Also, IU Kokomo partners with Small Business Development Center
This article is brought to you by Community First Bank of Indiana.
Click here for more information!
Community First Bank of Indiana (CFB) is proud to support three transformative projects in Kokomo this year, each driven by a vision to uplift future generations. These investments reflect CFB’s commitment to empowering local nonprofits to deliver lasting change.
The Community Foundation Matching Grant – $10,000 Donation
CFB’s $10,000 contribution to the Community Foundation Matching Grant is tripling in impact thanks to Lilly Endowment’s GIFT VIII initiative. With a 2-to-1 match, the gift grows to $30,000 -- fueling scholarships, grants, and nonprofit programs.
The match program runs through the end of the year. This partnership strengthens Kokomo’s future by supporting organizations that lead with purpose and vision.
Bona Vista All-Inclusive Outdoor Space – $20,000 Donation
A $20,000 gift brings an inclusive outdoor classroom to life for adults in day services. The space features wheelchair-accessible paths, sensory activities, and shaded seating. The project recently celebrated its completion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Bridges Outreach Mini Golf Course – $30,000 Donation
CFB has contributed $30,000 to Bridges Outreach, helping launch an 18-hole mini golf course at Cutler Park, scheduled to be operational next year. More than a recreational attraction, the course will serve as a student-run business, offering first-time job experience to local youth.
Bridges already has employed more than 100 students through its programs, and this initiative will expand opportunities for teens to gain confidence, skills, and financial stability.
Each of these donations represents more than dollars; they are investments in dreams, futures, and the belief that Kokomo’s nonprofits can shape a stronger tomorrow.
IU Kokomo partners with Small Business Development Center
Indiana University Kokomo will launch its partnership with the Hoosier Heartland Indiana Small Business Development Center (HHISBDC) with a Nov. 13 ribbon cutting.
The event, which is free and open to the public, marks the opening of an HHISBSC office in Innovation Hall, where Tim Branyan, coordination manager, will have office hours two Thursdays each month to assist potential entrepreneurs.
“The primary focus is to facilitate and aid student entrepreneurs who might be on campus,” said Alan Krabbenhoft, director of the KEY Center for Innovation. “He will interact with the entrepreneurship club and other student organizations to make them aware of the resources available to them.”
Branyan looks forward to working with IU Kokomo students.
“I believe entrepreneurship starts with access, access to the right people, the right information, and the right environment to grow ideas into real opportunities,” he said. “This partnership brings those resources directly to IU Kokomo students and the broader community, helping them take the next step toward building something meaningful.”
The HHISBDC, which also has offices in Kokomo’s Inventrek Technology Park and on the Purdue campus in West Lafayette, helps small businesses grow, finance, innovate, and transition through free confidential business advising and training.
“This allows us to provide direct support for student entrepreneurs in the KCI,” Krabbenhoft said. “They have a wealth of data and information to provide assistance. This is a tremendous opportunity for our student entrepreneurs, and it’s free.”
Krabbenhoft said having the office on campus also provides more opportunities such as internships or real-world projects, as Branyan becomes more familiar with students. Kokomo faculty will be able to identify students to help new business developers as interns, or to have classes complete projects to assist with the businesses.
The ribbon cutting is at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, November 13, starting at the Welcome Center in Alumni Hall. Register here to attend.
Innovation Hall is funded in part by a $1.5 million grant from the first round of funding from the Indiana READI program and matching funds from Indiana University. Located in the west wing of the Kelley Student Center, it includes a new multicultural center, a media lab/eSports arena, a technology studio, dedicated space for the KEY Center for Innovation, and a business analytics lab, as well as professional offices and other training and gathering spaces for students.
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.