Community Impact Grants
Opens January 11, 2027
HCCF Community Impact Grants offer financial assistance for charitable programs and projects serving Hendricks County.
This responsive grant program is designed to be open-ended allowing for nonprofits and charitable groups to apply for funding to help meet the needs of their organization in service to the needs of Hendricks County. Consider what Community Foundation funding could help move your organization or our community to the next level.
Commitment to Community Partners
Community partners are core to our vision of Hendricks County as a place where everyone has the opportunity to have a fulfilling life and the tools they need to build a stronger future together. It is through funding their work that HCCF makes real impact on our community and our residents, which is why it is imperative that we build our programs with them in mind—FOR our community partners. To that end, this is our commitment to our community partners:
We commit to continual learning about:
- our community by:
- completing a tri-annual Community Needs Assessment
- participating in community meetings and task forces
- our community partners by:
- building trust-based relationships
- showing up and listening
- best practices for our work by:
- participating in local and national learning opportunities
We commit to being trusted partners with our community organizations in our shared missions by:
- creating a transparent website including description of the grant process, timelines, and other important information for potential grant applicants
- soliciting and acting on feedback from applicants and recipients
- offering additional support beyond the grant
We commit to eliminating barriers to our community partners receiving and implementing funding by:
- sharing the burden of the application process
- simplifying and streamlining paperwork from application to reporting
- providing unrestricted grants whenever possible
Eligibility
Who/What is eligible*:
- Applicants do not have to be 501(c)(3) public charities; however, the applicant program/project must be charitable and serve the general population/be open to the public.
- Applicants must be in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service, the Office of the Indiana Secretary of State of Indiana, and any other pertinent governing body.
- Programs/projects must serve Hendricks County.
- Programs/projects must meet a measurable or demonstrable need in Hendricks County.
- Programs/project must not discriminate in terms of program provision, and the applicant organization must not discriminate in staffing or hiring decisions.
- Funds must be used specifically for the purposes stated in the application
Who/What is Ineligible*:
- For-profit companies.
- Grants to individuals or families for personal needs
- Bands, sports teams or other groups without a philanthropic project
- Annual appeals or membership contributions
- Fundraising events such as galas, golf tournaments, walk-a-thons and fashion shows
- Projects aimed at promoting a particular religion or construction projects for religious institutions
- Organizations or projects that discriminate based upon race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, citizenship status, genetic information, military service/veteran status, or any other category protected under state or local law
- Political campaigns or projects aimed at promoting a particular political party or candidate
- Post-event, after-the-fact situations or debt retirement
- Endowment or reserve-building
- Classroom/teacher grants and schools/school districts/education foundations*
- Parks, trails, and outdoor spaces**
**Annually, HCCF provides grants to the six public school education foundations/districts. Generally, schools/school districts/education foundations are not eligible for Community Impact Grants unless the project serves the greater community and not solely the students or teachers of that school/school district.
**Annually, HCCF provides a grant to the Parks Foundation of Hendricks County to support local parks, trails, and outdoor spaces. For more information, please contact the Parks Foundation of Hendricks County.
Disclaimer: These lists are not exclusive, if you are curious about whether or not your organization/project/program is eligible, please contact HCCF Vice President of Programs Eric Hessel at eric@hendrickscountycf.org or 317.268.6240.
Timeline - 2027
Applications Live: January 11
Applications Due: February 11 by 3 pm
HCCF Staff Review: February 12 – February 18
HCCF Grants Committee Review: February 19 – March 15
One-on-One Meetings with Applicants: March 18 – April 8
HCCF Grants Committee Meeting: April 13
Recommendations Submitted to the HCCF Board: April 15
HCCF Board Approval: April 22
Grant Size
For 2027, HCCF will have approximately $450,000 available for the Community Impact Grant program. In 2026, grants from this program averaged around $9,000 and ranged from $500 to $55,000. That being said, we encourage applicants to demonstrate the full need in their requests.
HCCF reserves the right to partially fund requests, require a match or be final dollars into the program.
Grant Application Preview
View a SAMPLE PDF version of the application before applying. This is a sample application and may not perfectly reflect the current application.
Preview the Community Impact Grant Application
NOTE: This is a preview only. Only applications submitted through the online grant portal will be accepted.
Grant Reporting
Instead of a traditional grant report, HCCF utilizes the HCCF Grantee Press Release for grantees to capture the impact of their grant. These press releases are due to the Community Foundation generally a month after the last dollars are spent or within a year of the grant award date.
Past Recipients - 2026
All Things for the Kingdom received $6,250 to purchase a second trailer to expand their outreach in Hendricks County. All Things for the Kingdom works to prevent homelessness and food insecurity by establishing relationships between those who are in need and those who can help.
Avon-Washington Township Public Library received $2,500 to support their Youth Summer Reading Challenge. This year’s program “Unearth a Story” is designed to keep kids reading over the summer while they’re not in school.
AYS received $5,000 to provide out-of-school time programming in Plainfield Schools.
Bear Hugs Giving Foundation received $5,535.66 to clean up and beautify downtown Lizton, IN. Bear Hugs Giving Foundation engages young people to give back in their community.
Brain Injury Survivors of Indiana received $1,250 to maintain their support group for brain injury survivors in Hendricks County. Brain Injury Survivors provides year-round programming and peer-to-peer support for those who have suffered a brain injury.
Brooke’s Place received $5,000 to support their Westside Ongoing Grief Support Group. Brooke’s Place provides support groups, therapy services and education to empower children, teens, young adults, and their families to thrive in the midst of grief.
Catholic Charities received $7,700 to provide outpatient transportation for seniors. This program will compliment the LINK program operated by Hendricks County Senior Services.
Central Indiana Education Service Center received $20,000 to support the WestNext program. WestNext will be a one-stop-shop for schools, businesses, and community partners to provide work-based learning opportunities for Hendricks County students.
Claude McNeal Productions received $7,500 to provide student well-being programming in Hendricks County schools. CMP uses an evidence-based, theater program for social and emotinal learning for students.
Cummins Behavioral Health System received $25,000 to support its Mobile Crisis Team. Mobile crisis services are designed to stabilize individuals in the most clinically appropriate, least restrictive, least traumatizing, and most cost-effective manner possible.
Danville Library Foundation received $2,500 to support their Youth Summer Reading Challenge. This year’s program “Unearth a Story” is designed to keep kids reading over the summer while they’re not in school.
Dieudonne Foundation received $12,000 to doula support and community education. Dieudonne Foundation helps families in Hendricks County access culturally responsive maternal and infant health support, connecting families with care and practical resources during pregnancy and after birth.
Family Promise of Hendricks County received $55,000 to hire an additional community resource navigator for its Stability Builders Network. The Stability Builders Network is a coordinated community response to ensure the needs of those struggling in our community are met, while creating an opportunity for long-term stability.
Fight Back Fitness received $5,00o to upgrade fitness equipment, specifically a variety of boxing bags and mitts. Fight Back Fitness is dedicated to empowering people with Parkinson’s disease to fight back against their disease, thus decreasing the effects of their personal symptoms.
Firefly Children and Family Alliance received $2,500 to support its Community Partners for Child Safety and Parenting Cafes. CPCS provides community support to vulnerable families located in Hendricks County that self-identify or are referred by community agencies, schools, churches, relatives, and other community systems.
Friends of the (Hendricks County Animal) Shelter received $6,000 to build capacity for their organization, including board development and marketing support. Hendricks County Friends of the Shelter supports the animals and staff of the Hendricks County Animal Shelter.
Hendricks Civic Theater received $13,500 to install ADA accessible seating at the Longstreet Playhouse. Hendricks Civic Theatre is a learning community theatre, promoting the diverse talents of Hendricks County. They perform at Longstreet Playhouse and Hendricks Live!.
Hendricks County 4-H received $4,900 for a youth-led program, “Automotive 101”. The program teaches teens basic automotive maintenance and safety skills while giving them hands-on experience on actual vehicles.
Hendricks County 4-H Shooting Sports received $2,500 to purchase an inflatable archery range. The 4-H shooting sports project teaches safe operation of firearms and archery equipment.
Hendricks County Youth Assistance Program received $20,000 to expand to Danville Community School Corporation. The Danville Youth Assistance Program serves as a voluntary early intervention and prevention advocacy process for students and families who have experienced challenging life circumstances.
Hendricks Live! received $5,000 to support their Indiana history stage performance for Hendricks County students. The performance will provide an opportunity for schools to expand their teaching of Indiana history, supplement class time learning, meet school standards, and engage students in a memorable way.
High School Hustle received $3,000 to provide young entrepreneurs matching dollars for the first funds earned. High School Hustle is a movement to awaken the next generation of entrepreneurs through mentors, incentives, and software.
Hope Healthcare Services received $20,000 to expand medical access at their facility. Hope Healthcare Services provides medical, dental, mental health, and spiritual care to individuals and families without insurance.
Imagination Library of Hendricks County received $25,000 to provide books to children in Hendricks County. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income.
Indiana Center for Employee Ownership received $2,390 to provide lunch and learn events to educate business owners on employee ownership. INCEO promotes better understanding of the values of employee ownership among business leaders, public officials, employees, members of the media, students, academics/academic institutions, consumers, and other persons and organizations in Indiana.
Indiana Diaper Bank received $7,500 to purchase and distribute diapers in Hendricks County. Indiana Diaper Bank empowers families in Indiana by providing a reliable and adequate supply of diapering essentials.
Jameson Camp received $5,000 to help Hendricks County families pay for summer camp. For nearly 100 years, Jameson Camp has provided a space where any child can feel welcome, safe, and accepted while they discover their strengths, build friendships, and experience nature.
Junior Achievement of Central Indiana received $7,500 to support its programming in Hendricks County. Junior Achievement’s learning experiences promote the transferable skills and competencies students need to take advantage of economic opportunity and achieve economic mobility.
Kingdom Comfort Dogs received $2,000 as a matching grant to help launch their organization and increase their donor base. Kingdom Comfort Dogs creates meaningful connections through therapy dog teams to reduce loneliness and bring comfort, connection, and hope throughout Hendricks County.
Kodie’s Kids, Tomorrow’s Heroes received $500 to cover the remaining costs of its Dream, Jump, Discover: A Collaborative Youth Career & Back-to-School Initiative. Kodie’s Kids supports youth engagement and exposure to careers in public safety, while also supporting volunteer fire departments with equipment necessary to train their communities and volunteers.
Leadership Hendricks County received $5,000 to host an inaugural Women’s Leadership Conference in Hendricks County. Leadership Hendricks County educates and connects leaders to better serve our community.
Little Red Door Cancer Agency received $5,000 to provide nutrition and transportation support to those battling cancer in Hendricks County. Little Red Door Cancer Agency works to reduce the physical, emotional and financial burdens of cancer for medically underserved Hoosiers by providing free client services, survivor programming and education.
New Shoe Day received $10,000 to help reduce shoe insecurity for children in Hendricks County. New Shoe Day elevates a child’s experience in programs by providing a memorable, exciting, and empowering experience with a “New Shoe Day”, their very own new pair of shoes.
The Parks Foundation of Hendricks County received $2,800 to update their strategic plan. The Parks Foundation ensures the livelihood and longevity of our community’s incredible parks. Learn more about our annual strategic partnership with the Parks Foundation here.
Pathway of Hope received $2,500 to provide for the basic needs of its clients. Pathway of Hope provides pathways for those in need to find hope in the midst of their situation by offering items and services that are most needed.
Paws and Think received $4,000 to support its programming in Hendricks County. Paws and Think improves lives through the power of the human-dog connection. They offer reading programs for children at Hendricks County libraries and therapy programs for first responders, moments of crisis, and nonprofit well-being visits.
Phi Beta Psi - Theta Alpha Kappa
Phi Beta Psi – Theta Alpha Kappa received $2,500
Safe Families for Children – Central Indiana received $5,000
The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Hendricks County received $6,000
