Connect In Elkhart County

Please welcome Brittany Short, Director of Connect in Elkhart County, an initiative of the Community Foundation of Elkhart County that seeks to connect, expand and activate the county’s trail network.

Prior to joining the foundation in April 2022, she was president of the Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, Inc. board of directors. In that role, she led land negotiations and acquisitions, trail development activities, and maintained and expanded important relationships with municipal partners. She continues to be the project manager for closing the final gap in the Pumpkinvine trail. She and her husband, Spencer, have owned and operated a bike shop in Middlebury together, for the past 11 years. They have two children.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Goshen College. She enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors and traveling. 

Connect in Elkhart County is a plan developed by the Community Foundation of Elkhart County in partnership with local stakeholders. The Community Foundation exists to improve the quality of life in Elkhart County. Connect in Elkhart County is committed to accelerating the growth of our trail network and the diversity of amenities and destinations it connects.

The Placemaking Committee, one of three granting arms of the Community Foundation, has allocated an initial $2.5 million to this vision. We hope to leverage this investment ten to 15 times with additional partners and programs to change trajectory of connectivity throughout our community. Together, we can build physical and emotional connections that bring our community closer.

We hope you will join us in creating a more connected Elkhart County. Together, we will invest in our community, making sure Elkhart County is more lovable and livable for generations to come. 

About the Community Foundation of Elkhart County: 
We are part of the unfolding story of generosity in Elkhart County.
We believe the Community Foundation resembles the unique traits of the distinctive ginkgo tree. The ginkgo has a strong root system and resembles strength and hope to those who recognize it – inspiring good. Its leaves have been used for remedies, just as the Community Foundation strives to support nonprofits and various endeavors that improve the health of our community, our businesses, and our people – impacting success. 

MISSION: To improve the quality of life in Elkhart County by inspiring generosity.
VALUES: The Community Foundation is committed to the following as essential to our effectiveness. We aspire to reflect the following values as we serve the community:

• Integrity: An abiding pledge to honesty, professionalism, humility, and respect.
• Inclusion: We seek and elevate diverse voices. We are most impactful when our organization and deliberations include people from varied backgrounds, opinions, and perspectives.
• Excellence: In our every endeavor.
• Collaboration: We believe in teamwork, both internally and externally. We desire to be trusted partners with community members, civic leaders, and not-for-profit organizations to provide high-impact programs and services benefitting the broadest possible constituency.