Community Foundation of Huntington County

What Community Foundation of Huntington County does

Community Foundation of Huntington County is a 501(c)(3) public charitable organization headquartered in Huntington, Indiana. Founded in 1991 (originating in 1989 with assistance from Lilly Endowment Inc.) and rebranded under its current name in 2023, the foundation connects donors with community needs through endowment building, grantmaking, and scholarship administration. It operates as a neutral convener across public, private, and nonprofit sectors in Huntington County, administering over 200 endowed funds that range from advised and designated to scholarship and field-of-interest structures, with a 4% annual distribution rate on endowments. The organization is led by Executive Director Matt Ditzler (since July 2012) and a four-person paid staff, supported by a community-based Board of Directors with 14+ members.

The foundation's product surface spans six discrete grant programs (General Grant Cycles I/II, Classroom Education, Accessibility, Substance Abuse Recovery, Hometown, and Immediate Needs) and two scholarship programs (the Community Scholarship Process for 70+ awards and the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship), augmented by community-collaboration platforms (Thrive35, Sprout by 5 Early Childhood Coalition, Housing Committee, and the Substance Abuse Response Fund). Since 1991 it has awarded over $13.8 million to local nonprofits and students, including more than $1.4 million in grants and over $1 million in scholarships, with 2026 disbursements of $125,580 to 13 nonprofits (Cycle I) and 165 individual scholarships totaling $468,280. Technology infrastructure is intentionally lean: a WordPress-based website (huntingtonccf.org), Stripe for online donations, Mailchimp for email newsletters, and a Grant Interface application portal for scholarships/grants. Direct social presence spans Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The foundation's business model is characteristic of an institutional community foundation rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue streams include voluntary donations (cash, securities, real estate, cryptocurrency, appreciated property, with no minimum on existing funds but a $5,000 minimum to open a new endowment and $100,000 for a scholarship fund), administrative fees of 4% on endowed fund balances, investment earnings professionally managed by an external advisory firm, and operating-endowment grants from partners including Lilly Endowment Inc. Distribution is regional and county-bounded, with no geographic expansion signaled, and customer segments comprise local nonprofits, Huntington County students, individual/family donors, and community collaboration partners. There is no equity ownership, parent company, or external investor; governance rests entirely with the volunteer board and four paid staff.

Name

Community Foundation of Huntington County

Legal name

Community Foundation of Huntington County

Website

https://huntingtonccf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Community Foundation of Huntington County is a 501(c)(3) public charitable foundation based in Huntington, Indiana that connects donors with local needs by administering 200+ endowed funds, awarding grants to county nonprofits, and distributing scholarships to local students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation and Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Grantmaking programs
• Endowment fund management
• Scholarship administration
• Donor advised funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The foundation collects donations from individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to build endowment funds. Donors can contribute cash, cryptocurrency, appreciated property, stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets. There is no minimum donation amount for existing funds.
2. Administrative Fees: The foundation applies an administrative fee for endowments to sustainably cover operational expenses. Current distribution rate is 4% of the fund's average balance over time.
3. Investment Earnings: Funds are managed by financial advisors working with an investment advisory firm to properly diversify investment portfolios. Annual monetary distributions come only from earnings on investment of donations.
4. Operating Endowment and Partner Grants: The foundation receives grant funds from an operating endowment and established partners including Lilly Endowment Inc. and other organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Community Foundation of Huntington County is a 501(c)(3) public charitable foundation that manages over 200 endowment funds and distributes grants, scholarships, and collaborative community resources across Huntington County, Indiana. It serves as a neutral convener connecting donors with local charitable causes and administers six grant programs, two scholarship programs, and community collaborations including Thrive35 and the Early Childhood Coalition. Since 1991, it has awarded over $13.8 million to local nonprofits and students through endowment-based grantmaking.

Product overview

The Community Foundation of Huntington County operates as a unified platform offering grantmaking, scholarship management, and endowment fund services. Its core products include six distinct grant programs (General Grant Cycles, Classroom Education Grants, Accessibility Grants, Substance Abuse Recovery Grants, Hometown Grants, and Immediate Needs Grant), two scholarship programs (Community Scholarship Process and Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship), and community collaboration initiatives (Thrive35 and Sprout by 5 Early Childhood Coalition). The organization also manages over 200 endowment funds with various structures (Advised, Scholarship, Discretionary, Field of Interest, and Designated) and maintains a Housing Committee initiative. All services are integrated under a single operational framework focused on enhancing quality of life in Huntington County through connecting people and resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Thrive35: A countywide collaboration under the Community Foundation that supports partners, ideas and investments to help every corner of Huntington County thrive. Named for the number on every county license plate, it represents a collective commitment to help all 35 thrive: every town, every neighborhood, every resident.
• Sprout by 5

Products and services

• General Grant Cycles Two annual grant cycles (Cycle I opens December 1, Cycle II opens June 2) providing funding for charitable projects that benefit quality of life in Huntington County, excluding operational costs. Targeted at Huntington County nonprofits, charitable organizations, and educational causes.
• Classroom Education Grants Grants for teachers and administrators (Pre-K through 12th grade) to implement innovative classroom projects that stimulate learning and meet state standards. Application opens September 1st yearly.
• Accessibility Grants Grants funded in collaboration with WindSwell Foundation and Pathfinder Services to support projects that increase inclusivity for individuals with disabilities in Huntington County.
• Substance Abuse Recovery Grants Grants dedicated to combating substance abuse, established in partnership with the City of Huntington, County Commissioners, Town of Warren, and County Health Department. Application opens in September yearly.
• Hometown Grants Grants supporting projects, initiatives, and community events within Warren, Markle, Andrews, and Roanoke. Each program is overseen by a local community committee and opens in early April.
• Immediate Needs Grant Grants for charitable organizations facing unforeseen, time-sensitive needs requiring immediate support. Applications accepted year-round on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Community Scholarship Process Annual scholarship application process opening at the beginning of the calendar year, allowing students to apply for over 70 scholarships through one application. Open to graduating high school seniors and current post-secondary students.
• Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Scholarship program opening in late summer for graduating high school seniors from Huntington County, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.
• Endowment Fund Management Management of over 200 endowment funds including Advised Funds, Committee-Advised Scholarship Funds, Discretionary Funds, Field of Interest Funds, and Designated Funds, with a 4% annual distribution rate. Available to individual donors, families, businesses, and organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $13.8 Million awarded to local nonprofits and students since 1991
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WindSwell Foundation (formerly AWS Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Accessibility Grants providing funding for projects that increase inclusivity for individuals with disabilities in Huntington County. The foundation's Accessibility Committee reviews applications and includes representatives from WindSwell Foundation.
• Pathfinder ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership fostering inclusivity for individuals with disabilities. Collaborates on Accessibility Grants and includes Pathfinder representatives on the Accessibility Committee. Chris Kauffman serves as President & CEO of Pathfinder Services and 1st Vice President on the foundation's Board.
• Housing Resource Hub (The Hub)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngaged by the City of Huntington, Huntington County, and the foundation to develop and implement a dynamic Housing Strategy tailored to local workforce needs. The Hub uses the proprietary Housing Optimization Market Empowerment (HOME) Method.
• Northeast Indiana Early Childhood Coalition (NEIECC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional coalition representing 11 counties. In spring 2024, NEIECC was awarded $5 million from the Strategic Development Commission to implement the Tri-Share Plus program addressing childcare needs. Huntington County's Sprout by 5 participates in this regional effort.
• City of HuntingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner in Housing Committee and Substance Abuse Response Fund. Cooperatively established community Substance Abuse Response Fund in partnership with County Commissioners, Town of Warren, and County Health Department.
• Huntington County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty Commissioners partnered on Thrive35 (providing two years of transitional funding) and Substance Abuse Response Fund. Engaged with Housing Resource Hub for housing strategy development.
• Hometown Endowment Fund CommitteesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal committees in Warren, Markle, Andrews, and Roanoke oversee Hometown Endowment Fund grants. Each committee determines funding for hometown initiatives at their discretion during yearly grant cycles.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque: Similar small-city Iowa community foundation offering donor-advised funds, scholarships, grants, and community initiatives. Frequently cited as a national model community foundation of comparable size and ambition to the Huntington operation.
• The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County (Heritage Fund): An Indiana community foundation of similar size tier serving a single mid-sized county. Closely parallels Huntington's endowment, scholarship, and community collaboration model, making it one of the most structurally comparable peers.
• The Columbus Foundation: A long-established community foundation in Columbus, Ohio with strong endowment-based grantmaking, scholarship programs, and donor-advised funds. Highly comparable operating model to Huntington and a well-documented peer for benchmarking community foundation operations.

Regional players

• Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne: A neighboring community foundation in northeast Indiana serving Allen County. Directly comparable in mission, asset size tier, and rural/small-city Indiana footprint, with overlapping service territory and similar grantmaking/scholarship programs.
• Hamilton Community Foundation: An Indiana-based community foundation in Hamilton County offering donor-advised funds, scholarships, and competitive grant cycles. Comparable in scope and slightly larger scale, providing a useful peer benchmark for mid-sized county foundations.
• Ball Brothers Foundation: A private Indiana foundation operating in Muncie/Delaware County with grantmaking and scholarships to local nonprofits. Comparable in serving a single-county footprint with a small professional staff and traditional community foundation discipline.
• Legacy Foundation (Northwest Indiana): An Indiana-based community foundation (Lake County). Operates with the same community foundation playbook - endowment funds, scholarships, grant cycles, donor services - but in a more urbanized northwest Indiana context.

Broad incumbents

• Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF): The largest community foundation in Indiana, serving the Indianapolis region. Operates the same community foundation model (endowment funds, scholarships, grant cycles) at significantly greater scale, providing a benchmark for what a mature Indiana community foundation looks like.

Others

• Lilly Endowment Inc. Major Indiana-based private foundation that has provided multiple rounds of catalytic capital (Gift III/IV) to the subject company and other Indiana community foundations. A capital supplier and ecosystem enabler, not a direct competitor, but a critical comparable in funding flows.
• National Council on Foundations (community foundation network): The trade association representing community foundations across the U.S. Sets peer-comparison frameworks, conducts benchmarking studies, and convenes networks that Huntington County Community Foundation participates in.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/huntingtonccf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-foundation-of-huntington-county
• Instagraminstagram.com/cfhuntingtoncounty

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of Huntington County