Heritage Fund recently awarded $148,939 in grants from the Community Fund to local nonprofit organizations as part of its second quarter grants cycle.
Grant recipients are:
- Bartholomew County Historical Society — $15,000 to create a permanent exhibit that tells the history of global manufacturer Arvin Industries and aims to preserve the company’s legacy, showcase local industrial heritage and provide an interactive learning experience
- Children’s Inc Learning Center — $12,000 for the Sensory Haven project that supports 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
- Columbus Area Arts Council — $20,000 for programming the Sixth Street Arts Alley Parklet 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
- Flatrock-Haw Creek School Corporation Little Flyers Preschool — $30,000 to support 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
- Mill Race Theatre Company — $17,000 to support 2025 productions of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “In Praise of Sparrows” and “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” at Columbus East High School
- Su Casa — $30,000 to support 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
- Bright Start Childcare Ministry Inc. — $8,081 to expand early learning access for infant to 3-year-olds in Bartholomew County with 14 new child-care slots and rearrange existing classrooms to create a new Infant/Early Toddler classroom
- Columbus Mandolin Orchestra — $3,000 for the Classical, Folk and Modern Music Concert Series by the newly formed nonprofit musical ensemble with the mission to revive interest in the mandolin
- Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra — $6,000 for Discovery Concerts to provide third- through sixth-grade Bartholomew County students with their first orchestral music experience
- The Arc of Bartholomew County — $7,850 to support Arc Advocacy Programs that focus on promoting and protecting the human rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Through the generous support of community members, HFBC annually distributes approximately $700,000 in grants to local nonprofits from the unrestricted Community Fund. Community Fund grants help HFBC to meet emerging needs in Bartholomew County focusing on our Impact Areas of Youth Development, Downtown Vitality, Arts/Culture/Architecture/Design.
Heritage Fund accepts competitive applications for Community Fund grants. The online application for the next cycle currently is available and due by Oct. 3, 2025.
For more information visit heritagefundbc.org/grants or contact Laura Garrett, director of Community Impact, at lgarrett@heritagefundbc.org.
