The Montgomery County Community Foundation celebrated 35 years of service to the community during its annual meeting Thursday at the Hoosier Heartland State Bank Success Center, highlighting the organization’s growth, recognizing volunteers and philanthropy leaders, and approving board appointments.
Founded in 1991 by local residents focused on the long-term well-being of Montgomery County, the foundation has grown from managing 13 funds and awarding just over $2,000 in grants in 1992 to overseeing 290 endowed funds and distributing more than $1.8 million in grants and scholarships in 2025.
Over the last 35 years, the foundation’s assets have grown to more than $91 million through community support, donor investment and contributions from Lilly Endowment, Inc.. Since its founding, more than $33 million in grants has supported local students, preservation projects and nonprofit organizations throughout Montgomery County.
Foundation President Erin Gobel presided over the meeting and reflected on the organization’s continued growth and community impact.
Following routine business, incumbent board members Tracey Barr, Jack Grimble and Brenda Lovold were re-elected to serve second three-year terms on the board. Mikel Manion was also approved to join the 13-member board for a three-year term.
The remainder of the board includes Preston Bost, Pam Bradley, Cathy Caldwell, Chris Cox, Wendy Feller, Gobel, Zach Hockersmith, Gary Isenberg and Shawn Ramey.
A longtime tradition of the annual meeting continued with the recognition of community volunteers. The 2026 Volunteer of the Year award was presented to Tina Martin for nearly three decades of service through FISH of Montgomery County.
Martin has served for 29 years as director of the organization’s Linen Closet and as a FISH board member, helping families in need with household essentials and support services. Gobel presented Martin with a commemorative plaque and a $1,000 grant for FISH of Montgomery County.
Eight additional volunteers received certificates of recognition during the meeting. Honorees included Cathy Crosby of the Women’s Resource Center, Dee Dee Jones of Pam’s Promise Transitional Housing, Kate Lindsay of IYG, Naomi Horton of the Montgomery County Free Clinic, Natasha Headdy of Montgomery County United Band and Guard, Jake Peterson of the Boys and Girls Club of Montgomery County, Bill Durbin of Veterans Memorial Park and Maria Weir of the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County.
The foundation also presented its Philanthropy Awards to Ron Dickerson and Mike Grant for their leadership and long-standing support of the organization and the community.
Dickerson was recognized for more than a decade of involvement with the foundation after partnering with MCCF in 2014 to establish an unrestricted fund that has awarded nearly $50,000 in community grants. He also served on the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network, spent seven years on the MCCF Board of Directors and recently helped lead planning and fundraising efforts for the foundation’s child care center project while serving as volunteer construction manager.
Grant was honored for more than 20 years of service and leadership with the foundation. Since joining the board in 2003, Grant has served as board president and committee chair while helping guide the organization’s long-term vision. He and his spouse also donated the foundation’s downtown headquarters building at 119 E. Main St., providing MCCF with a permanent home in Crawfordsville.
Gobel concluded the meeting by recognizing the foundation’s accomplishments throughout 2025, including the distribution of $1.8 million in grants and scholarships. Attendees also viewed a video highlighting the organization’s work over the past year before the meeting adjourned.
