Libby and Matt Manning Fund
Libby and Matt Manning have intentionally instilled the value of generosity in their three children. As part of their general education in life-skills, they wanted them to learn the tools available to them to become strong and faithful givers in the community. When their twins graduated in 2022, they talked with them about ways they would give back to the community. This led them to sit down with Kari Sisk, Vice President of Programs at Madison County Community Foundation, to establish the Thomas, Elizabeth, Benjamin Manning Scholarship fund. This fund will be awarded to a graduating Lapel senior every year for generations to come.
The Manning family also established a named unrestricted fund this year. The Libby and Matt Manning Fund is established with the belief that how we care for each other determines the strength of our country and community. Libby Says, “We want to contribute to the work needed in Madison County to leave our collective children a flourishing, just future world. MCCF is designed to do just that - it invites us into a posture of generosity toward each other and our community, stewarding and granting philanthropic dollars thoughtfully and well in response to the needs of the local community.” With this established fund, the Manning family hopes that the recipients of grants know that many people in the community care about them. Libby says, “I hope that we as a community reclaim a story that says what we do together is far more compelling, imaginative, and worthwhile than anything we do individually. I hope we as a community rise up beyond political differences to care for the well-being of each other, because it is going to take all of us, in our beautiful pluralistic diversity, to build a future worth living into.”
Lilly Endowment, Inc. is matching dollars 2:1 through December 31, 2025 and the Manning’s decided that it is the perfect time to leverage their philanthropic dollars to receive the match so that more money would be available to address the very real needs in our county. If you are considering starting or contributing to a fund, Libby says, “Let’s meet for coffee. I’d love to hear the vision you have for our shared life together in Madison County and I’d love to tell you about the ways MCCF could support you in aligning with that vision.”
