Over $1.1 Million Invested into Central Indiana from Partnership of Foundations and Local Philanthropists

Five organizations received a total of $1,110,000 to support innovative projects from the Community Leadership Innovation Fund at Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). The fund is made up of investments from a group of local philanthropists and community foundations, including CICF, The Indianapolis Foundation and Hamilton County Community Foundation.

“With shared investments, knowledge and relationships with our community’s incredible not-for-profits and residents, we can partner together in a powerful way.”

“The work that we’re able to do with the Community Leadership Innovation Fund is a phenomenal example of the collective impact we’re able to make together through the CICF philanthropic collaborative and our partnerships with our communities’ philanthropic leaders,” says Jennifer Bartenbach, CEO of CICF. “With shared investments, knowledge and relationships with our community’s incredible not-for-profits and residents, we can partner together in a powerful way.”

Projects are proposed to the fund advisors from leadership within the CICF philanthropic collaborative that address current issues with unique solutions in our Central Indiana communities.

Current projects and organizations receiving funding include:

• Kids Dance Outreach — expand organizational capacity and strengthen operations, development and administrative systems and strategies ($500,000)
• Hamilton County Economic Development — re-entry support for Hamilton County residents involved in the criminal legal system ($160,000)
• African American Historic Preservation and Storytelling — investments to three different organizations that are preserving key places to Central Indiana history, the contributions of the Black community and sharing that story with residents and visitors:
  • Roberts Settlement ($150,000)
  • Friends of Belmont Beach ($150,000)
  • Conner Prairie ($150,000)

“Kids Dance Outreach is committed to meaningful growth and continuing to bring our mission to life through sustainability, said Michael J. Johnson, founder and artistic director of Kids Dance Outreach. “This support allows us to be responsive to our community’s needs, serving more children and their families in more meaningful and profound ways across our programs for years to come. We are forever grateful for the opportunity, the guidance and the platform to tell our story.”