We have provided grants to help organizations plan for sustainability, grants to transform the work and impact of organizations, operating grants, and grants for innovative new programs. We keep our eyes and ears open 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.
Transformational Grants
Women's Fund awarded bold and transformative grants to focus funding on issues we care about most.
Business Ownership Initiative - 2006
Supporting programs helping women start or enhance their own businesses. Business Ownership Initiative and it's Central Indiana Women's Business Center use classes and mentoring to promote entrepreneurship among women, many of them with low income.
Grameen America - 2010
Commiting $100,000 per year for five years to secure Grameen's Indianapolis presence. Grameen will enable women to be self-sufficient through small business ownership. The program includes a five-elemental cycle focused on financial education, savings, mentoring, credit building, and access to capital. Within five years, the organization will be self-sustaining, requiring no additional outside funding.
Business Ownership Initiative - 2006
AMOUNT AWARDED:
$150,000
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ISSUE SUPPORTED:
Caregiving |  |
Supporting programs to train low-income women as self-employed caregivers in the areas of childcare and home care for the disabled and elderly. Many women have started in-home and community-based centers, creating new employment, serving families in many neighborhoods, and leading to neighborhood stability.
Ruth Lilly Health Education Center - 2006
Providing healthy relationships programming to all 11,800 fifth and seventh grade students in Indianapolis Public Schools. The goal of the program is to promote healthy relationships, reduce the incidence of teen relationship violence and aid in long-term prevention of domestic violence. Post-test results indicate that students have increased knowledge of what constitutes healthy relationships.
Sustainability Grants
Women's Fund paired organizations with a consultant to identify long-term plans to sustain each organization. Examples of grants awarded include:
Girl Scouts of Central Indiana - 2008
To enhance its website in order to enable volunteer training to be done online and increase the searchability of its database of activities, creating greater accessibility of training and program opportunities by volunteers and girls. This is particularly important because Girl Scouts relies on thousands of volunteers to lead troops and programs for girls.
Health and Hospital Corporation: Future Promises Program - 2008
For evaluation of this high school-based program for pregnant and parenting teens, which is being expanded to more schools. This program currently provides a full-time staff person at several high schools. Staff work with teens in a case management model by visiting them at the hospital, taking them to appointments, and providing other support so they can graduate from high school. The program serves about 140 pregnant and parenting teens annually, almost all girls.
Training, Inc. - 2009
To provide consulting services to strengthen board governance, strategic planning and to enhance Training, Inc.'s long-term efforts to train and equip individuals for employment through job training.
Operating Grants
Women's Fund provided funding to sustain the daily work of organizations serving women and girls. Examples of organizations receiving grants include:
Concord Neighborhood Center - 2009
Providing operating support to help women and girls living in Indianapolis’ southside including childcare, after school programs and services for senior women.
Dress For Success - 2009
Providing operating support and board and staff training to help improve the lives of women through self-sufficiency and successful careers.
Girls Incorporated of Franklin/Johnson County - 2009
Providing operating support for services to girls in the City of Franklin and Johnson County, encouraging them to be strong, smart and bold.
Prevail, Inc. - 2009
To fund Prevail's operations including domestic violence victim awareness and support services in Hamilton County.
Turning Point Domestic Violence Services (Columbus Regional Shelter) - 2009
Providing a matching grant for operating support for services to domestic violence victims in Johnson and Shelby counties.
Program Grants
Gennesaret Free Clinics - 2008
Supporting the Women's Health Initiative, providing breast and pelvic exams, STD testing and health information to homeless and indigent women in Indianapolis. Gennesaret serves 1,000 women and girls annually.
Indiana Women's Prison - 2006
To create a Family Outreach Coordinator position within the Family Preservation Program. This staff member focuses on increasing the type and quality of services offered by the program to the individuals and families providing care to the children of incarcerated women.
The Julian Center - 2009
For emergency funding to support the “Grants to Encourage Arrests” program – a program suffering funding cuts from the U.S. Department of Justice. The $30,000 grant funded the first month of support in order to prevent layoffs and give The Julian Center time to raise the additional funds needed to continue this program.
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