BRCF names grants and nonprofit relations director

Jordan England came back to Shelby County after attending Purdue University, wanting to serve her home.

She has done so as program coordinator at Mainstreet Shelbyville.

And now, the lifelong Shelby County resident will continue to do so as the Grants and Nonprofit Relations Director at Blue River Community Foundation.

The foundation announced Monday morning of England’s hiring for the job, which will include “managing BRCF’s grant program, providing support to local nonprofits with their charitable endeavors and catalytic philanthropy,” according to the press release.

She takes over for Jennifer Jones, who was named the foundation’s new executive director last month.

“It allows me to serve the community in a broader way,” said England, who graduated from Waldron High School in 2003. “The foundation reaches across the entire county and I’m excited to really be able to have some more impact on the nonprofits and other programs throughout the county.”

Monday was the first day on the job and she admitted she had much to learn.

Having grown up in Waldron, she admitted she was a “country girl at heart.” But she said she likes to think broader and the position at the foundation, which BRCF re-branded from “program officer” to clarify what it does, allowed for that opportunity.

“There’s a lot the foundation does to improve the quality of life with the arts, working with nonprofits, and I like the idea of being a part of that,” she said.

She moved back to the Waldron community after graduating from Purdue with a bachelor of science degree in retail management.

Jordan and her husband, Brian, have three children, two of whom are enrolled at Waldron. The third is in preschool.

“This is just home to both of us,” she said. “We are Shelby County natives. It’s what feels right to us. We want to create lasting impacts.”