Grants allow effective nonprofits to thrive.
Since 1999, Women's Fund has awarded over $4.9 million through 324 grants to 104 women and girl serving nonprofit organizations in central Indiana. These grants have ranged from operating support to bold, transformational multi-year awards to seed money for start-up organizations. Our grants are based on community needs, informed by research, and are carefully monitored. Women's Fund's thoughtful and strategic grantmaking process can assure every donor to our endowment we are stewarding their dollars smartly and effectively.
Grantseekers
Women's Fund awards grants to help nonprofit organizations serving women and girls in central Indiana.
We typically award grants one time a year; however, our grantmaking is flexible and adapts to fit the needs of women and girls in our community and the nonprofit organizations serving them.
Issues We Support
Women's Fund focuses our funding on issues necessary to the success of women and girls in central Indiana.
Our grants are focused on caregiving, domestic violence and insufficient income, with long-term interest in health and self-development. Our research shows these issues are central to women and girls achieving success, overcoming obstacles, and strengthening our entire community.
Grants We Have Made
Women's Fund grantmaking is flexible. We adapt our funding to address the current needs of our community and organizations serving women and girls in central Indiana.
We have provided grants to help nonprofit organizations plan for sustainability, to transform their work and impact, for operating support, and for innovative new programs. We constantly work to determine the best ways to address our core issue areas through central Indiana nonprofits. Our grantmaking process is guided by our research, the expertise of our Grants Committee volunteers and staff, and our communication with nonprofits and other funders in the community. Download a complete history of grants awarded on our Research and Publications page.
Exodus Refugee Immigration
"Rose, a refugee client who our agency resettled in Indianapolis, fled her country due to persecution and ethnic cleansing. Rose returned to us for assistance after she realized she needed to leave her violent marriage to protect herself and her child. Through our Refugee Women's Program we were able to partner with Rose to get her back on her feet and become self sufficient. With the help of our grant funding we were able to help Rose to relocate to a safe apartment, secure child care, connect to a volunteer mentor, receive supportive mental health services, participate in our English and job training classes, obtain employment and learn to ride the bus from her new home to her job. We were also able to assist her in setting up all the things necessary to keep a household running on her own and connect her to resources she may need in the future.
The Human Resources Manager at her new job shared 'I just wanted to share with you the feedback that I received this morning regarding Rose. When speaking with her direct supervisors regarding her progress, the word they used was "awesome." Her productivity is excellent, her rooms pass inspection, and English is improving every day. She’s doing extremely well.'"
Carleen F. Miller
Executive Director
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