The 2025 grant round guidelines will be posted by the end of February. 

Application Parameters

• Organizations must serve those who identify as women and/or girls in Central Indiana (Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Morgan, and Shelby Counties).
• Women’s Fund of Central Indiana is particularly interested in funding programming in the following areas:

– Breaking negative cycles (e.g., intimate partner violence and poverty) and supporting economic stability and upward mobility, including career development and workforce issues.

– Health for women and girls, with specific emphasis on reproductive health, infant and maternal mortality and mental health.

– Girls’ programming that is asset-based and has a demonstrated impact.

– Small, grassroots organizations with revenues less than $250,000 that are led by and serve women and girls of color.

• Organizations whose mission focuses on service to women and/or girls can apply for operating support. Other organizations can apply for project/program support.
• Women’s Fund is interested only in gender-specific efforts, not programs that just happen to serve women and/or girls.
• Organizations that received a 2023 Women’s Fund annual grant are NOT eligible to apply unless 2023 organizational revenues were less than $250,000.
• The maximum allowable request is $25,000.
• Women’s Fund provides grants to 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations. Organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) status may be able to use a fiscal sponsor (see Submission Instructions below).

Women’s Fund will not consider funding for the following items:

• Organizations not committed to gender equity
• Organizations whose board of directors or advisory group is composed of less than 50% women
• Programs promoting religion, including proselytizing or religious training (see below)
• Fundraising activities (such as golf tournaments or galas)
• Political campaigns
• Individual or personal requests
• Organization-sponsored conferences or event sponsorships
• Schools

Women and girls in Central Indiana have a variety of spiritual practices and religions; some practice no religion at all. Women’s Fund of Central Indiana remains neutral regarding women and girls’ chosen religious expression. We believe all women and girls deserve support regardless of spiritual belief. Therefore, it is our policy not to fund programs that include prayer, the promotion of religion, religious preferences, objectives, education, and/or training.  If your organization’s mission statement is religious in nature, you must describe the role that mission and presence have in the grant activities for which you are seeking Women’s Fund support.  

As a good steward of donor dollars, Women’s Fund is required to closely examine organizations’ financial and governance structures. Women’s Fund understands that some executive directors serve on an organization’s board of directors according to the organization’s bylaws. However, no paid staff or their family members should be a board officer or compose 50% or more of the organization’s board of directors. If an organization’s staff or board members own a for-profit organization and the for-profit interacts with the not-for-profit, there must be a clear financial and governance delineation between the two and separate books kept for the for-profit and not-for-profit organization. 

Submission Instructions

1. Organizations wishing to be considered for funding must submit an application through the CICF portal at https://cicf.smartsimple.com between April 1 – 30 at 4 p.m. When submitting an application, choose the Women’s Fund Call Name under Open Call. During the Open Call period, organizations can start an application and finish it later. Once the application is submitted, no changes can be made.

2. If an organization does not have a current organizational profile in the grants portal, it must either create one or update the profile before completing the application. An organizational profile can be created or updated at any time.

3. Women’s Fund Grants Committee will review applications and make funding recommendations to the Advisory Board. Applicants will be notified by September 27, 2024 of funding decisions.   

4. If you are not a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and plan to use a fiscal sponsor, please contact Grants Officer Julie Koegel at 317.696.1933 or JulieK@cicf.org BEFORE submitting an application. 

5. For technical or CICF portal questions, contact grantsupport@cicf.org.

6. If you have other questions, please contact Julie Koegel at JulieK@cicf.org or 317.696.1933.