The Montgomery County Community Foundation celebrated 35 years Wednesday with an open house at its office, reflecting on decades of growth and unveiling a new resource designed to help the community make informed decisions.
As part of its anniversary celebration, MCCF introduced its new Community Dashboard, an online resource that brings together data about Montgomery County in one place. The dashboard is intended to help nonprofits, local government officials and residents better understand the community and identify areas of need.
The dashboard, which is available on MCCF’s website, includes information on demographics, health, education, workforce and income and quality of life.
“It’s not just for nonprofits. It’s for everyone,” said Sarah Storms, MCCF development director.
Storms said the idea for the dashboard came from recently retired Community Relations Director Cheryl Keim, who had envisioned a resource that nonprofits could use to support grant applications.
“Anytime you can back up a request with the data that shows that there is a need in the community, that goes a long way,” Storms said.
The dashboard was developed with input from MCCF staff and a committee that included County Administrator Tom Klein, Crawfordsville’s Director of Operations & Community Development Brandy Allen and Wabash’s Community Partnerships Coordinator Leann Parrish.
Storms described the resource as a “one-stop shop for Montgomery County data,” allowing users to access statistics from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau without having to search multiple websites.
The dashboard is divided into five categories: people and community, health and well-being, education, workforce and income and quality of life.
Users can explore population projections, household income and demographic information, including comparisons with statewide figures. Other sections include community health and mental health statistics, early childhood education data and comparisons with surrounding counties.
The quality of life section features an interactive map highlighting parks, libraries, museums and other points of interest throughout the county.
Storms acknowledged that some of the statistics, particularly those related to health and mental health, highlight challenges facing the community.
“But what better way to look at where there’s room for improvement in our community?” she said.
The project took approximately a year to develop with assistance from Transform Consulting Group, based in Wabash, Indiana. MCCF plans to update the dashboard annually.
The anniversary celebration also provided an opportunity to reflect on how much the foundation has grown since it was established in 1991 by local residents working with Lilly Endowment.
MCCF CEO Kelly Taylor said the foundation awarded just over $2,000 in grants during its first year of grantmaking in 1992. This year, it expects to award more than $2 million.
Over its 35-year history, MCCF has invested nearly $34 million into Montgomery County and now manages more than 300 funds.
“It’s just incredible what we’ve been able to do in Montgomery County with the Montgomery County Community Foundation,” Taylor said.
She credited the foundation’s donors, nonprofit organizations, past and present board members and staff for making that growth possible.
“Each one is unique and does something special in this community and I think that’s what makes the concept of a community foundation work,” Taylor said of the funds.
Taylor also outlined MCCF’s new five-year strategic plan, which focuses on continuing the foundation’s growth, strengthening local nonprofits, investing in quality-of-life initiatives and expanding partnerships throughout the community.
Downtown development , quality of life and early childhood education will remain priorities. Taylor said MCCF has made significant investments in early childhood education over the past six years and intends to continue that work.
The foundation also plans to strengthen partnerships with city and county government, Wabash College and local nonprofit organizations.
“We want to be involved in the community, and if we can partner with the city, the county, with the college, all of our nonprofits, and just be that leader and bring people together,” Taylor said.
As MCCF looks ahead to its next five years, Storms said she hopes the new dashboard will become a resource for organizations and residents throughout Montgomery County.
