A Century of Philanthropy Celebrated at Indiana State Museum
BBF President & CEO Jud Fisher addresses guest panelists Angela Carr Klitzsch, Indiana Philanthropy Alliance President & CEO; Governor Eric Holcomb; Vice President Mike Pence; and Gerry Dick, Inside INdiana Business President
Ball Brothers Foundation capped off its 100th anniversary celebrations on October 1 with an evening marking a century of philanthropy and leadership in Indiana. Held at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis, the gathering brought together over 175 guests, including statewide philanthropy leaders, grantees, government officials, community leaders, Ball family members, and others.
The evening featured both a look back at the people and ideas that have shaped Ball Brothers Foundation since its establishment in 1926, and a conversation about philanthropy’s role in helping shape institutions and communities over generations.
Built to Last
One of those ideas took center stage in a short video by Ball State University professor, local historian, and storyteller Chris Flook which debuted during the event. Built to Last traces the people, places, and moments that have shaped the foundation over the past century, connecting BBF’s history to the larger story of the Ball family and its commitment to the community they called home.
The title comes from a phrase used to describe the Ball family’s legacy—and one that resonated throughout the evening.
“The Ball brothers certainly built things to last,” said BBF President & CEO Jud Fisher in his remarks during the event. “The jars made in Muncie for generations are one part of that story. But the larger legacy is the institutions and communities they helped build—institutions that have endured for generations.”
That same idea is woven into the history of Ball Brothers Foundation. When the Foundation was established by Edmund B. Ball’s estate in 1926, he and his wife, Bertha, showed they had been thinking well beyond their own lifetimes. They created one of Indiana’s earliest private foundations with the intention that the family’s philanthropic giving would continue in perpetuity—a vision that generations of Ball family members have helped steward ever since.
Over the past century, four generations of Ball family members, alongside dedicated community members, have served on the foundation’s board. Following Edmund’s death, other members of the Ball family contributed significant works of art, land, and bequests that built the foundation’s endowment. Today, BBF remains rooted in Muncie and Delaware County with 95% of grant funding staying in the city and county where the Ball brothers established their glassmaking business.
A Conversation About Indiana’s Future
The evening also offered an opportunity to look beyond the foundation’s own history and consider the broader role of philanthropy in Indiana.
Moderated by Gerry Dick, president of Inside INdiana Business, a panel discussion featured The Honorable Mike Pence, 48th Vice President of the United States & Indiana’s 50th Governor; The Honorable Eric Holcomb, 51st Governor of Indiana; and Angela Carr Klitzsch, President & CEO of Indiana Philanthropy Alliance.
Drawing on their different perspectives across philanthropy, public service, and civic leadership, the panelists discussed the role philanthropy plays in building for the long term. The conversation touched on moments when philanthropy has stepped forward during times of challenge or opportunity, the value of taking a long view, and the importance of stewardship and leadership across generations.
For BBF, those themes have been part of the foundation’s work from the beginning. As the foundation enters its second century of grantmaking and leadership, the evening offered a chance to reflect on what has endured, what has changed, and what it means to continue building for the generations ahead.
The Indiana State Museum was a fitting setting for the celebration. BBF’s relationship with Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites dates back to 2001 and includes support for the Ball Family Terrace, located along the downtown canal, as well as the replica Abraham Lincoln cabin featured in the museum’s 19th State gallery—which reflects the Ball family’s longstanding admiration for Lincoln. BBF has also supported other museum exhibits over the years, most recently including Good Night Forest, an interactive nature exhibition that will soon begin traveling to museums across the country.