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Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Indiana
The Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Indiana was founded in 1994 as the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Endowment Trust. Bishop Kevin C.
Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Indiana
The Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Indiana was founded in 1994 as the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Endowment Trust. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades chairs the board, overseeing an entity designed to manage and grow permanent capital for Catholic parishes, schools, and charitable ministries across the diocese. Its donor base is predominantly local Catholic families who contribute through planned giving instruments and bequests. The foundation operates a special-situations investment strategy that blends a traditional investment portfolio with direct holdings in timber, real estate, and mixed-use parish properties. It allocates across a wide spectrum, including public equities, private credit, real assets, and alternative investments, typically accessed through commingled funds. Geographic exposure is rooted in Northeast Indiana, with select real asset interests extending regionally. The foundation also functions as a catalyst for Catholic education, stewarding dedicated funds like the Bishop D'Arcy Catholic Education Jubilee Fund. Meg Distler serves as Vice President, while a board drawn from local institutions — including 1st Source Bank, Midwest Pipe & Steel, and the University of Notre Dame — provides governance. The entity is not a grantmaking foundation but an asset manager for restricted endowments, distributing annual payouts to beneficiary ministries. In 2023, the foundation's leadership participated in the Consortium of Catholic Foundations CEO symposium, signaling strategic vision planning and a commitment to professionalizing small-faith-based asset pools. Structurally, the foundation is a diocesan trust, not an independent nonprofit, which ties its investment policy directly to the bishop's authority and the temporal goals of the diocese. Its board composition, blending clergy with local business owners and institutional gift planners, creates a sourcing mechanism for both donors and deal flow within a tight-knit Catholic philanthropic network.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1994
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Fort Wayne
Corporate office
Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
Principals
Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades
Chair of the Board
Meg Distler
Vice President
Patrick Lindenmeyer
Board Member
Luis Zapata
Board Member
Jerry Henry
Board Member
Linda Teeters
Board Member
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Indiana?
The foundation's investment committee, under the fiduciary oversight of the board chaired by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, directs asset allocation and manager selection. Day-to-day management and investment operations are handled by Vice President Meg Distler and the staff, working within policies set by the diocese. The board draws on financial expertise from members at 1st Source Bank and local operating businesses.
Is the Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Indiana a grantmaking foundation or an endowment manager?
It is primarily an endowment manager. It pools and invests permanent capital restricted by donors for specific parishes, schools, and ministries, then distributes annual earnings to those beneficiaries. The foundation does not make discretionary charitable grants in the manner of a private foundation.
How is the foundation related to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend?
The foundation was originally incorporated as the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Endowment Trust and functions as the diocese's primary vehicle for managing long-term restricted assets. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades is the Chair of the Board, embedding the foundation directly within the diocesan governance structure rather than operating as a fully separate nonprofit.
What investment stages or asset classes does the foundation target?
The foundation pursues a special-situations mandate that spans public equities, private credit, real estate, and real assets such as timber. It holds direct interests in mixed-use parish properties and regional timberland. The portfolio construction favors commingled funds for alternative exposures rather than direct co-investments or venture-stage bets.
Who can establish an endowment at the foundation?
Catholic parishes, schools, ministries, and individual donors with ties to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend can establish endowments, typically through planned gifts, bequests, or direct contributions. The foundation also recognizes legacy donors through its Magnificat Bequest Society.
Does the foundation maintain its own philanthropic programs?
The foundation stewards restricted funds with specific charitable purposes, such as the Bishop D'Arcy Catholic Education Jubilee Fund and the Marilyn Ann Vachon Endowment. Its affiliated partner, the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, led by CCFNEI Vice President Meg Distler, addresses broader community health needs.
What is the foundation's geographic investment focus?
The foundation's investment footprint is centered in Northeast Indiana, with its endowment-funded real estate and parish properties located within the diocese. While its timber and real asset holdings are regional, the fixed-income and public equity portions of the portfolio carry national and global exposures sourced through external managers.
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