By Jud Fisher, President/CEO, Ball Brothers Foundation—
MUNCIE, IN — Ball Brothers Foundation, one of Indiana’s oldest and largest family foundations, has awarded more than $1.8 million in its spring round of grants as the organization marks its 100th year of grantmaking in 2026.
A major focus of this funding round supports outdoor learning and nature-based play initiatives across East Central Indiana. More than $150,000 in grants will help schools and nonprofit organizations expand outdoor classrooms, nature play areas, environmental education opportunities, staff training, and hands-on outdoor programming for children and families.
The funding builds on more than a decade of dedicated Ball Brothers Foundation support for outdoor learning initiatives while also reflecting the foundation’s longstanding belief in the importance of parks, nature, recreation, and environmental stewardship dating back to its first decades of grantmaking in the early 20th century.
“These projects reflect something we’ve believed for generations—that time spent outdoors helps nurture healthier children, stronger communities, and a better future,” said Jud Fisher, president and CEO of Ball Brothers Foundation. “Outdoor learning encourages creativity, persistence, teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience. Those are life skills that benefit children far beyond the classroom and ultimately lead to improved quality of life in communities and a thriving workforce.”
The grants also build upon Ball Brothers Foundation’s 2025 Outdoor Learning Field Trip, which brought together educators, nonprofit leaders, and funders from across the region to explore innovative outdoor learning environments throughout Delaware County. The tour highlighted how local organizations are weaving outdoor exploration and nature play into everyday learning experiences for children of all ages.
Among the projects receiving support is Muncie Community Schools’ Camp Adventure, where funding will help expand spaces connected to the district’s Forest Academy Montessori program for Pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade students. Planned additions include natural swings, gardens, and other features designed to encourage curiosity, hands-on learning, responsibility, and daily connection with the outdoors.
Additional funding will support continued growth at Wonder Woods, the YMCA of Muncie’s four-acre outdoor early learning forest adjacent to Mitchell Early Childhood and Family Center. The grant will help strengthen staff training, expand access for families and the broader community, and create welcoming outdoor gathering and dining spaces designed to encourage children to climb, explore, imagine, and connect with nature year-round.
Daleville Community Schools also received support to improve accessibility to the district’s Outdoor Learning Lab. Funding will help create a paved trail connecting the elementary school to the outdoor space, making it easier for students and teachers to move between the classroom and outdoor activities while adding new signage to support hands-on discovery and to promote the lab as a community playspace outside of regular school hours.
Other outdoor learning grants awarded this spring include support for Red-tail Land Conservancy to expand nature play opportunities at Dutro-Ernst Woods and McVey Memorial Forest while creating more experiences for high school students to explore water quality and environmental science firsthand. Ball State University also received funding for enhancements within its Nature Lab (adjacent to the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse), including an augmented reality sandbox where children can build and reshape landscapes while exploring how nature and water work together.
Outdoor learning can take many forms, from nature play and environmental exploration to hands-on experiences that encourage curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving. The foundation’s hope is to support spaces and programs that help foster a long-term culture valuing outdoor play and learning as an essential part of childhood and community well-being. Collectively, the grants reflect Ball Brothers Foundation’s broader goal of helping East Central Indiana to continue emerging as a regional and statewide leader in outdoor play and education.
In addition to outdoor learning initiatives, Ball Brothers Foundation’s newly awarded grants support organizations and projects in the areas of arts and culture, community vitality, education, environment, health and public safety, and human services.
Arts & Culture
- Conner Prairie Museum, Inc. – $40,000 for development of new immersive “Lenape Connection and Kinship” exhibit
- Music for All – $35,000 for 2026 Bands of America Summer Camp at Ball State University
Community Vitality
- City of Muncie – $45,000 for Muncie Parks and Recreation 2026 sports and fitness programs
- Greater Muncie, IN Habitat for Humanity, Inc. – $25,000 for revitalization efforts in Industry neighborhood
- Heart of Indiana United Way – $90,000 for 2026 campaign
- Indiana Youth Institute – $45,000 for customized consulting services for up to four youth-serving organizations across East Central Indiana
- Muncie Downtown Development Partnership – $80,000 for general operating support, strategic planning, and historical downtown augmented reality experiences
- Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc. – $100,000 for operations support and improvements to kitchen, façade, and interior
- Muncie Sports Commission – $75,000 in support for operations and marketing
- Shafer Leadership Academy – $100,000 for operational support for leadership programming across two years
- Sustainable Muncie Corporation – $175,000 for operating support and HVAC improvements
- The Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County, Inc. – $100,000 for creation of new “Next Muncie” fund to support long-term planning for downtown and surrounding areas
Education
- Ball State University Foundation – $50,000 for creation of fund for Maplewood Guest House programming and improvements
- Destiny Christian Center International – $15,000 to support childcare operations
- East Central Indiana Regional Planning District – $30,000 for internship program to assist nonprofits and local governments with grant writing and other supports
- Huffer Memorial Children’s Center, Inc. – $40,000 to support childcare operations
- Ivy Tech Foundation – $25,000 for creation of new cybersecurity courses
- Wes-Del Community Schools – $25,000 for creation of dedicated cybersecurity “sandbox” for cyber workforce training
Environment
- Ball State University Nature Lab – $10,000 for a virtual reality sandbox
- Daleville Community Schools – $40,000 for walking pathways for the Outdoor Learning Lab
- Delaware County Soil & Water Conservation District – $30,000 for water quality improvements in Upper Mississinewa River watershed
- Muncie Community Schools – $40,000 for enhancements to Camp Adventure and the Montessori-inspired Forest Academy
- Red-tail Land Conservancy – $30,000 for nature play areas and water quality programming in Delaware and surrounding counties
- The Nature Conservancy – $50,000 for water quality monitoring and improvements in East Central Indiana
- YMCA of Muncie – $30,000 for Wonder Woods nature play next phase and staff training
Health & Public Safety
- Anderson University – $30,000 for development of cybersecurity apprenticeship opportunities at colleges across Indiana
- Ball State University – $30,000 for internship opportunities and workforce training via Cardinal Academy of Digital Security
- Ball State University Police Department – $15,000 for training room enhancements for cyber investigations
- Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office – $100,000 to Delaware County High-Tech Crimes Unit intern space and equipment
- Delaware County Sheriff’s Office – $25,000 for equipment and training for cybercrime
- Muncie Police Department – $25,000 for equipment and training for cybercrime
- Riley Children’s Foundation – $100,000 to support Type 1 Diabetes research for prevention and care
Human Services
- Heartland Community Action Program – $35,000 for programming for mothers and children at Muncie Scholar House and marketing
- Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana – $50,000 to support purchase of an additional mobile market for food delivery
- YWCA Central Indiana – $100,000 in general support for shelter operations
About Ball Brothers Foundation
Ball Brothers Foundation is one of the state’s oldest and largest family foundations. Annually, the foundation pays out more than $8 million in grants to support arts and culture, education, the environment, health & public safety, human services, and community vitality. The Muncie-based private foundation gives priority to projects and programs that improve the quality of life in Muncie, Delaware County, and across Indiana.
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