The Heritage Fund's Community Fund offers competitive grant opportunities four times annually, with application deadlines falling on March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. Grant awards are typically announced approximately twelve weeks after the submission deadline. Starting January 1, 2024, all applications must be submitted online via the Heritage Fund’s website using their Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM) system. Applicants are encouraged to participate in GLM training sessions and utilize office hours for assistance, both of which can be scheduled through the website.

The grant program strongly recommends that potential applicants contact the Director of Community Impact at Heritage Fund before formally submitting a grant proposal. This preliminary conversation helps ensure that applications align with program goals. A formal application process involves submitting both a letter of intent and a completed online application. All necessary forms and access to the application portal are available on the Heritage Fund’s official website.

The purpose of these grants is to support initiatives within Bartholomew County, Indiana, that promote innovation, community collaboration, and sustainability. The primary areas of focus include youth development, arts and culture, and downtown vibrancy. Secondary interests include diversity, equity, and inclusion, leadership development, and responsive community needs. Preference is given to proposals that create innovative solutions, engage multiple organizations, reach a broad audience, and encourage additional funding and sustainability beyond the grant period.

Certain types of proposals are given lower priority and are less likely to receive funding. These include projects that rely solely on Heritage Fund support, requests involving debt reduction or reimbursements, initiatives that fall under governmental funding, and applications from organizations with incomplete prior grants. Additionally, the fund explicitly excludes proposals for ongoing operational costs, political activities, projects benefiting individuals, and requests from faith-based or national/state organizations unless specific local and secular criteria are met.

Eligible applicants include organizations whose work serves residents of Bartholomew County. National and state organizations are eligible only if their proposals exclusively benefit local citizens. Faith-based organizations can apply if their proposals are secular in nature and inclusive. Individual applicants and schools must obtain special written approval from school administrators to be considered.

All interested applicants are encouraged to review the guidelines thoroughly and to reach out directly for support or questions. Program staff can be contacted via phone at 812-376-7772, or in person at 538 Franklin Street, Columbus, Indiana. Further information, including training registration and application access, is available on the Heritage Fund's website.