Unity Foundation of La Porte County
Unity Foundation of La Porte County is a community foundation based in Michigan City, Indiana, serving La Porte County and surrounding areas. Since its founding in 1992, the organization has established itself as a permanent philanthropic institution dedicated to strengthening the region through strategic grantmaking and endowment building. The foundation manages over $60 million in assets and administers more than 300 charitable funds.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$51.5M
+12.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+18.4% YoY
Grant Count
59
+11.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
+6.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: Strengthen La Porte County now and forever by building permanent endowments; providing leadership; offering philanthropic vehicles for everyone; and being a catalyst for social and economic vitality.
Vision: La Porte County as a vibrant collection of unique communities that invest in their diverse people, grow their economic and health vitality, and promote innovative leadership through talented citizens for a rich quality of life for all.
Primary Program Areas:
- Endowment Building: Assisting and encouraging organizations to build endowment funds to ensure constant funding streams
- Community Betterment: Providing leadership and technical assistance on issues facing La Porte County
- Grantmaking: Investing grant funds in worthy nonprofit organizations to improve individual and community conditions, and awarding scholarships to provide educational and vocational opportunities to area students
Grantmaking
Applications are submitted through an online portal. Applicants are notified via traditional channels when applications become available.
Grant Range
$5,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
La Porte County, Indiana, with some activity extending to Ohio and Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (Most Recent Data):
- Total assets: $51.5 million (2024)
- Total assets: $45.6 million (2023)
- Total revenues: $4.5 million (2023)
- Total expenses: $3.2 million (2023)
- Total giving: $1.7 million (2024)
Staffing:
- 7 employees (2023)
Rating: Charity Navigator Four-Star rating with a 97% score, reflecting strong accountability and financial practices.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $51,453,529 | $45,563,116 | $40,050,237 |
| Revenue | $7,760,527 | $4,546,726 | $3,912,417 |
| Expenses | $3,576,432 | $3,194,512 | $3,431,759 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,436,148 | $1,557,053 | $1,749,114 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
230 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Unity Foundation of La Porte County
Dale E. Landsman Arts Foundation Grant
UNITY FOUNDATION OF LA PORTE COUNTY
Amount
$1,200 (example award to Michigan City Southern Shore Art Association)
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship
UNITY FOUNDATION OF LA PORTE COUNTY
Amount
Full tuition plus $900 annual stipend
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Teacher Innovation Fund (Michigan City Area Schools)
UNITY FOUNDATION OF LA PORTE COUNTY
Amount
Varies; $350-$439.95 in 2013 awards
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JON GILMORE | CHAIR | 2 | — |
| EDWARD VOLK | VICE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| DR VIDYA KORA | SECRETARY/TR | 2 | — |
| JAMES KAMINSKI | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| STEPHANIE OBERLIE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DIANA KABELIN CORLEY | AT-LARGE | 2 | — |
| PAUL APPLEGATE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ANGELA NELSON DEUITCH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DR BARBARA EASON-WATKINS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LAURA FRANCESCONI | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KATHY HENRICH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KATIE EATON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DALE PARKISON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RONALD RAGAINS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SCOTT RICE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KIM SAUERS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SETH SPENCER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MAGGI SPARTZ | PRESIDENT | 40 | $144,081 |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues active grantmaking with annual community grant cycles. In 2024, Unity Foundation awarded $210,000 in Power for Good Community Grants to 53 local organizations. The foundation recently completed a 2025 Housing Needs Analysis and Action Agenda for La Porte County, demonstrating ongoing commitment to identifying and addressing community priorities.
Unity Foundation Celebrates Year of Impact and Awards $240000 in ...The foundation actively promotes planned giving opportunities and encourages donors to create lasting legacies through various philanthropic vehicles.
Contact & Location
Address: 422 Franklin Street, Suite C Michigan City, IN 46361
Phone: (219) 879-0327
Website: uflc.net
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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