Who We Are

Since 1990, area residents have been turning to the Johnson County Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern—improving the quality of life in Johnson County.

Individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create permanent charitable funds that help our area meet the challenges of changing times. The Foundation invests and administers these funds. We then use the distributions to award grants each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable county we call home.

Our grantmaking process is driven and informed by rich community knowledge, relying on the contributions of staff, board members and a broad and diverse group of community volunteers.

Each year, the Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations and charitable endeavors in several different ways -
 

• Unrestricted Grants - These grants come from a collection of funds, such as our large Community Fund and from several named Family Funds, which allow the Foundation to decide where the money is most needed in the community. Unrestricted grants are used to support long-term solutions for community issues, respond quickly to emergencies and to meet changing social, cultural, educational or environmental needs in our local communities. These funds can address a broad range of issues and keep the donor's gift from becoming outdated.
• Field of Interest Grants - These grants are made from funds where the donor designated one or more general areas of interest, such as education, youth, beautification, etc. Scholarship funds would be a good example of a field of interest fund.
• Donor Advised Grants - These grants are made based on recommendations of the donor advisor(s) to the fund. A family may sponsor one of these funds as a way of teaching their children the act of giving by allowing them participate in the selection process to award the grant. It can also be used for companies to meet their charitable goals.
• Designated Grants - These grants are made from funds where the donor has specified one or more nonprofit organizations to receive the annual payout from the growth of the fund. If the specified nonprofit ceases operations, the Foundation is legally authorized to select an alternate beneficiary to continue to fulfill the donor's charitable intent.
• Agency Endowment Grants - These grants are annual payouts from the growth of funds that nonprofits have set aside in an endowment to be administered by the BRCF. The nonprofit thereby can grow its assets and ensure operating dollars for years to come, while they focus on their mission of service to the community. The agency benefits because our Board of Directors provides strong investment oversight and staff provides administrative services for very low cost.
• Special Project Grants - These grants are made from nonpermanent funds that have been given for a specific project. They may be grant monies from another foundation that are to be administered by the Johnson County Community Foundation on behalf of a nonprofit. Or they can be a collection of donations from the community for a special event. This is a limited service the Foundation provides in special situations to help further a vital project or cause.

Interested in Applying for a Grant?

Here is what you need to know -

Organizations interested in submitting a grant request should first submit a Letter of Inquiry. The Letter of Inquiry should include the following;

• A brief statement of the organization's purpose and goals.
• A brief description of the project, the need and the target population it addresses.
• Short- and long-term outcomes anticipated and plans for assessing achievements.
• Grant amount needed.
• A statement about the total agency budget and the project budget.
• A statement about other funding sources for the agency and/or project, specifying both committed and projected sources of support.

The Letter of Inquiry helps the foundation staff determine whether or not the application falls within the guidelines and policies of the Foundation’s grant program.

If the grant request meets the Foundation's funding guidelines, the organization will be invited to submit our formal "Grant Application Form". Please do not submit an application without first discussing it with Kim Minton, the Foundation’s Director of Grants and Scholarships.

Grant applications may be submitted at any time, but will only be reviewed during the next upcoming grant cycle. The applicant organization may be contacted for additional information if needed. When the completed application and all appropriate attachments are received, staff will prepare the request for review by the Foundation Grants Committee. This committee is comprised of Foundation Board members and community advisors and meets two times a year to review application packets. An organization can expect a decision regarding its application 30 - 60 days after the grant application deadline. All grant applicants will be notified in writing or by personal phone call of the Foundation's funding decision.  

Deadlines

There are three competitive community grant cycles per year:
Cycle II - April 1st
Cycle III - October 1st  

Grant requests must be received at the Foundation office no later than 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date. However, if the above dates fall on a weekend or holiday, the application is due on the last business day prior to that date.

These guidelines and policies apply only to the unrestricted philanthropic funds of the Johnson County Community Foundation and not to those funds for which the donor has designated the beneficiary or has restricted the use of a particular fund to a specific charitable purpose. Those designated and restricted funds will be administered separately in relation to their respective donor agreements.

Forms and Applications

• Letter of Inquiry Guidelines
• Grant Final Report
• Grant Application - Contact JCCF’s Director of Grants for an Application

Grant History

East Side Elementary School was granted $3,000 to create a pilot life skills-based mentoring program for high ability students in 3rd-5th grade in the Edinburgh area in an effort to maximize interest and achievement for these highly capable children who are underperforming.

Alternative Care Experience (A.C.E.) received $3,000 to help absorb the cost of providing after school care to kids on free and reduced lunch.

Baxter Branch YMCA was awarded $5,000 to invest in the development of youth and families who participate in Before and After school and Summer Day Camp programs. The goals of the program are 1) to provide enrichment and program experiences throughout the year for low-income students from the community; and 2) violence and drug prevention programs throughout the year designed to promote and advance student achievement in a sage and caring environment surrounded by trained adults and volunteers.

Johnson County Senior Services received $5,000 to help assist with their transportation services that are provided to seniors in the county

Girls Inc. of Franklin received $5,168 for operating support to grow and expand Outreach Services throughout the Johnson County community. Girls Inc. has the opportunity to provide research based, intentional, age-appropriate programming to over 1,500 children in the community.

Turning Point was granted $5,000 to help support the increasing number of adult victims and their dependent children being served locally. The primary objective of the program is to ensure the safety of victimized families. This will be accomplished by the hiring of a part-time case manager. It is anticipated that Turning Point will provide service to more than 850 Johnson County victims.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana was awarded $1,500 to support their one-to-one mentoring program in Johnson County. With the grant they would be able to be able to provide support to 25 children in Johnson County in 2009-2010.

Prevent Blindness Indiana received $3,000 to provide screenings to 3,700 children in Johnson County through volunteer training and management, with approximately 750 expected to be referred for further care due to a potential vision impairment; providing vision education to more than 50 caregivers of children in Johnson County; and tracking outcomes of at least 60% of children referred for care through the collaboration between PBI and Bosma Enterprises.

Project Lifesaver of Johnson County was awarded $5,000 to provide a preventative approach to people who have a disease that causes them to wander. Equipment would be purchased to track individuals. This program would provide the frame work for other public safety personnel in the county. (visit www.projectlifesaverindy.com for more information)

Youth Connections were granted $1,551 to help support the spring grants for YPIJC.

Salvation Army J.C. received $6,000 to support a regional matching program to leverage an additional $12,000. This money will be used to help families dealing with unemployment in Johnson County. 

Interested in Applying for a Grant?

Here is what you need to know -

Organizations interested in submitting a grant request should first submit a Letter of Inquiry. The Letter of Inquiry should include the following;

• A brief statement of the organization's purpose and goals.
• A brief description of the project, the need and the target population it addresses.
• Short- and long-term outcomes anticipated and plans for assessing achievements.
• Grant amount needed.
• A statement about the total agency budget and the project budget.
• A statement about other funding sources for the agency and/or project, specifying both committed and projected sources of support.

The Letter of Inquiry helps the foundation staff determine whether or not the application falls within the guidelines and policies of the Foundation’s grant program.

If the grant request meets the Foundation's funding guidelines, the organization will be invited to submit our formal "Grant Application Form". Please do not submit an application without first discussing it with Kim Minton, the Foundation’s Director of Grants and Scholarships.

Grant applications may be submitted at any time, but will only be reviewed during the next upcoming grant cycle. The applicant organization may be contacted for additional information if needed. When the completed application and all appropriate attachments are received, staff will prepare the request for review by the Foundation Grants Committee. This committee is comprised of Foundation Board members and community advisors and meets two times a year to review application packets. An organization can expect a decision regarding its application 30 - 60 days after the grant application deadline. All grant applicants will be notified in writing or by personal phone call of the Foundation's funding decision.  

Deadlines

There are three competitive community grant cycles per year:
Cycle II - April 1st
Cycle III - October 1st  

Grant requests must be received at the Foundation office no later than 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date. However, if the above dates fall on a weekend or holiday, the application is due on the last business day prior to that date.

These guidelines and policies apply only to the unrestricted philanthropic funds of the Johnson County Community Foundation and not to those funds for which the donor has designated the beneficiary or has restricted the use of a particular fund to a specific charitable purpose. Those designated and restricted funds will be administered separately in relation to their respective donor agreements.

Forms and Applications

• Letter of Inquiry Guidelines
• Grant Final Report
• Grant Application - Contact JCCF’s Director of Grants for an Application

Grant History

East Side Elementary School was granted $3,000 to create a pilot life skills-based mentoring program for high ability students in 3rd-5th grade in the Edinburgh area in an effort to maximize interest and achievement for these highly capable children who are underperforming.

Alternative Care Experience (A.C.E.) received $3,000 to help absorb the cost of providing after school care to kids on free and reduced lunch.

Baxter Branch YMCA was awarded $5,000 to invest in the development of youth and families who participate in Before and After school and Summer Day Camp programs. The goals of the program are 1) to provide enrichment and program experiences throughout the year for low-income students from the community; and 2) violence and drug prevention programs throughout the year designed to promote and advance student achievement in a sage and caring environment surrounded by trained adults and volunteers.

Johnson County Senior Services received $5,000 to help assist with their transportation services that are provided to seniors in the county

Girls Inc. of Franklin received $5,168 for operating support to grow and expand Outreach Services throughout the Johnson County community. Girls Inc. has the opportunity to provide research based, intentional, age-appropriate programming to over 1,500 children in the community.

Turning Point was granted $5,000 to help support the increasing number of adult victims and their dependent children being served locally. The primary objective of the program is to ensure the safety of victimized families. This will be accomplished by the hiring of a part-time case manager. It is anticipated that Turning Point will provide service to more than 850 Johnson County victims.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana was awarded $1,500 to support their one-to-one mentoring program in Johnson County. With the grant they would be able to be able to provide support to 25 children in Johnson County in 2009-2010.

Prevent Blindness Indiana received $3,000 to provide screenings to 3,700 children in Johnson County through volunteer training and management, with approximately 750 expected to be referred for further care due to a potential vision impairment; providing vision education to more than 50 caregivers of children in Johnson County; and tracking outcomes of at least 60% of children referred for care through the collaboration between PBI and Bosma Enterprises.

Project Lifesaver of Johnson County was awarded $5,000 to provide a preventative approach to people who have a disease that causes them to wander. Equipment would be purchased to track individuals. This program would provide the frame work for other public safety personnel in the county. (visit www.projectlifesaverindy.com for more information)

Youth Connections were granted $1,551 to help support the spring grants for YPIJC.

Salvation Army J.C. received $6,000 to support a regional matching program to leverage an additional $12,000. This money will be used to help families dealing with unemployment in Johnson County.