furth Center for Performing Arts at Trine University. Click here to RSVP.

After four years as Communications Director at SCCF, JoAnna Ness will be leaving Steuben County. She joins the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance team as Director of Community Foundation Programs, providing resources and facilitating trainings for community foundations across the state. JoAnna first joined the Steuben County Community Foundation as a summer intern in 2017, writing news articles and grant stories. After graduating from the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy with an M.A. in Philanthropic Studies, she returned to SCCF to fill the new role of Communications Director. Since then, JoAnna has worked on a variety of projects, including the nonprofit capacity building series, SCCF's youth philanthropy program, FIST, the Steuben County Disaster Response Fund COVID-19 grantmaking, along with print and digital marketing to spread the word about SCCF's work with the community.

"I am thankful for everyone in Steuben County who welcomed me over the years. It was a joy to work in a community that is motivated, creative, and filled with passionate individuals who want to make a difference!" shared JoAnna.

JoAnna's last day at SCCF will be Friday, May 6, 2022.

The Community Foundation would like to thank the individuals, families, and organizations who generously made donations in February, March, and April. Your support is appreciated!

SCCF publishes a Nonprofit Newsletter with information about grants, fundraising, and upcoming trainings. Also, check out our nonprofit directory for a listing of

Check out the list of donor established funds administered by SCCF.

Contact Sandy Ferrell for details

“Money is but one venue for generosity. Kindness is an even more valuable currency.”

- Alan Cohen