Summer Youth Program Fund

Provided by collaborative member Indianapolis Foundation

The Funding Opportunity

The Funding Opportunity: 

The Summer Youth Program Fund (SYPF) supports high-quality, safe, and positive experiences for Marion County children and teens ages 4-24 at little to no cost to families.

From day programs and overnight camps, to academic and arts enrichment, to career exploration and youth employment, SYPF-funded programs serve more than 50,000 Indianapolis youth each year.

Grant Contact Info

Jenny Menelas, Community Leadership Officer, jennym@indianapolisfoundation.org.

Application Opens:
August 18, 2025 (8 a.m.)

Application Deadline:
October 17 (4 p.m.)

Grant Notifications:
February 6, 2026

What is Funded

Priority will be given to:  

  • Programs that are low cost or free to families.   
  • Programs with defined goals, staffing, and evaluation plans. 
  • Programs that incorporate best practices in positive youth development.   
  • Proposals with reasonable and clear budgets. SYPF grants do not typically cover the full cost of operating your summer program.   

Eligibility

Geographic Area:

  • Marion County

 

Eligibility: 

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

  • Applications must be led by a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) public charity status and have an EIN number. 
  • A 501(c)(3) public charity may serve as a fiscal sponsor for another applicant to administer the grant. 
  • Any organization may be part of more than one proposal but may only serve as the lead applicant for one proposal. 
  • Programs must serve Marion County youth. 
  • Programs must take place during the summer following the application period (e.g. if applying in fall 2025, program must take place during summer 2026). 
  • Programs serving children under 4 will not be considered. 
  • Previous SYPF grantees must have completed a final report in order to be considered for the current funding cycle. 
  • Late applications will not be considered.

Review Process

  • Your application will be reviewed by each of the nine SYPF partners.
  • Each funder makes its own funding decisions according to its priorities and notifies its grantees separately.
  • Some programs receive grants from more than one funder.
  • Funders collaborate in the allocations process to close as many gaps as possible. 

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.

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Apply Here

Need Assistance?

  • If you have questions regarding the application process or the grant program in general, please contact Jenny Menelas at the Indianapolis Foundation, at jennym@indianapolisfoundation.org.
  • Grant Support staff for the CICF Collaborative are available to provide technical assistance for Grants Portal access and use throughout the application period at GrantSupport@cicf.org.