LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE: Show us some love with a gift to the Community Fund today! Learn More
LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE: Show us some love with a gift to the Community Fund today! Learn More
We annually award more than $750,000 in grants from the Community Fund in alignment with our impact areas and responsive needs. Your gift helps provides lasting support in our three key areas: Youth Development, Downtown Vitality and Arts, Culture & Architecture. The Community Fund is an endowment, which means your gift doesn’t just help once—it grows and gives back, year after year. It is truly the most powerful way to ensure that Bartholomew County continues to be a place we are proud to call home.
Thanks to our generous donors and their support of our annual Love Where You Live Campaign, Heritage Fund is able to make impactful grants that help build a better community for all. Some of examples of recent Heritage Fund grantmaking in our Impact Areas, many of which touch more than one and broaden our reach:
Heritage Fund was an early funder to establish our local children’s museum and continues to fund new exhibits and improvements (such as a much needed HVAC system in 2024).
Heritage Fund supports the important work of our public library as a space for community gathering and learning. We partnered with BCPL and local pediatrician offices on the Growing Readers program to ensures all children ages 0-5 receive books and literacy education at every well-child visit. Grant support also assisted the repurposing of BCPL’s Indiana Room into a Teen Area, space specifically organized for teen engagement and programming.
Heritage Fund has continued support of early learning efforts in Bartholomew County. The work of an early leader coordinator and the mission of the Community Education Coalition seeks to ensure all families have access to affordable, high-quality, child care and early learning opportunities for children ages birth to 5 to create a path to academic and wellness success.
Heritage Fund the Youth Resiliency Project for Latino youth and parents in Bartholomew County, focusing on mental health, social skills and community integration through a unique bilingual art therapy approach.
Heritage Fund supported the Little Flyers Playground Project that creates a safe, inclusive early learning environment for 50 to 100 students ages 9 months to 5 years with developmentally appropriate structures and sensory stations.
Heritage Fund supported the Sensory Haven project that assists children’s development through sensory equipment to enhance emotional regulation, reduce sensory overload and improve focus, motor skills and social interaction in a safe and stimulating environment.
Heritage Fund supported a 3-year pilot program to establish the Office of Downtown Development as an entity dedicated to enhancing downtown Columbus with a focus on retention and development to ensure attraction of and success for downtown businesses and opportunities and enhanced experiences for residents and visitors.
Heritage Fund made a grant to support the new playground at CSA Lincoln for students at Lincoln and residents of downtown Columbus.
Heritage Fund was instrumental in rebuilding the Commons in 2008 as a place for children and families to play and gather.
Heritage Fund helped Landmark Columbus Foundation secure this art piece as a semi-permanent fixture in downtown Columbus.
Heritage Fund supports the Columbus Area Chamber with programs that encourage entrepreneurship, economic growth and mentoring for minority business owners. Heritage Fund was also a founding partner of Propeller – the community makerspace.
HFBC has partnered with the Visitors Center on projects related to sports tourism, creating neighborhood destinations, and providing COVID-19 relief. Heritage Fund supports the Columbus Area Chamber with programs that encourage entrepreneurship, economic growth and mentoring for minority business owners. Heritage Fund was also a founding partner of Propeller – the community makerspace.
Heritage Fund has been a proud supporter of YES Cinema which raises money for nonprofit partner, Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center.
Heritage Fund supported the establishment of Landmark Columbus Foundation as an organization that cares for, celebrates, and advances the cultural heritage of Columbus, Indiana and like-minded communities.
Heritage Fund supports this free, public exhibition as an exploration of community, architecture, art, and design that activates the modern legacy of Columbus, Indiana.
Heritage Fund has provided critical support to the Arts Council, including staff professional development, strategic planning, and funding of the Empowering Creatives initiative.
Heritage Fund was proud to help turn the 6th Street Arts Alley into a vibrant gathering place to celebrate the arts and support its programming the Sixth Street to increase downtown foot traffic, support economic vitality, retain local talent and provide interactive opportunities for youth and artists through inclusive and diverse cultural activities.
Heritage Fund worked with other community partners to save this iconic Columbus Landmark and preserve the Columbus skyline.
Heritage Fund has supported numerous exhibits at our local museum ensuring that all members of our community are educated about the history of Bartholomew County.
Heritage Fund supported Indiana University school’s community design build pilot program in partnership with the city of Columbus. The first project was a bus shelter for the ColumBUS transit system and new community-based projects will be developed in future years.
Heritage Fund provided support for three 2025 productions, which included increased cast participation.
Every gift to LWYL helps us build a better Bartholomew County. Make a donation to the Community Fund and get your limited edition “Love Where You Live” items featuring this year’s creative, playful design by local artists Jamie Goldsborough and Abigail Flout. T-shirts, posters, totes and decals will be available while supplies last.
Or stop by our office at 538 Franklin Street.
