Hamilton County Community Foundation Competitive Grants
The Funding Opportunity
The annual HCCF competitive grant round provides unrestricted organizational support to nonprofits serving Hamilton County, grounded in a trust-based approach.
The maximum funding request for this grant is $50,000.
What is Funded
Hamilton County Community Foundation invests in organizations and programs that help build a thriving community for all. The current funding priority areas are:
- Childcare
- Housing
- Social services
- Workforce and education
Organizations can request up to $50,000 in unrestricted organizational support.
Application Opens:
June 15, 2026
Application Deadline:
July 31, 2026 at 4:00 pm ET
Grant Notifications:
By December 11, 2026
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for the grant funding, applicant organizations must meet the following criteria:
- Applications must be led by a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) public charity status and have an EIN number.
- A 501(c)(3) public charity may serve as a fiscal sponsor for another applicant to administer the grant. Applicants intending to use a fiscal sponsor must contact HCCFGrants@hamiltoncountycf.org prior to submitting an application.
- Any organization may be part of more than one proposal but may only serve as the lead applicant for one proposal.
- Grants are made to organizations, not individuals.
- Grants will not be made to organizations or projects that discriminate based on race, ethnicity, age, gender or sexual orientation; to political campaigns or direct lobbying efforts by 501(c)3 organizations; for post-event or debt retirement; or to projects aimed at promoting a particular religion.
- Applicants will not be considered if they have an open grant through the Hamilton County Community Foundation.
Geographic Area: Organizations must serve Hamilton County, Indiana residents to be eligible for funding.
About the Review Process
- All applications will be reviewed after the deadline.
- Applications are assessed for alignment with Hamilton County Community Foundation’s strategic plan. If more information is needed, a staff member will be in touch and ask you to make revisions.
- The grants committee will review and make its recommendations to the board of directors for their approval of final award decisions.
- Hamilton County Community Foundation will notify you of your application status soon thereafter.
- Grants are typically paid out within 30 days of the board meeting.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit all application materials using our Grants Portal (powered by SmartSimple).
If this is your first time submitting an application through this system, you will need to create a user profile for your organization.
For guidance on setting up your account and navigating your applicant profile, please refer to our Grants Portal 101 resource for guidance or reach out to GrantSupport@hamiltoncountycf.org.