COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANT INITIATIVE
The Community Impact Funding Initiative is designed to fuel innovative ideas and lasting impact in our community by granting funds to nonprofits to meet our community’s most pressing needs and seize its most compelling opportunities.
On an annual basis, the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) entertains funding requests for projects and programs that will benefit the citizens of Bloomington and Monroe County. Grants are awarded from the Unrestricted Endowment Fund, select field of interest funds, and from collaborative funding provided by Community Foundation partners, including the Smithville Charitable Foundation. Grant funding is designed to support a broad range of community needs such as arts and culture, social and health services, education, recreation, beautification and preservation, animal welfare, the environment, and community development opportunities.
Through the Community Impact Funding Initiative, the Foundation seeks to invest in projects that are forward thinking, community changing in their implementation, practical in their application, and unique to the community. The amount of the grants typically range from $10,000 to $50,000. Highest priority in the evaluation of grant awards will be given to projects that incorporate and embrace the following:
- Innovative or transformative solutions to critical community issues
- Collaboration across organizations and/or sectors to increase impact and effectiveness
- Projects/programs that plan for long-term sustainability (when applicable)
Impact grants will be made to local 501(c)(3) nonprofits and organizations that are exempt from filing for a 501(c)(3) status. This includes units of government, school corporations, and religious organizations. Impact grants may be awarded to religious organizations for programs that are non-proselytizing and do not promote religious doctrine or instruction. In limited situations, CFMBC may be able to grant to other types of organizations that are serving a charitable purpose but do not have a 501(c)(3) status. To confirm eligibility, please contact Marcus Whited at marcus@cfbmc.org or (812) 333-9016.
The Community Foundation does not accept requests for:
- Previously incurred debts
- Political campaigns
- Efforts to influence legislation of any governmental body other than through making available the results of nonpartisan analysis, study, and research
We typically do not fund requests for general operating support only.
Eligible Grant Expenses
Direct costs for implementing the project or program are eligible grant expenses. In addition, no more than 30% of the requested grant funding may be used for indirect costs that contribute to the organization’s ability to implement the grant project, or for building and/or sustaining operational capacity for the duration of the grant period. Examples of indirect operating expenses related to the project may include the following areas: fund development, internal operations such as IT upgrades, financial management tools, administrative costs, essential staffing, and/or core program costs.
Please stayed tuned and check this webpage for announcements for any upcoming grant cycles. CFBMC will announce opportunities on this website, social media, mass email distribution, and by press releases.
Please direct any questions regarding this grantmaking initiative to CFBMC Program Director Marcus Whited at marcus@cfbmc.org or 812-333-9016.
Equal Opportunity in Grantmaking
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in paragraph 249(c)(4) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, marital or parental status, political affiliation, military service, physical or mental ability, or any other improper criterion be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available by the community foundation, and any other program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds appropriated for grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance administered by the community foundation.