To improve the quality of life in Noble County by serving as catalyst for positive change, enabling donors to carry out charitable intent, and making grants.
Focus Areas
grants to nonprofit organizationscommunity impact projectschildcareeducationsenior serviceseconomic developmentarts & culturescholarships
Who They Fund
K–12 students and school program participantsenvironmental education participants/community learnersindividuals in substance-use recovery / behavioral-health clientsfood-insecure households
About Noble County Community Foundation
Noble County Community Foundation Inc makes large, place-based grants that shape civic, educational, and community infrastructure across Noble County. A single 2024 award of $860,805 to Cole Center Family YMCA for capital renovations stands out in the recent record, alongside a $509,500 operating grant to Community Learning Center Inc in 2023 and a second $500,640 remodel grant to that same organization in 2024. Those awards sit next to smaller support for childcare, parks, historic sites, and human services, showing a funder that mixes facility investment with ongoing program support. The foundation also backs community learning and environmental education through Goshen College Inc’s Merry Lea environmental learning center, and it has supported local institutions such as Noble Early Learning Inc, Thrive by 5, and St Patricks Church. Its grantmaking includes both unrestricted operating support and project-specific awards, with some grants tied to renovations, equipment, and capital work. The overall pattern reflects a community foundation using donor-advised and field-of-interest style funds to address local needs in Noble County and nearby Indiana communities.
What Noble County Community Foundation Funds
Education appears in several forms. The foundation gave $101,800 to Noble Early Learning Inc for operating support in 2025, and it awarded $20,000 to West Noble High School for program support in 2023. Workforce development is another visible strand: Impact Institute received $20,000 in 2025 for welding booths, linking grant dollars to technical training equipment. Health and human services also appear in the record. In 2024, St Martin's Health Care Services received $41,000 for operating and equipment needs, and Life and Family Services Inc received $74,340 in 2023 for operating support. Community recreation and public space are part of the portfolio too, with Town of Albion Parks Department receiving $90,572 in 2025 for a skatepark and Kendallville Park and Recreation Department receiving $65,859 in 2025 for equipment and complex needs. Environmental learning is represented by Goshen College Inc’s Merry Lea environmental learning center grants.
How Noble County Community Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster in the five-figure range: the 25th percentile is $6,939, the median is $10,225, and the 75th percentile is $20,000. The recent record shows both recurring support and one-time project funding. Community Learning Center Inc appears in multiple years, as do Cole Center Family YMCA, Town of Albion Parks Department, and Goshen College Inc, indicating repeat support for some recipients. The foundation functions as a mixed community foundation and gives through named programs as well as broader community grants. Several awards are operating support, but the portfolio also includes remodels, renovations, equipment purchases, and capital projects.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.1M
Total Assets
$40.2M
Total Revenue
$5.4M
Total Expenses
$3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $7K and $20K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$20K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
FRANK TIJERINA
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Deep Analysis
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environmental education and outdoor infrastructure (Merry Lea, trail development)youth and school-based programsworkforce/technical skills training (welding booths, vocational equipment)health and behavioral-health programming (health education, recovery access, ASIST training)food security and distributioncapital infrastructure & facility upgrades (HVAC, renovations, property acquisition)
Where Noble County Community Foundation Makes Grants
Giving is overwhelmingly local and concentrated in Indiana: 99% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state. Recent recipients are spread across Noble County communities such as Kendallville, Ligonier, Albion, Rome City, Avilla, and Kimmell, with a smaller number in nearby Indiana locations like Goshen and Garrett. Kendallville appears frequently in the recent grant list, while Ligonier is represented by recipients including Noble Early Learning Inc and Thrive by 5. The foundation also supports specific projects in Rome City through the Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site fund.
Frequently Asked Questions About Noble County Community Foundation
What is the typical grant size?
Typical awards are modest and clustered around the low five figures. The grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $6,939, a median of $10,225, and a 75th percentile of $20,000. The recent record also includes several larger capital awards, but most grants sit below that range.
Does the foundation make recurring grants to the same organizations?
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Cole Center Family YMCA, Community Learning Center Inc, Town of Albion Parks Department, and Goshen College Inc. That pattern suggests the foundation supports some organizations through repeated awards rather than one-off grants only.
What are the main focus areas?
The foundation funds childcare, education, senior services, economic development, arts and culture, scholarships, and community impact projects. Recent program areas also include disability inclusion, historic preservation, youth leadership, workforce training, health and behavioral health, food security, and parks and trail development.
How local is the grantmaking?
It is highly local. The geographic scope is listed as local, and 99% of grants go to recipients in Indiana. Recent recipients are concentrated in Noble County towns and cities such as Kendallville, Ligonier, Albion, Rome City, Avilla, and Kimmell.
Can applicants submit unsolicited requests?
Yes. Several active grant programs accept unsolicited applications, including the AWS Foundation Accessible Communities Fund, Community Impact Grant, G. Martin Kenney Memorial Fund, Celebrate Community Fund, Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site Field of Interest Fund, P.U.L.S.E. Teacher & NPO Grants, and the scholarship cycles.
Latest 990 Filing
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from Noble County Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowCloses Nov 2, 2026Award: Up to $100K
2026 GIFT IX Education Request for Proposals
EducationEducational programs and operationsCommunity engagement+3 more
Who can apply: Applicants must primarily serve Noble County residents and be in good standing with the Community Foundation of Noble County. Individuals, private businesses, political or religious campaigns, debt repayment, endowment building, routine operating expenses without a defined project plan, and projects completed before the grant deadline are generally not eligible.
Who can apply: Organizations must be based in or benefit residents of Noble County; the general grants process is open to nonprofit organizations serving Noble County.
AWS Foundation Accessible Communities Fund (CFNC grants)
Disability inclusionIntellectual disabilitiesDevelopmental disabilities+2 more
Who can apply: Organizations must serve Noble County residents; the general grants page states that nonprofit organizations serving Noble County are eligible to apply.
Who can apply: Applicants must serve Noble County residents. Applicants must meet with program staff before submitting. Organizations may apply once per year, must not have an active grant open, and must have used previous grant funds as proposed. Individuals, private businesses, political or religious campaigns, debt reduction, endowment building, routine operating expenses without a defined project plan, and completed projects are generally not funded.
Deadline: March 2, July 2, and November 2 annually
Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site Field of Interest Fund
Historic preservationCultural heritageAccessibility+3 more
Who can apply: Eligible applicants include the Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site through the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites Corporation, Town of Rome City, Advance Rome City, Noble Trails, Sylvan Lake Improvement Association, Noble County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Noble County Historical Society, and other organizations proposing eligible projects.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
