Foellinger Foundation

President and CEO Sarah Strimmenos and Chief Program Officer Amanda Jamison attended the Ball Brothers Foundation 100th Anniversary Celebration, where they joined fellow community leaders in celebrating a century of impact.

Milestones like this remind us what’s possible when people and organizations come together with a shared commitment to strengthening the places they call home.

Congratulations to Ball Brothers Foundation on 100 years of giving back and investing in communities!

President and CEO Sarah Strimmenos spoke at the 37th Annual Conference on Youth, Families, and Communities, hosted by Great KIDS Make Great COMMUNITIES.

The conference brought together organizations and leaders who serve youth and families for a day focused on connection, collaboration, and learning. Through insights from national and local speakers, attendees explored tools and strengths-based practices to help them better support children, families, and their communities.

For 37 years, Foellinger Foundation has been proud to support Great KIDS and its work to create stronger futures for children and families. We’re grateful for the organization’s continued leadership and the many ways it brings people together to strengthen our community.

Don't forget to register for our Youth Development Grants Q&A Workshop on October 6. This one-hour event will answer any questions you have about the grant application process. We encourage executive directors and nonprofit staff members applying for Youth Development Grants to attend this informative workshop.

Grant applications are due on November 2, 2026!
Register here:
https://www.foellinger.org/events/youth-development-grants-qa-workshop-10-6-26

We recently held a flu shot drive at our facility for our staff and some of our community partners and peer funders. A special thank you to our grantee partner Super Shot Inc for administering flu shots and helping to make the event possible!

Thank you to everyone who attended. We’re grateful for opportunities like this to come together, support one another, and help keep the people who strengthen our community healthy and well this season.

Save the date! Our Annual Meeting will take place at Parkview Mirro Center on Thursday, January 28, 2027. This signature gathering—highlighting the concept of One Shared Purpose—will bring together grantees, community partners, and local leaders to reflect on the Foundation’s work, share accomplishments, and honor individuals whose leadership strengthens Allen County. The nominees and recipients of the Leadership Awards will also be recognized at this event.

Invitations will be distributed soon.

Thank you to our grantee partners who joined us for the recent "From Measurement to Momentum" workshop with Dr. Mindy King!

Together, we explored how to move beyond simply collecting data to using it as a tool for learning, action, and impact. Through practical examples and ready-to-use approaches, participants learned how to engage staff, boards, and funders in meaningful conversations about data that can strengthen programs and support organizational growth.

We’re grateful for your commitment to learning, growing, and making a difference in our community. We can’t wait to see how you put these tools into action to champion opportunity across Allen County.

Calling all board members—apply for funding to attend conferences, workshops, webinars, or other events hosted outside of Allen County through the Board Leader Fund!

The fund provides grants to nonprofit board members for unique learning experiences. Participants are encouraged to think innovatively, develop adaptive leadership skills, network with other nonprofit leaders and board members, and explore leadership styles and best practices within nonprofit organizations.

Board Leader Fund | Empower Nonprofit Leadership Now — Foellinger Foundation Discover the Board Leader Fund to support nonprofit board training, leadership development, and innovative governance through grants and resources.

⭐ Staff Highlight: Tyler Sipe, Chief Financial Officer

At the heart of Foellinger Foundation are people who care deeply about Allen County and the people who call it home. Each month, we’re getting to know a member of our staff or board and learning more about the experiences, values, and perspectives they bring to their work.

This month, we're chatting with CFO Tyler Sipe!

Q. What’s something about your background, interests, or life experiences that has shaped the way you approach your work as a Foellinger Foundation staff member?
A. My background in finance has shaped the way I think about stewardship, long-term sustainability, and making thoughtful decisions with the resources entrusted to us. I tend to approach challenges analytically and with a long-term perspective, while recognizing that the numbers ultimately represent resources that can make a meaningful difference in our community. That perspective helps me balance financial responsibility with the Foundation’s broader mission and impact.

Thank you, Tyler, for sharing your perspective and for the thoughtfulness you bring to your work!

Our founders strongly believed in the importance of childhood development. From our Co-Founder Helene Foellinger's great-grandfather, Jacob Foellinger—who helped launch Fort Wayne’s first public schools—to our continued support of nonprofits serving children and families, that commitment has remained central to our mission.

Today, we proudly carry that legacy forward by championing opportunity through support for organizations that empower positive social, emotional, and academic youth development, facilitating a successful transition to adulthood.

There's still time to register for our Evaluation Plan Training Workshop! Join us on Wednesday, September 23, to strengthen your grant proposal for the Youth Development Community-Based Grant opportunity. We encourage executive directors and nonprofit staff members applying for Youth Development Grants to attend this informative workshop.

Learn more and register here:
➡️ https://www.foellinger.org/events/evaluation-plan-training-9-23-26