CICF News & Stories

The latest news, announcements and organizational updates from Central Indiana Community Foundation.

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June 18, 2026
Over the last three years, I have become even more convinced that Central Indiana has the talent, generosity, nonprofit leadership and civic infrastructure to become one of the most connected and impactful regions in the country.
June 10, 2026
We are proud to announce the 2026-2027 cohort of Stronger Partners, Brighter Futures: A Planned Giving Cohort, a nine-month initiative designed to help nonprofits build long-term sustainability through planned giving.
May 26, 2026
How can we spark generosity in our own lives and throughout our region? That was the question at-hand at the recent TEDxIndianapolis Salon, “Generosity for a New Era,” hosted in partnership with Central Indianapolis Community Foundation.
May 20, 2026
We are excited to share that Charitable Advisors has joined CICF, bringing together two organizations deeply committed to strengthening the nonprofit sector in Central Indiana. This partnership connects CICF’s role as a community foundation and regional convenor with Charitable Advisors’ trusted expertise in nonprofit talent, leadership, and information, creating a more coordinated and powerful system of support for nonprofits to grow, improve, and sustain their work. We spoke with President and Founder of Charitable Advisors Bryan Orander and CEO of CICF Jennifer Bartenbach to learn more.
May 18, 2026
CICF is making a major investment in Indiana’s nonprofit infrastructure by bringing Charitable Advisors—one of the state’s most trusted nonprofit resources—into the organization as part of CICF’s effort to strengthen nonprofit leadership and capacity across Central Indiana.
April 15, 2026
This annual report is both a reflection on our success during turbulent 2025 and a view into the future we are actively building. We are grateful for your partnership and belief in this work. Together, we will fuel a more prosperous, thriving Central Indiana for generations to come.
April 7, 2026
The Trailways brings together one of the nation’s most expansive community trail systems into a single, user-friendly resource, making it easier for cyclists, walkers and runners to navigate from Point A to Point B, both online and on the ground.
March 26, 2026
At a time when Indiana is seeing a decline in students pursuing higher education, stories like Oriana’s remind us why scholarship support matters.
January 15, 2026
Staniford “Stan” Cox broke barriers as Eli Lilly’s first Black chemist, but his most powerful legacy lives outside the lab.
January 14, 2026
Applications are open for two funds created to honor the legacy of an Eli Lilly chemist by providing grants to organizations working to preserve significant African American landmarks in Indiana.
January 5, 2026
Central Indiana Community Foundation CICF is pleased to announce the appointment of new board members and transitions in board leadership. All changes are effective immediately.  
November 26, 2025
Jennifer Bartenbach, CEO of Central Indiana Community Foundation, recently presented at the Democratizing Philanthropy Research Workshop, hosted by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
November 19, 2025
This article, published by Current Publishing, details how CICF is expanding its mission across all nine Central Indiana counties with a new strategic plan focused on strengthening non-profits, improving regional collaboration, and guiding philanthropic giving to better support local communities.
November 19, 2025
Herbert Simon Family Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the Indianapolis Creative Risk Fund, an initiative designed to propel Indianapolis’ arts ecosystem into new territory by supporting artists who are experimenting, innovating, and embracing creative risk. 
November 17, 2025
Applications are now open for Indiana’s most comprehensive scholarship portfolio, offering access to 50+ awards across four-year, two-year, and technical programs. Students can apply for multiple scholarships through a single multilingual application—available in English, Spanish, and Burmese—at cicf.org/scholarships.  
October 2, 2025
Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) has named Diana Coyle as its new Director of Nonprofit Services & Sustainability, a role designed to strengthen and elevate the nonprofit ecosystem in Central Indiana. As Director of Nonprofit Services & Sustainability, Coyle will lead efforts to help nonprofits build financial stability, operate more effectively, collaborate more efficiently, and navigate long-term challenges.
October 1, 2025
Today, The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis announced an exciting new chapter in its decades-long partnership with Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), transitioning from a supporting organization to a special interest fund of CICF. 
September 2, 2025
We’re proud to introduce the 2025 cohort of Stronger Partners, Brighter Futures (SPBF).
August 29, 2025
Fifteen sites significant to Indiana’s African American history are receiving restoration and rehabilitation assistance through two funds established by the late Eli Lilly chemist and preservation champion Standiford “Stan” Cox.
August 12, 2025
Indiana Elks have been raising money for cancer research in the state since 1948.
July 10, 2025
In this letter marking her two-year anniversary as CEO, Jennifer Bartenbach shares CICF’s renewed vision and strategic plan for Central Indiana.
July 7, 2025
Allen Humphrey stands at the podium, staring out at a crowd of fresh-faced graduates. They’re dressed in gowns, but instead of caps, their heads are crowned with hard hats. A year and a half earlier, Humphrey couldn’t have imagined himself on stage, sharing his story. Back then, he was juggling two fast-food jobs, just scraping by, and relearning to walk after being shot in 2023.
July 1, 2025
In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, a couple of friends who work in philanthropy were having a socially distanced conversation about how nonprofit organizations with meaningful endowments were weathering the pandemic much better than ones that didn’t have those financial resources.
March 20, 2025
The goal of this effort was to educate lawmakers about the unique role of community foundations and to advocate for specific policy priorities related to charitable giving and donor-advised funds (DAFs).
July 15, 2024
Eight partners and affiliates were invited in June 2023 to go through the SPBF training, developing strategies and materials that allow planned giving to become a core part of their development practices. Near the start of the program, participants set goals for how many solicitations and commitments they hoped to reach by February. All together, they reached 97% of their solicitation goals and 70% of their commitment goals.