About CFMJC

1991

Founded on April 29, 1991 through the $500,000 GIFT (Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow) challenge from Lilly Endowment Inc. (LEI)

1992

First fund established – Bill Oldaker Scholarship of the Madison Rotary Club

1994

First CFMJC grant cycle awarded $15,000 to seven organizations

1995

Raised $1 million in permanent endowments and received $500,000 from LEI for Unrestricted Endowments before the September 30, 1997 deadline.

First 8 CFMJC scholarships were awarded totaling $4,872

1997

Affiliate community foundations for Dearborn, Ripley, & Switzerland Counties were created through an LEI grant

1998

First Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship awarded to Gabriel Freeman

1999

60% of the year’s gifts came from donors ($3,978,000) & 40% from LEI ($2,693,000)

2001

Celebrated CFMJC’s 10th Anniversary at the Venture Out Business Center

2002

Adopted National Standards & Ethical and Operational Standards for Indiana Community Foundations

Helped convene the Hispanic/Latino Commission, which led to the creation of La Casa Amiga in 2003

2003

Created the Legacy Society to recognize donors who have made planned gifts to the Community Foundation

2006

Celebrated CFMJC’s 15th Anniversary at Clifty Falls State Park

2009

Due to market decline in 2008, no competitive grant cycle was offered, but the Help Your Neighbor grant program was created to help charitable organizations that provided basic needs to area residents

2010

Awarded a $150,000 grant to the Clearinghouse of Jefferson County to combat generational poverty, the largest grant to date awarded by CFMJC

2011

Celebrated CFMJC’s 20th Aniversary at Clifty Inn

2012

The Women’s Giving Circle of Jefferson County was created and awarded its first grants totaling $15,450

Helped convene Feed the Arts

2013

Convened a “Blue Sky” committee of artists which led to the creation of the Madison Area Arts Alliance with the help of a $40,000 grant from the Community Foundation

CFMJC’s assets passed the $20 million mark

Moved to the current office location of 416 West Street (Old City Hall) following an anonymous donation of the building

2014

Awarded a $100,000 grant to the KDH Foundation for the Hope & Healing Campaign (cancer treatment center)

2015

Junior memberships introduced for the Women’s Giving Circle

2016

Celebrated CFMJC’s 25th Anniversary at the Hanover College Science Center

Assets passed the $21 million mark with nearly 200 endowed funds held at the Community Foundation

Record membership year for the Women’s Giving Cirlce with 261 members

Created the Donor Recognition Display and Artwork Gallery at the Community Foundation Office

2017

Awarded over $254,000 in competitive grants to 30 nonprofit organizations

Implemented the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan focusing on Marketing/Community Awareness, Asset Development, and Grant Making

Leadership Jefferson County program launched at CFMJC

2018

18 new endowments were established – a record number

Launched the Leave a Legacy advertising campaign

Inaugural Leadership Jefferson County class graduated 15 members

2019

Endowed assets grew by 21% to reach over $27 million

Received a GIFT VII Community Leadership Planning Grant from LEI and invested over $40,000 in the county’s health through the Healthy Communities Initiative and KDH Foundation to address the issues of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Toxic Stress

2020

Activated the Disaster Relief fund to support nonprofit organizations as they provided immediate aid to residents impacted by COVID-19

Awarded $75,875 to 20 organizations through the COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant Program

Received a $100,000 GIFT VII Community Leadership Implementation Grant from LEI to partner with the Healthy Communities Initiative of Jefferson County to study and address the issues of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Toxic Stress, allowing progress toward better health outcomes for the county’s youngest citizens

2021

Installed the Spring Awakening sculpture in the Foundation’s courtyard in partnership with the neighboring 420 West Street building

Celebrated the Foundation’s 30th Anniversary with the 30th Anniversary Matching Program

Participated as a strategic ally in the creation of Resilient Jefferson County, a new initiative of the KDH Foundation

2022

Over $5 million in donations received – a record year of giving

Reaccredited with National Standards for Community Foundations

2023

Established the Hanover Community Endowment in recognition of the momentum and growth of the community

Provided $35,000 in lead grants from the Community Foundation and Women’s Giving Circle in partnership with Bethany Legacy Foundation for the Dupont Playground/Park Project

Graduated the 5th class of Leadership Jefferson County