30 May Q&A with NICF Associate Director Corinne Becknell Lucas
Question: How long have you worked at NICF?
A: This is my 21st year at the foundation. I’ve done a little bit of everything and have learned so much about the communities we serve. I am the NICF Program Director and manage the grant programs in all three of the counties that make up the Northern Indiana Community Foundation. I started out as the Starke County Director and moved on to the main NICF office as the scholarship/grant coordinator as well as handling marketing tasks early in the life of the Community Foundation. It has helped me understand how the community foundation works and how people of all means can make lasting gifts that support their charitable wishes.
Q: What is the best part of your job?
A: Building relationships with amazing people in Miami, Starke and Fulton counties is the best part of my job. There are so many fabulous and caring people who work tirelessly for their communities. I love traveling the countryside and feel right at home in each county. Since I’ve been here for so many years, I’ve had the privilege of watching the growth and evolution of community organizations and see people working together for the greater good. It is a privilege to work with local committees and connect grant dollars to projects and programs that make all our lives better.
Corinne and her husband Marty playing in their band “Return to Normal.”
Q: What is something you want people to know about the foundation?
A: When you make a donation to the Community Foundation, it stays within the county for which you made the gift. Each county has a local Director of Development with a separate local office. The Northern Indiana Community Foundation is located in Rochester, but there are people like me, that work in each county on administration, scholarships, grants, and marketing. Our staff is a team that works together to make each county successful for our donors and those we serve.
Q: What do you do for fun?
A: I like to knit and hang out in my North Judson home with my husband Martin. Every chance I get, I like to spend time with my exceptionally smart and talented children and their families. Marty and I are musicians, and perform together as the duo, “Return to Normal,” and play music regularly in Indianapolis and locally.