Grants

Overview

Funds at the Community Foundation support many community needs. Some funds are created by donors to grant to one or more named organizations or purposes year after year. Other funds are used for the discretionary grant making of the donor, who makes specific grant recommendations from time to time to support his or her particular charitable interests. If you’re interested in establishing a fund at the Community Foundation to support your favorite causes please click here and/or contact Linda Speed at (812) 948-4662 or lspeed@cfsouthernindiana.com.

If you are a donor or fund representative who wishes to make a grant recommendation, you can find the form you need here. If you are a donor or fund representative who has questions about your fund, you may contact Crystal Gunther, Director of Community Philanthropy, at (812) 948-4662 or cgunther@cfsouthernindiana.com.

Competitive Grants

The Foundation’s unrestricted endowment (our Community Impact Fund) welcomes applications and project proposals from nonprofit and charitable organizations through the Community Grants Program. CFSI wants to help these nonprofit organizations fulfill their mission and meet the needs of our community by accepting two levels of grant requests and making the application process open all year.

Two Funding Levels

Community Assist Grants and Community Catalyst Grants

To better suit the needs of our community and provide more impactful grant making, organizations can now apply for either a Community Assist Grant ($5,000 maximum) or Community Catalyst Grant ($5,001 – $15,000). It is important to note that organizations can apply for either an Assist Grant or Catalyst grant, but not both and organizations cannot receive more than one award per year.

Community Assist Grants are for support of a program or activity through a one-time grant with a grant value of $1,000-$5,000. Click here for a great example of an Assist Grant project.

Community Catalyst Grants are for support for a program or project that is more detailed and strategic to the organization with the potential for a much bigger impact on the target population in the community. Click here for a great example of a catalyst grant project.

Supporting Innovative Projects

The Foundation intends for Assist and Catalyst Grants to fund innovative or creative projects with significant impact on the community served by the nonprofit. It is not a priority of the Foundation to fund requests for routine business operating expenses through either level of community grants. Nonprofit organizations that have questions about the appropriateness of a proposed request can contact Crystal Gunther, Director of Community Philanthropy, at cgunther@cfsouthernindiana.com.

Dates to Remember

Grant application periods will be open all year round with quarterly deadlines and awards, allowing organization to apply for grants to fulfill their needs when the time is right for them.

Dates to Remember Apply for Grants

Emergency Grants

If you represent a charitable organization and you wish to apply for an emergency grant, you will need to click here and review our Emergency Grants Policy and then complete an Emergency Grant Request online.

Community Needs Assessment

Nonprofits considering applying for a grant from CFSI should study the Foundation’s Community Needs Assessment to ensure their grant would address a community need. In 2015, CFSI surveyed Clark and Floyd county residents, nonprofit community service organizations, business and community leaders, and our own fund holders to develop strategic community goals based on needs and priorities. The 2015 Assessment of Needs and Priorities in Clark and Floyd Counties has highlighted our area’s greatest needs, the highest priorities for funding, as well as the gaps and overlaps in services and in funding. This report is helping the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana focus our grant making from the unrestricted Community Endowment Fund to directly address the greatest needs of our region as identified by our community’s residents, businesses and community leaders, and nonprofit service providers.

Click here to learn more about the Community Needs Assessment.