We help not-for-profits and grassroots organizations do world-changing work.
Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), The Indianapolis Foundation, Hamilton County Community Foundation, Women’s Fund of Central Indiana and IMPACT Central Indiana are a collective of philanthropic organizations committed to making Central Indiana a community where all individuals have an equitable opportunity to reach their full potential—no matter place, race or identity. Collectively, we award more than $55 million in grants to not-for-profits each year.
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Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), The Indianapolis Foundation, Hamilton County Community Foundation and Women’s Fund of Central Indiana are a $1 billion collective of philanthropic organizations committed to making Central Indiana a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential—no matter place, race or identity. We help people invest in the causes that matter most to them, award grants to effective not-for-profit organizations and provide leadership to make Central Indiana a better, more beautiful, more equitable community. Our investments enable organizations to provide effective programs and respond to the needs of people in the neighborhoods and communities they serve. Alongside individual, neighborhood and community partners, we dismantle barriers and build pathways for everyone to reach their full potential.
A Shared Mission
The staff and leadership at CICF, The Indianapolis Foundation and Hamilton County Community Foundation have studied the growing body of research that tells a dismaying story about the American Dream. Studies from The Brookings Institution, nationally, and locally in partnership with Indy Chamber and The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership; Stanford researcher Raj Chetty; and several others, confirm three things:
- There is a growing gap between the affluent and poor in Central Indiana.
- The chance of making it out of poverty is slim, and the chances of doing better than your parents are declining.
- Race has a profound impact on opportunity.
If we want Central Indiana to be a healthy and thriving community with inclusive economic growth, something has to change. We cannot stay comfortable. It’s time to reach for more—more opportunities and a more equitable playing field. We have goals that will take years—if not decades—to achieve. We know this work is complicated and we will make mistakes. We need this community to learn with us, hold us accountable and become our partners. We are committed to doing the work, but cannot do it alone.
Each fund at CICF has different criteria, processes and timelines for making grants. See below for a complete list of funds and staff contacts.
In general, CICF offers responsive grants, which have an open application process for all eligible organizations, and donor-advised grants, made based on the priorities determined by donor-advised fund holders. Alignment with donor-advised funds is identified by staff and only at the request of donors or after an application has been formally submitted through an open application round.
The Indianapolis Foundation and Hamilton County Community Foundation will each administer two general responsive grant rounds in 2023.
GRANTMAKING OPPORTUNITY |
APPLICATION WINDOW |
REVIEW PERIOD |
DECISION |
| The Indianapolis Foundation | Dec. 12, 2022 – Jan. 31, 2023 | February – April | May |
| Elevation Grant Program – round three (learn more) | Jan. 16 – March 3 | March | April |
| Hamilton County Community Foundation – round one | Jan. 17 – Feb. 28 | March – April | May |
| Central Indiana Senior Fund – (learn more) | Apr. 1 – Apr. 28 | May – September | October |
| Women’s Fund of Central Indiana – (learn more) | May 1 – May 31 | June – November | December |
| The Indianapolis Foundation | June 19 – July 31 | August – October | November |
| Hamilton County Community Foundation – round two | Aug. 1 – Sept. 8 | October – November | December |
| The Indianapolis Foundation | Dec. 11, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024 | February – April 2024 | May 2024 |
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THE INDIANAPOLIS FOUNDATION
HAMILTON COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
CICF believes we can make a greater impact by leveraging funding resources and may share proposals with other CICF funds. It is very important to contact a community leadership officer prior to submitting any fund proposal.
The Indianapolis Foundation
Community Leadership & Equitable Initiatives Team
Pamela Ross
Vice President of Community Leadership & Equitable Initiatives
PamelaR@cicf.org
317.634.2423 x149
Wahid Ahmed
Community Leadership Officer
WahidA@cicf.org
317.634.2423 x139
FOCUS AREAS:
- Affordable Housing
- Homelessness
- Historic Preservation
- Neighborhood Preservation
- Community Development
Leah Nahmias
Community Leadership Officer
LeahN@cicf.org
317.634.2423 x178
FOCUS AREAS:
- Indianapolis Summer Youth Programs
- Youth Development
- Youth Workforce
Josetté Robinson
Community Leadership Officer
JosetteR@cicf.org
317.634.2423 x126
FOCUS AREAS:
- Public Safety
- Crime Prevention
- Seniors
- Substance Abuse
- Domestic Violence
Guadalupe Pimentel Solano
Director of Community Leadership and Equitable Initiatives
GuadalupePS@cicf.org
317.634.2423 x503
FOCUS AREAS:
- Immigrants & Refugees
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiatives
Jamie Valentine
Community Leadership Officer
JamieV@cicf.org
317.634.2423 x141
FOCUS AREAS:
- Education
- Environment
- Food Access & Nutrition
- The Library Fund
Fabio Yataco
Community Leadership Officer
FabioY@cicf.org
317.634.2423 x143
FOCUS AREAS:
- Adult Workforce
- Economic Development
HAMILTON COUNTY COMMUNITY Foundation
Community Leadership Team
ADDITIONAL key staff contacts
for not-for-profits
Clayton De Fur
Director of Family Philanthropy, Senior Advisor to the Herbert Simon Family Foundation
ClaytonD@cicf.org
317.634.2423 x140
Allissa Impink
Director of Family Philanthropy, Senior Advisor to Glick Philanthropies
AllissaI@cicf.org
317.634.2423 x504
Julie Koegel
Consultant for Central Indiana Senior Fund & Women’s Fund of Central Indiana
JulieK@cicf.org
Before starting a grant application, reach out to your community leadership officer to discuss your needs, ideas and whether you’re a good fit for our grants. We also strongly recommend assessing your organization’s alignment with our strategic plan and Equity Framework before starting an application.
Once you’ve spoken with your community leadership officer and reviewed our strategic plan and Equity Framework, you can create a grant application in Smart Simple, CICF’s grants management platform.
If you’ve never applied to a grant from CICF before, you will need to set up an account in Smart Simple, our grants management platform. See our Smart Simple 101 Guide for directions. For technical assistance, contact us at GrantSupport@cicf.org.
