The Community Foundation of Elkhart County received a large-scale Community Leadership grant

ELKHART, Ind. – The Community Foundation of Elkhart County received a Community Leadership grant through the seventh phase of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Giving Indiana Funds.

The $2 million grant will support efforts to operate and construct a new Tolson Center for Community Excellence in Elkhart.

The Community Foundation of Elkhart County is one of 11 community foundations in Indiana to receive this grant.

The Large-Scale Leadership grant is part of a competitive component for the GIFT VII initiative.

In 2018, the Elkhart City Council voted to close the center after conversation about the future of the center.

“We are so pleased that Lilly Endowment again entrusted us with its generosity as we work on this project to inspire good in our community,” said Pete McCown, Community Foundation president.

The new 15- member Tolson board has been meeting to work towards creating a new organization that is both a private and public partnership.

“The 11 grants Lily Endowment is funding through the highly competitive component of GIFT VII holds great promise of helping community foundations strengthen the leadership roles they play in improving the quality of life for their communities’ residents,” said Ronni Kloth, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for community development.