Madison County Community Foundation

10/14/2026

Meet 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalist Breelyn Norris of Elwood Community High School!

Breelyn has embraced leadership both on the court and throughout her school and community. Ranked first in her class, she has served as a basketball captain for three years, a volleyball captain for two, and a member of Student Council, where she helped connect students with local organizations for Elwood's Day of Caring. Her service has also included supporting a Versiti blood drive and Red Gold's Crush Hunger efforts.

Breelyn's combination of academics, athletics, creativity, and leadership makes her a well-rounded finalist. Through Hinds Career Center, she has also earned industry certifications in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. She plans to study engineering or business with the goal of becoming an entrepreneur and using problem-solving and innovation to create something that improves people's lives.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship (LECS), administered locally by the Madison County Community Foundation, provides full tuition, required fees, and up to $900 annually for required books and equipment for up to eight semesters at an eligible Indiana college or university.

Two Madison County students will be selected as 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars and announced in December. Each finalist not selected as a Lilly Scholar will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Madison County Community Foundation.

10/14/2026

Congratulations to Ambassadors for God's Creatures, a Fall Impact Madison Grant recipient in the Thriving Community category!

This grant will support the organization's Trap Neuter Return Vaccinate Initiative, helping address animal welfare needs within our community through its ongoing work with local cats.

Learn more about MCCF and our grantmaking at madisonccf.org.

Ambassadors for God's Creatures

10/13/2026

Meet 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalist Blake Simmons of Anderson High School!

Blake pairs exceptional academic achievement with service shaped by his own life experiences. In addition to serving as treasurer of Anderson High School's National Honor Society, he has volunteered extensively as an advocate for Breakthrough T1D/JDRF, helping raise funds for research and supporting those who are learning to navigate a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. He has also put his interest in technology to work repairing devices through AHS's Chrome Room.

Blake's own experiences helped spark his interest in science and medicine. He plans to study biochemistry at IU Indianapolis and hopes to pursue medicine, potentially as a cardiologist or endocrinologist. His goal is not only to care for patients, but also to help improve how people facing serious health conditions are supported and treated.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship (LECS), administered locally by the Madison County Community Foundation, provides full tuition, required fees, and up to $900 annually for required books and equipment for up to eight semesters at an eligible Indiana college or university.

Two Madison County students will be selected as 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars and announced in December. Each finalist not selected as a Lilly Scholar will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Madison County Community Foundation.

10/13/2026

10/12/2026

Meet 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalist Andrew Strother of Pendleton Heights High School!

Andrew's interests and involvement span theater, robotics, faith, and community service. He has served as a Robotics Club captain, led a theater construction crew, participated in the East Side Youth Council, and consistently volunteered through East Side Church of God, including helping prepare an early learning center for local families.

Andrew stands out for his willingness to explore complex ideas while remaining focused on understanding others. He hopes to study theology and use that education to encourage more thoughtful understanding and dialogue among people with different religious and nonreligious perspectives. His experiences have also taught him that leadership can mean bringing people together, remaining dependable, and choosing integrity even when doing so is difficult.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship (LECS), administered locally by the Madison County Community Foundation, provides full tuition, required fees, and up to $900 annually for required books and equipment for up to eight semesters at an eligible Indiana college or university.

Two Madison County students will be selected as 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars and announced in December. Each finalist not selected as a Lilly Scholar will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Madison County Community Foundation.

10/09/2026

Meet 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalist Alexander Porter of Anderson Preparatory Academy!

Alex has distinguished himself through strong academics, athletics, service, and a commitment to understanding and helping others. His high school experience has included varsity soccer and track, Civil Air Patrol involvement, and participation in APA's Community Service Day, where students serve organizations throughout Madison County.

Resilience and compassion are recurring themes in Alex's application. He plans to pursue a degree in psychology, driven by an interest in understanding how experiences and trauma shape people differently. His long-term goal is to use that education to help people heal, build healthier lives, and, in turn, strengthen the community around them.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship (LECS), administered locally by the Madison County Community Foundation, provides full tuition, required fees, and up to $900 annually for required books and equipment for up to eight semesters at an eligible Indiana college or university.

Two Madison County students will be selected as 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars and announced in December. Each finalist not selected as a Lilly Scholar will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Madison County Community Foundation.

10/08/2026

Meet 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalist Addisyn Moore of Frankton High School!

Addisyn combines outstanding academics with leadership, service, and a genuine curiosity about the world around her. Ranked first in her class, she has served as a basketball team captain while also giving back through Frankton's Youth Tennis Camp, teaching Sunday School at Florida Station Church of God, volunteering with the Madison County Humane Society, and supporting younger students through community events.

What stands out about Addisyn is the way she connects learning with service. She hopes to study biology and eventually microbiology, with interests ranging from infectious disease and antibiotic resistance to the effects of climate change on living systems. Her goal is to contribute to research that improves human health and helps us better understand and protect our world.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship (LECS), administered locally by the Madison County Community Foundation, provides full tuition, required fees, and up to $900 annually for required books and equipment for up to eight semesters at an eligible Indiana college or university.

Two Madison County students will be selected as 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars and announced in December. Each finalist not selected as a Lilly Scholar will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Madison County Community Foundation.

10/08/2026

Our office has been a little busier and we have been celebrating over the past couple of days!

We had the opportunity to welcome our Fall Impact Grant recipients into our space, hear a little more about the work ahead, snap some photos, and, of course, present them with their checks!

Impact Madison Grants support nonprofit organizations serving Madison County in the areas of Arts, Culture, and History; Health and Human Services; Education; Thriving Community; and Women and Children. Proposals are reviewed by a diverse committee of community volunteers and MCCF Board Members, which makes funding recommendations to our Board of Directors for final approval.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing you to each of these organizations and sharing more about the projects these grants will help make possible throughout Madison County.

For now, join us in congratulating our Fall Impact Grant recipients! We are grateful for the many ways these organizations are working to elevate and strengthen our community.

2026 Fall Impact Grant Recipients:

Ambassadors for God's Creatures
Anderson First Church - AFC
Anderson's Mainstage Theatre
Aspire Indiana Health
East Central Indiana CASA, Inc.
Celebrate Life International, Inc., dba Teach One to Lead One®
Firefly Children & Family Alliance
Claude McNeal's Musical Theatre Training Program, Inc.
College Mentors for Kids
Combat Ministries, Inc.
Grace Horizon
Kiwanis Club of Alexandria
Little Red Door Cancer Agency
The Mercy Table
Pendleton Amateur Radio Club
Pendleton Historical Museum
Servants at Work, Inc.
Society of St. Vincent
South Meridian Church of God
Anderson Impact Center
The Village Anderson
We Help Dads Indiana, Inc.
Bloom Madison County
Child Advocates
Elwood Food Pantry
Indiana Center for the Prevention of Youth Abuse and Su***de
Indianapolis Children's Choir – Anderson Area Children's Choir
Paramount Heritage Foundation, Inc.
St. John's Early Literacy Preschool and Childcare
St. Vincent Anderson Regional Hospital Foundation, Inc.

10/08/2026

As part of our Madison Forever campaign we are matching gifts to unrestricted funds. When you give $1, we add $3. We are currently 87% to our goal. When you give to the Impact Fund, you contribute to our ability to meet emerging needs, invest where impact is greatest, and steward resources in ways that serve both today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. Give to the Impact Madison Fund today! https://buff.ly/6UZaLxR