Putnam County Community Foundation

Putnam County Community Foundation

Putnam County Community Foundation launched in 1985 to connect local giving with community causes in Greencastle, Indiana. Executive Director Neysa Meyer leads the foundation's strategy and stewardship, working alongside Board President Kyle Beasley. The foundation's capital originated from generations of Putnam County donors, with Ellie Ypma providing the single largest gift at $5 million. It operates as a permanent endowment designed to fund local nonprofits and scholarship initiatives indefinitely. The foundation's investment strategy spans distressed debt and special situations, alongside an endowment investment pool that supports its grantmaking. Real asset exposure includes commercial property at its headquarters at 2 South Jackson Street and natural resource investments. The foundation participates in community philanthropy structures, including the Putnam County Youth Philanthropy Initiative, which engages younger generations in the foundation's mission. Its geographic mandate remains strictly tied to Putnam County, Indiana. Team leadership includes Community Development Director Dean Gambill, Financial Services Officer Julie Thompson, and Finance Committee member Justin Clampitt, who also serves as SVP at North Salem State Bank. The foundation maintains accreditation under Community Foundations National Standards and collaborates with the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance on leadership and regional programming. In 2024, Aiden Beadles established the youngest fund in the foundation's history with the Aiden Beadles Community Endowment. The Putnam County Community Foundation differs from private foundations in its donor-advised fund structure, which aggregates multiple family and individual philanthropic vehicles under a single, locally governed nonprofit umbrella. This creates a pooled permanent capital base that is legally bound to Putnam County, making the foundation a structural anchor for local charitable capital that cannot be relocated or repurposed away from the county.