Hamilton County Community Foundation Announces $278,395 in Grants

Support comes from endowments, youth advisory council, and newly created fund
responding to COVID-19

Today, Hamilton County Community Foundation, an affiliate of Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), announced $278,395 in grants to Hamilton County not-for-profit organizations. Grants approved by the Hamilton County Community Foundation board of directors are part of a four-pronged approach to the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic that has shaped community need in 2020 and were funded through the Endowment for Hamilton County, LINK Youth Advisory Council, and the newly created Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund.

In March, CICF and its affiliates, Hamilton County Community Foundation and The Indianapolis Foundation, adopted a four-pronged approach to the health and economic crisis ignited by COVID-19: Supporting funder collaboratives; adapting regular responsive grant rounds; counseling donor-advised fundholders on how to best support the community during the pandemic; and creating COVID-19 response funds, including the Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund, a flexible fund to quickly provide resources to not-for-profit organizations that are responding to those impacted by COVID-19.

The Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund was seeded with $100,000 from Hamilton County Community Foundation and has since received nearly $300,000 in contributions from individuals and corporate partners.

Grants from the Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund provide support to community-based organizations serving Hamilton County that work with seniors, youth, and economically vulnerable populations. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with grants being distributed throughout 2020 as funding allows. Grant decisions are made by Hamilton County Community Foundation staff in collaboration with the executive committee of Hamilton County’s Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD). The simplification and streamlining of the grantmaking process provide applicants with award notification within two weeks of submitting a funding request. Grants from the Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund currently total $212,395 and include:

  • Good Samaritan Network ($20,000) – Funding supports procurement and transportation costs for food to local pantries throughout Hamilton County.
  • Westfield Education Foundation ($3,500) – Funding to fulfill individual student needs submitted on an online app Purposity.
  • View full list of grant recipients below.

“Hamilton County Community Foundation is proud to have mobilized investments and resources quickly to create the Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund to ensure that organizations who serve our county’s residents were able to keep up with the increased demand for services,” says Thomas J. Kilian, Jr., president of Hamilton County Community Foundation. “We commend our not-for-profit organizations that have risen to the occasion to serve all residents during the pandemic.”

Learn more about contributing to the Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund or requesting support.

Hamilton County Community Foundation and Adaptive Grantmaking

With board approval, Hamilton County Community Foundation focused recent awards from the Endowment for Hamilton County on organizations and projects that align with the foundation’s community leadership initiatives: mental health, family and youth empowerment, and inclusive economic growth. The foundation also made grants in March totaling over $100,000, responding to the need in the communities’ most vulnerable populations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Grants from this round were made possible by the Endowment for Hamilton County, City of Noblesville Fund, Northern Hamilton County Fund, and Westfield Endowment Fund, totaling $51,000 and include:

  • NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Indiana ($5,000) – Funding supports the Ending the Silence campaign, teaching about the warning signs of mental health conditions and steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental health condition.
  • Brooke’s Place for Grieving Young People ($10,000) – Funding is for grief support services for Hamilton County youth and families.
  • View full list of grant recipients below.

LINK Youth Advisory Council

LINK Youth Advisory Council is a yearlong, philanthropic educational program for high school students established by Hamilton County Community Foundation. Students learn about and assess the needs of the county, conduct site visits and learn about the process of applying for and awarding grants. At the end of the program, LINK Youth Advisory Council awards $15,000 in grants, with approval from the Hamilton County Community Foundation board. This year, grants include:

  • Fueled for School ($3,160) – Funding supports backpack program providing food and essential to students during COVID-19.
  • Prevail ($3,500) – Funding includes the support of their new teen dating curriculum.
  • View full list of grant recipients below.

GRANTS AWARDED FROM THE ENDOWMENT OF HAMILTON COUNTY, HAMILTON COUNTY CRISIS SUPPORT FUND AND LINK YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL
ORGANIZATION
PROJECT TITLE
FUNDED BY
 AMOUNT AWARDED
Bethel Lutheran Pantry To support food pantry and to purchase needed supplies for babies Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $1,000
Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville To support newly created programming that maintains programming through a Virtual Clubhouse Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $8,495
Brooke’s Place for Grieving Young People Grief Support Services for Hamilton County Youth & Families Endowment for Hamilton County, Noblesville Fund  $10,000
The Cabin To support their Good Samaritan Fund for counseling services LINK Youth Advisory Council  $2,000
Camptown, Inc Pathfinders program Endowment for Hamilton County, Noblesville Fund & Northern Hamilton County Fund  $4,000
Carmel Youth Assistance Program To support summer meal program for Carmel students who are on free/reduced lunch Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $8,000
Cherish Child Advocacy Center To support the purchase of cleaning supplies, food and take-home supplies for abused children Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $3,000
Conner Prairie To support the creation of 400 educational home kits for students identified by Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $10,000
Fishers Youth Assistance Program To support summer meal program for Hamilton Southeastern Schools students who are on free/reduced lunch Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $10,000
Fueled for School To support summer meal program for Noblesville students who are on free/reduced lunch Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $8,000
Fueled for School  To support the backpack program during COVID-19 LINK Youth Advisory Council  $3,160
Gleaners Food Bank To support meal boxes distributed to Hamilton County families Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $20,000
Good Samaritan Network To support the procurement and transportation costs for food to local pantries Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $20,000
Grace Care Center To provide support for the choice food pantry Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $20,000
Grace Care Center  To provide oil changes for Grace Care Center clients LINK Youth Advisory Council  $1,000
Hamilton County Leadership Academy (HCLA) Contribution to HCLA for current class’ grantmaking Endowment for Hamilton County  $9,000
Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation Weekend Backpack Program Endowment for Hamilton County & Northern Hamilton County Fund  $8,000
Heart & Soul Clinic Bridging Gaps in Mental Health Care & Clinic Growth Endowment for Hamilton County, Noblesville Fund & Westfield Endowment Fund  $15,000
Heart & Soul Clinic To provide support for an additional staff member and medical supplies Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $10,000
Janus Developmental Services To support the transition to online services for clients with disabilities Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $8,000
Mama’s Cupboard To support the cost of replenishing food, hygiene and household cleaning items Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $2,500
Mama’s Cupboard  To purchase three new Chromebooks for the pantry LINK Youth Advisory Council  $1,000
Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County To provide support for the increased need for meals for those who are isolated Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $13,000
Merciful Help Center To provide support to purchase food, toiletry items and cleaning supplies for the pantry Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $20,000
NAMI Indiana Support for Ending the Silence Endowment for Hamilton County & Northern Hamilton County Fund  $5,000
Nickel Plate Arts Provide art kits to people with disabilities and older adults Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $2,500
Open Doors Food Pantry To support the weekend backpack program for middle school students LINK Youth Advisory Council  $2,000
Open Doors Food Pantry To purchase needed food items for the Westfield pantry Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $3,000
Prevail  To support their body based intervention programming and new teen dating curriculum LINK Youth Advisory Council  $2,840
Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County To provide temporary staffing and direct client costs Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $20,000
Sheridan Community Schools  To purchase materials for a calm room at Sheridan Elementary LINK Youth Advisory Council  $3,000
Sheridan Youth Assistance Program To provide 6 hardware hotspots Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $2,500
St. Vincent De Paul To provide toiletries in meal boxes Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $10,000
Student Impact To purchase food for families in Westfield Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $8,000
Westfield Education Foundation Fulfill individual student needs through Purposity Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $3,500
Westfield Library Foundation Purchase Wi-Fi extenders Hamilton County Crisis Response Fund  $900
TOTAL
 $278,395

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