Brown County Community Foundation

ABOUT How Did Brown County Community Foundation (BCCF) Start? The Brown County Community Foundation (BCCF) began in 1993 with an initiative announced by The Lilly Endowment Inc. LEI offered Indiana communities a challenge to establish local foundations, cultivating local philanthropy, to respond to local needs. The first annual meeting was held in June 1994 where the President of the Board, Barton Updike, introduced the Board of Directors and announced the Larry C. Banks Memorial Scholarship as the first endowed fund established by BCCF. In 1995, Del Newkirk became the first full time Executive Director and under his visionary leadership the Foundation’s influence and assets began to grow. Brown County Community Foundation continues to be a driving force in the community; demonstrating leadership around civic issues, increasing scholarship opportunities and directing more effective granting all made possible through the responsible stewardship of the funds donated by local citizens, companies and organizations. In August of 2014, BCCF was gifted a home for its offices and community activities. Thanks to the generosity of the Howard Hughes Trust, BCCF is the proud owner of the Howard F. Hughes Community Building in Nashville. The Foundation operates out of the renovated second floor and the ground floor is a community space to support local nonprofits and social organizations.