Community Foundation of Elkhart County

09/18/2026

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence welcomed 105 nonprofit CEOs from across the region to our annual CEO retreat at Oakwood Resort in Syracuse. Two days, full of good conversation, a little rest and real learning.

Day one, Patrick Farran and Melissa Norcross of Ad Lucem Group led "The Intentional Executive," built on their book by the same name, digging into board relationships, team leadership and succession planning.

Day two, Alex Sejdinaj of Code Works walked our CEOs through the basics of AI for nonprofits: how to write a good prompt, watch for bias and check the work before it goes out the door.

Thank you to every CEO who made the drive to Syracuse and gave two days to their own growth. This work matters, and so do the people doing it.

09/16/2026

Hunger Ends Here is doing remarkable work in our community.

09/15/2026

Today's the day, Elkhart County seniors. Applications for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship and the Guy David Gundlach Memorial Scholarship close today, Sept. 15, at 5 p.m. We award these to first-generation college students from Elkhart County. There's no separate application for the Gundlach. If you don't advance for the Lilly, you're automatically considered for it. We can't wait to read your applications.

09/14/2026

Mark your calendar. Guys Who Give Elkhart County holds its first meeting Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Jeff Boomershine and Curtis Yoder, along with the Community Foundation, are starting the group based on a simple idea: when people pool their resources and act together, small gifts add up to real results. Each member gives $500 twice a year. At every meeting, members nominate local nonprofits, hear from a few of them, then vote. The nonprofit with the most votes takes home that meeting's donation.

If you are a man connected to our community and looking for a meaningful way to give back, we would love to have you at the first gathering. You can register here: https://tally.so/r/D46Ggp

09/14/2026

The generosity of donors in a capital campaign led to Friday's groundbreaking for the Elkhart County 4-H Fair. The new construction will enhance how people experience the fair and the fairgrounds. Congratulations to those who have worked for years to make this happen. We're excited to see the results of the capital campaign and again amazed at our community's generosity.

Our expansion project is officially underway!

This past weekend, we broke ground for the newest additions to our fairgrounds: The Forest River Inc. & Peter J. Liegl Ag & Community Expo, Health and Wellness Building, and extended camping.

Thank you to Forest River RV, Nuway Construction, DJ Construction, our donors and everyone who came out to show support of this exciting new development coming to our fairgrounds!

Visit 4hfair.org to learn more about the Expansion Project!

09/12/2026

Today's the day for the Pumpkinvine Classic. Around 500 riders will be on the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, other trails, and roadways as part of today's event. If you see them, give a friendly wave and help keep our riders safe.

09/10/2026

We love our cities and towns, particularly our vibrant downtowns in Elkhart County. Keep up the great work, Downtown Goshen!

Thanks to the support from the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, we can keep building events that bring people together and strengthen our local roots. We appreciate their ongoing commitment to making Goshen a great place to live and play! 💚

To learn more about the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, visit the link below.
inspiringgood.org/

09/09/2026

The weather looks amazing for Saturday's Pumpkinvine Classic. You can register in the coming days, including Saturday morning as the ride begins. We hope to see you on the trail!

We are just a few short days away from the 2026 Pumpkinvine Classic! We look forward to welcoming the community for this scenic ride through Northern Indiana that supports the development and care of the Pumpkinvine Trail.

Still haven't registered? Whether you're in it for the miles, the views, or just a good ride and a slice of pie, there’s a route for you. Plus, the weather forecast looks perfect! Sign up today to save on registration: https://pumpkinvine.org/classic/

09/04/2026

Our office will be closed Monday, Sept. 7, in observance of Labor Day. We'll reopen Tuesday with regular hours. Enjoy the holiday and the extra time with family and friends.

09/03/2026

A welding hood doesn't sound like much until it's the thing standing between someone and their paycheck.

On the newest episode of Inspiring Good, hosts Kevin Deary and Marshall King sit down with Chris Ulery, who has led Saving Grace Advocacy in Elkhart for more than a decade. Chris talks about what it really means to meet a crisis where it is: retrieving a stolen welding hood from a pawn shop so a man could get back to work, helping someone find housing after years without it, and quietly filling the gaps other agencies can't reach because of strict rules and long waitlists.

Last year alone, Saving Grace showed up more than 4,000 times for someone in our community. This conversation is a good reminder of how much of that work happens one person, one problem, at a time.