Community Fund Grants

The Community Fund Grants program is administered by Heritage Fund, the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County. Heritage Fund has a longstanding history of investing in the long-term health and vibrancy of Bartholomew County through a wide range of community development efforts. This fund represents a core component of their annual grantmaking strategy, providing financial support to nonprofit organizations that align with the foundation's strategic focus areas. Each year, the Heritage Fund distributes over $700,000 in grants to local nonprofits, empowering them to create measurable impact across sectors that matter most to residents. The purpose of the Community Fund Grants is to promote innovative, inclusive, and sustainable projects that directly serve Bartholomew County residents. The fund supports both established and emerging organizations that demonstrate strong community value, collaboration, and scalability in their proposals. Priority is given to projects that align with three primary areas of strategic interest: Youth Development; Downtown Vitality; and Arts, Culture, Architecture and Design. Secondary focus areas include Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Leadership Development; and Responsive Community Needs. Applicants must be nonprofit organizations with valid 501(c)(3) IRS designation. Faith-based, state, or national organizations may apply only if the funded project exclusively benefits Bartholomew County and contains no religious proselytizing. Requests from individuals, political campaigns, or operational budget gaps are ineligible. Projects that duplicate existing services, rely on Heritage Fund as the sole funder, or serve individual school needs without prior approval are deprioritized or disallowed. To apply, organizations must first contact the Director of Community Impact to discuss the proposal. Upon approval, the organization must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), which acts as a required pre-application step. For the October cycle, the LOI is due on September 27, 2025. Once the LOI is reviewed and approved, applicants gain access to the full application, which must be completed and submitted by October 3, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. All applications are submitted through Heritage Fund’s Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM) portal. Technical assistance, training sessions, and office hours are available upon request to support applicants during this process. The grant application includes detailed questions around the organization's mission, demographic reach, diversity and equity strategies, project goals and outcomes, sustainability plan, and budget. Required documents include audited financial statements, year-to-date budgets, board roster, and the 501(c)(3) letter. Optional supplements include letters of support and additional context documents. Applications are reviewed by committees composed of experts across relevant fields, and funding decisions are communicated approximately eight weeks after the application deadline. While specific award amounts are not defined in the public guidelines, Heritage Fund maintains a total annual disbursement of over $700,000 across its grant cycles. Awards vary depending on the scope, scale, and impact of the proposal. Matching funds are not required. The program is offered quarterly, with recurring deadlines on March 1, June 1, and October 3 each year. The next cycle will reopen on March 1, 2026. For more information, applicants can contact Heritage Fund at 812-376-7772 or visit their office at 538 Franklin Street, Columbus, Indiana.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Director of Community Impact prior to submission; training and office hours are available upon request.