Central Indiana Senior Fund

The Funding Opportunity

The Central Indiana Senior Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), is dedicated to creating a community where everyone, regardless of their place, race, or identity, has equitable opportunities to thrive.

Our mission is to invest in organizations and programs that serve seniors (ages 55 and older) who are low- to moderate-income or isolated from essential community resources. We are here to help you make a positive impact in Central Indiana.

Types and Sizes of Grants

We offer grants for both operating support and program support:

Operating Support: Exclusively available to organizations whose mission is entirely dedicated to serving seniors.
Program Support: Open to eligible organizations providing services to seniors.
Grant Amounts: Range: $5,000–$50,000
Typical Grant: $20,000–$30,000

State of Aging Report

Research shows that older adults are the fastest-growing demographic in Central Indiana, as approximately 24,000 adults turn 55 and 22,000 turn 60 each year. By the year 2030, one in every five Hoosiers will be over the age of 65. To enhance the ability of older adults to live and thrive in Central Indiana, it is important to understand the population trends, notable changes, and basic needs of this growing demographic.

Application Opens:
March 31, 2025 (8 a.m.)

Application Deadline:
May 7, 2025 (4 p.m.)

Grant Notifications:
Mid-August 2025

What is Funded

We prioritize programs and services addressing racial equity in the following areas (in no order):

Aging in Place: Housing maintenance and accessibility support.
Food Security: Enhancing food access and affordability for seniors.
Social Connection: Reducing isolation and loneliness among seniors.
Caregiver Support: Resources and assistance for caregivers.
Homelessness Prevention: Efforts to decrease homelessness among seniors.
Immigrant and Undocumented Seniors: Programs tailored to their unique needs.

What We Do Not Fund

We do not support:

Organizations or projects that discriminate based on race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender, or sexual orientation.
Grants to individuals.
Political campaigns or activities intended to influence public officials.
Projects promoting a specific religion.
Construction projects for schools, churches, or religious institutions.
Fundraising events or special events.
Post-event reimbursements or debt retirement.
Basic medical, scientific, or academic research.

Eligibility

Geographic Area:

Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Morgan, and Shelby Counties

To be eligible to apply for the grant funding, applicant organizations must meet the following criteria:

Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status that serve seniors.
Organizations without 501(c)(3) status may apply using a fiscal agent approved by CICF.
Organizations are eligible to apply annually, regardless of previous year grant awards.
Late applications will not be considered.

Review Process

All applications will be reviewed and selected by Senior Fund staff and the Central Indiana Senior Fund Advisors.
Evaluators adhere to a strict conflict of interest policy and other internal controls to ensure that grant funding is distributed in an objective manner based on the merits of each proposal.

How to apply

Applicants must submit all application materials using our Grants Portal (powered by SmartSimple).

If this is your first time submitting an application through this system, you will need to create a user profile for your organization.

For guidance on setting up your account and navigating your applicant profile, please refer to our Grants Portal 101 resource for guidance or reach out to GrantSupport@cicf.org.

Apply Here