COLUMBUS, Ind. — Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County is unveiling a new direction and a new look.
Its board, in preparation for the community foundation’s 50th birthday in 2026, is announcing a new vision and mission based on a well-known set of community values and is celebrating this new direction with a new look as well.
After a full year of strategic work, it has set a new mission to: Inspire Generosity; Gather and Grow Community Leaders; and to Act with Impact.
Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County was established as a gift to the community with funds made available to celebrate the United States bicentennial in 1976.
Heritage Fund gives the community a permanent place to gather funds that would be available to address community challenges — in perpetuity. Since 1976, more than 150 board members have generously offered their time to direct the resources of the foundation to the most important issues facing the community throughout the years.
Continuing that spirit, Heritage Fund recently hosted its first Community Leadership Convening. More than 80 community leaders came together to meet each other and brainstorm around the foundation’s newly defined Impact Areas: Downtown Vibrancy; Youth Development; and Art, Culture and Architecture.
The key findings from these sessions will help direct Heritage Fund resources for the next several years.
Input included a desire to:
Downtown
• Increase the variety and amount of downtown programming at an affordable price so that everyone can participate
• Focus on the stewardship of our architectural treasures and promote the economic development associated with these unique assets
• Have more festivals and programs that highlight diversity within the community
• Capitalize on our park system, especially the People Trails
• Have more art (music, sculptures, etc.) to enhance the downtown, as well as more seating
Youth
• Prioritize affordable, accessible and high-quality childcare options for families
• Offer better support for children and teens with mental health challenges
• Provide increased space and activities for youth and families, especially safe places and programming for teens
• Enhance support for diverse children and ensure these children are represented with teachers, mentors, community leaders, books and curriculum in our community
Attendees also expressed interest in ongoing opportunities to meet and network.
“Heritage Fund will plan to host additional Community Leadership Convenings
— at least annually,” Heritage Fund President and CEO Tracy Souza said. “The agendas will vary by topic and in the balance of structure and social time.”
Heritage Fund also took the April event as an opportunity to launch a vibrant new look created by Chicago graphic designer Anna Mort of MVP (a Mort Valicenti Project). The new design honors the foundation’s history with an updated and welcoming take on the Bartholomew County Courthouse.
Mort drew inspiration from the architecture, warm brick and oxidizing copper roof of the building in developing her current and classic design.
