The Marshall County Community Foundation (MCCF) announces intents to apply for a Matching Fund Grant through the eighth phase of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VIII). This grant is one of three funding opportunities available to the community foundation through GIFT VIII for which Lilly Endowment has allocated up to $210 million to support Indiana’s community foundations in their efforts to enhance quality of life across the state.

MCCF will be able to use its Matching Fund Grant to further develop its unrestricted assets. At least 60 percent of the grant must be allocated to support the growth of MCCF’s unrestricted endowment, which over time will provide financial resources that enable MCCF to respond to both present and future community needs. Lilly Endowment will provide $2 for every $1 contributed to MCCF’s unrestricted endowment during GIFT VIII’s matching period, October 1, 2023, through December 31, 2025.

MCCF also may propose designating up to 30 percent of its Matching Fund Grant to support community projects and/or programs that are addressing important local needs and up to 10 percent of its grant to invest in the foundation’s internal capacity. Lilly Endowment will provide $1 for every $1 that MCCF raises during the matching period that are designated for the projects, programs and/or capacity-building activities approved for these purposes.

“We are so grateful to Lilly Endowment for their generous support of community foundations in Indiana,” said Linda Yoder, Executive Director for MCCF. “This new match grant will help us build resources to respond to new and emerging needs in the community. We are excited for the impact this will have on improving the quality of life for all who live, work and play in Marshall County’s great hometowns.”

GIFT is a series of statewide initiatives and programs that began in 1990 as part of Lilly Endowment’s efforts to help establish and strengthen community foundations in Indiana and build their capacity to address the needs of their local communities. The primary aim of GIFT is to help Indiana community foundations in all 92 of Indiana’s counties develop the philanthropic capacity to identify, prioritize and address local opportunities and challenges.

To learn more about GIFT VIII, please visit Lilly Endowment’s website.