The Indianapolis Foundation

We are proud to announce $2.8 million in grants awarded by The Indianapolis Foundation and The Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund to 46 Marion County nonprofits, libraries, projects, and initiatives in the first of two grant cycles to be awarded in 2024! 🎉 "The relationship between the Foundation and our grantees is built on mutual respect and understanding, aiming to advance racial equity and create economic opportunity for all,” said IF President Lorenzo L. Esters. These grants are part of our ongoing commitment to driving equitable outcomes and supporting the incredible work of our community partners whose work aligns with our mission to promote equity and create meaningful opportunities for all residents. Grantees Include: 🔍 Side Hustle Economy, an organization that aims to close the racial wealth gap by empowering part-time entrepreneurs to turn their passions into full-time successes. 🔍 EARTH CHARTER INDIANA, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable, just, and peaceful living,environmental equity and youth empowerment. 🔍 The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation’s Immigrant & Refugee Support Programs, which provide literacy skills and community-building opportunities for immigrant and refugee populations. Read the full list grant recipients and learn more about our grant opportunities📝, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/ehenM4WJ #Indianapolis #TheIndianapolisFoundation #IndianapolisGrants #Grantmaking #HealthEquity #RacialEquity

S.L.E.D. Corp. is just getting started! Check out these two workshops coming up on their calendar:    1️⃣ Anger Management Workshop: Come learn from SLED program manager Diamond McClam as we discuss strategies for self control and conflict management, as well as tips to identify triggers, maintain healthy relationships and enhance social interactions with others.   2️⃣ Blended Families Workshop: This event invites parents to learn how they can develop stronger family dynamics, communicate with one another and understand boundaries. Plus, the program will address topics like co-parenting strategies, mental health and wellbeing.   Both workshops are FREE and offered both in-person and on Zoom 🤞🏾💻 Learn more about S.L.E.D. -> https://wesled4u.org/ #Indianapolis #SoberLivingEveryDay #SLEDCorp

Today, we are proud to introduce this short video honoring Samaria's Legacy Fund at the Indianapolis Foundation, created in memory of Samaria Blackwell, a vibrant and compassionate 19-year-old who dreamed of serving her community. Before her life was tragically cut short in the FedEx mass shooting in 2021, she dreamed of becoming a police officer. “Samaria was named after the good samaritan. Samaria was named properly because that’s who she was,” said her father, Jeff Blackwell. He describesSamaria, the youngest of the Blackwell’s four children, as having an infectious smile and a heart full of love, always eager to help and serve others. Her legacy of kindness and service will continue through Samaria’s Legacy Fund, which will support organizations and programs that value compassion, opportunity and meaningful relationships. Learn more about Samaria’s Legacy Fund and consider a donation to the Fund: https://bit.ly/3VdyQZr We would like to extend a note of gratitude to Pat Corsi who was one of the founding advisors of Samaria’s Legacy Fund and continues to be a pillar of support to Samaria’s Legacy Fund and the Indianapolis community at large. #SamariasLegacy #EndGunViolence

“I’m trying to put my kids at different tables with adults from different organizations. Not only am I educating the kids, but the adults too,” says Kareem Hines of New B.O.Y. (Breed of Youth), a mentorship program for #Indianapolis youth. This is what it’s all about. #LeadWithLove 💙 Shoutout to leaders like Hines who are elevating youth and positioning them to use their voice where it matters. In a city where 16- to 24-year-olds are the most at risk of firearm injuries, we MUST make sure they are also at the center of the process to develop solutions to this crisis. Did you know?: New B.O.Y. is an Elevation Grant recipient! The #ElevationGrant series, a partnership between The Indianapolis Foundation, City of Indianapolis , Mayor Joe Hogsett, and the Indianapolis City-County Council, is made possible through funding allocated in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Read more: https://lnkd.in/gYvxYENd  

Meet Charleston Bowles, president of S.L.E.D. Corporation, an #ElevationGrant Round 5 recipient! ⭐S.L.E.D. = Sober Living Every Day⭐ S.L.E.D. is an emerging nonprofit with the goal to be a community partner for the underserved, marginalized and formerly incarcerated population. Currently, the hallmark of their programming is Corey’s House, a transitional and sober living housing facility. At Corey’s House, residents reclaim their lives, become emotionally whole, and learn skills that allow them to reunite with loved ones and secure jobs with a livable wage. Corey’s House is a 4,000 square-foot facility with room for ten residents at a time. 🤝🏾The Elevation Grant will help S.L.E.D. expand services at Corey’s House and the S.L.E.D. Engagement Center, which will connect neighbors vital resources and opportunities. 🔗Stay in touch with S.L.E.D. and learn more about Corey’s House: https://wesled4u.org/ The Elevation Grant series, a partnership between The Indianapolis Foundation, the City of Indianapolis, Mayor Joe Hogsett and the Indianapolis City-County Council, is made possible through funding allocated in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). 🌱 #Indianapolis #CityofIndianapolis #TheIndianapolisFoundation #LeadWithLove #ElevationGrant #SoberLivingEveryDay #SLEDCorp #Housing

In the #Brookside community on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis, many of our neighbors live in poverty, struggling with housing insecurity, crime and poor mental health. In fact, over 64% of Brookside residents had an annual income below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level in 2020. That’s why organizations like Brookside Community Development Corporation go above and beyond to provide wraparound and community-building services to residents. Robin Duncan, Brookside’s re-entry coordinator, oversees the organization’s residential programs, helping  residents address practical needs, like transportation, employment, and housing. 🏠 This is done primarily through their 18-month Isaiah House Residential Program, The Bridge Worship Service and Reentry Hub. In 2023, Brookside was able to serve nearly 300 individuals. What’s next for Brookside? With help from the Elevation Grant, Duncan plans to hire a female mental health specialist, recognizing that women residents will benefit from their help and lived experience. 🧠 🔗Learn more about Brookside’s re-entry program: https://lnkd.in/di2MruM  The Elevation Grant series, a partnership between The Indianapolis Foundation, the City of Indianapolis, Mayor Joe Hogsett and the Indianapolis City-County Council, is made possible through funding allocated in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). #Indianapolis #CityofIndianapolis #TheIndianapolisFoundation #LeadWithLove #ElevationGrant #BrooksideIndiana #BrooksideCDC

Please join us in welcoming Grace Findley as Chief Development and Partnerships Officer! In this pivotal role, Grace will be leading an ambitious campaign to raise philanthropic contributions and generate co-investment funds to support the Foundation's mission of improving outcomes for our community. 💡 With nearly two decades of fundraising experience, Grace brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team. She previously served as vice president of philanthropic partnerships at the Indianapolis-based Strada Education Foundation, where she nearly doubled their fundraising efforts and led strategies resulting in a fourfold increase in matching grant support. 📈 "I am excited and honored to step into a leadership role at one of the oldest community foundations in the country. It's a privilege to partner with the people of Indianapolis in advancing equitable opportunities and continuing the City's legacy of philanthropy," says Grace. Please join us in giving Grace a warm welcome to The Indianapolis Foundation family! 🔗 Read the full announcement: https://lnkd.in/dBd7w8g7 #LeadWithLove #TheIndianapolisFoundation #Indianapolis #NewHire

Calling all Indianapolis and Marion County-based nonprofit leaders! Come join The Indianapolis Foundation and Partec Consulting Group for this in-person workshop: 🌟Essentials of Nonprofit Financials: Analyzing Statements & Developing Budgets for Grants 🌟 📅 Tuesday, May 14 🕘 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 🏢 Martin University, 2186 N Sherman Dr, Indianapolis This interactive half-day workshop is designed for BIPOC nonprofit leaders based in Marion County who are looking to advance their financial and grant management skills. Led by Partec Consulting Group, this workshop combines expert instruction with practical exercises to ensure leaders can apply learned skills directly to their organization’s financial practices Here’s what we’ll cover: 💰Handling and analyzing nonprofit financial statements 📈Crafting effective budgets for grant proposals 🤝Hands-on budget development! Don’t miss out on an opportunity to build your skills! 🔗Register for the event: https://lnkd.in/g5Mqkjs2 #GrantOpportunity #IndianapolisGrants #Indianapolis #IndianapolisFoundation #CityofIndianapolis

Meet Adrian Burney, Executive Director of Mended Arrows Academy of Barbering. Mended Arrows is an Elevation Grant Round 5 recipient! 🌟 Adrian began cutting hair at 15 years old. Over the years, Adrian has held various roles in the beauty industry, including barber, instructor, shop owner, and mentor. In 2019, he founded Mended Arrows, aimed at providing barbering education to at-risk individuals, empowering them to become skilled professionals and positive influences in their communities. ✂️ 💈 The Elevation Grant will allow Adrian and his team to expand “Mended Arrows T(hair)arpy Cuts Mentoring,” a program of the organization that provides free haircuts to young men with a focus on addressing their mental health concerns in a non judgemental environment. Learn more about Adrian and T(hair)apy Cuts Mentoring: https://mendedarrows.org/ The Elevation Grant series,a partnership between The Indianapolis Foundation, the City of Indianapolis, Mayor Joe Hogsett and the Indianapolis City-County Council, is made possible through funding allocated in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). #MendedArrows #Barber #Haircut #Therapy #Haircare #LeadWithLove #ElevationGrant #Indianapolis #TheIndianapolisFoundation #CityofIndianapolis

“Through the haircut, we have an opportunity to converse, have conversation and identify where our program participants are at… We can drop seeds of conflict resolution and inspire hope,” says Adrian Burney, Executive Director of Mended Arrows Mended Arrows Academy of Barbering, Inc. 💈 Mended Arrows T(hair)apy Cuts Mentoring is a program that connects Indianapolis Public Schools youth with healing-centered barbers who can provide a listening ear, wisdom, empathy and guidance on anything they may be dealing with. 🤝 Additionally, the program connects with soon-to-be barbers to make sure they have the right tools and training to provide their clients with the support they need. A haircut is so much more than a haircut with Mended Arrows. Learn more about their programming: https://mendedarrows.org/ The Elevation Grant series,a partnership between The Indianapolis Foundation , the City of Indianapolis, Mayor Joe Hogsett and the Indianapolis City-County Council, is made possible through funding allocated in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). #MendedArrows #Barber #Haircut #Therapy #Haircare #LeadWithLove #ElevationGrant #Indianapolis #TheIndianapolisFoundation #CityofIndianapolis