At Blue Grass Community Foundation, grantmaking is the hub of what we mean when we say “We’re in it for GOOD.” Giving good back to the community that serves its members is how we fulfill that mission every day. In 2012, BGCF and its affiliates awarded over $394,000 competitive grant making dollars to organizations serving the needs of communities in Central Kentucky.
Grants are distributed through a competitive process in specific areas such as education, arts and culture, health services, or the environment. Each competitive grantmaking program is headed by a group of local volunteers elected by the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors to review requests and recommend recipients. All considered grant applicants must submit required materials stated for each grant applied. *NOTE: Unsolicited grant requests without proper submitted application and materials will not be considered.
Below is a listing of competitive grants offered through the Community Foundation and its affiliates. Please keep in mind that available grants, applications and deadlines may change throughout the year, so we encourage you to visit this page regularly for updates.
CLICK HERE for a list of 2012 Grant Recipients
GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR ORGANIZATIONS SERVING CENTRAL KENTUCKY
Blue Grass Community Foundation Community Grants
Each year, critical community needs are assessed and an area of focus is determined for the Community Grants program. Nonprofits, schools and exempt government entities serving to meet needs in the area of focus are encouraged to apply. Community Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $5,000 and are for 501(c)3 agencies serving Anderson, Bourbon, Fayette, Franklin, Harrison, Jessamine, Madison, Montgomery, Scott and Woodford Counties.
Watch this space for information about the next grant cycle.
Download the 2012 Community Grants RFP
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Donor Advised Fund
Competitive grants for nonprofits serving Fayette, Bourbon, Clark, Jessamine, Madison, Montgomery, Scott and Woodford Counties are offered for innovative projects that inform or engage the community. Send a letter of inquiry that includes the agency’s purpose, a description of the project, the amount requested, a brief budget narrative, letters of support from any collaborating organizations, and your 501(c)(3) letter of determination from the IRS. Grants range from $5,000 to $75,000.
No new grants awarded in 2012.
Healthy Kentucky Grants
BGCF is joining with the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky to make grants available to community-based charitable organizations and governmental entities seeking to improve the health of Central Kentucky by preventing or reducing the risk of obesity. Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to support projects that help children and families make healthy choices that will lead to healthy lifestyles. A total of up to $70,000 will be awarded.
Watch this space for information about the next grant cycle.
GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR ORGANIZATIONS SERVING BOYLE COUNTY
Hudson-Ellis Grants
Nonprofit organizations, schools and exempt government entities serving Boyle County are eligible to apply for competitive grants up to $10,000.
Watch this space for information about the next grant cycle.
Download the 2012 Hudson-Ellis RFP
GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR ORGANIZATIONS SERVING CLARK COUNTY
Clark County Community Foundation to offer matching grants for Clark County nonprofits in 2013
Clark County Community Foundation will award up to $250,000 in matching grants to 501c3 nonprofits located in Clark County during the 2013 GoodGiving Guide Challenge.
To learn how your organization can be part of the 2013 Challenge, CLICK HERE.
GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BGCF Teacher Mini-Grants
The Community Foundation awards grants each year to Fayette County Public School’s teachers to encourage innovation in teaching and to support teachers who have ideas for creative, interesting programs, projects or events for their classrooms that will encourage learning. The program will enable the purchase of special materials or resources for the classroom which are not allocated in school budgets. Grants are approximately $1,000 each.
Watch this space for information about the next grant cycle.
DISCONTINUED GRANTS
The W. Paul and Lucille Caudill Little Foundation
This foundation is no longer accepting grant applications. When Lucille Caudill Little established the Little Foundation in 1993, she stipulated that all grant money be awarded within ten years after her death. In accordance with her wishes, the Little Foundation Board of Directors announced that all Little Foundation grant money had been committed as of July 27, 2011. Since Mrs. Little’s death in 2002, the W. Paul and Lucille Caudill Little Foundation has awarded almost $20 million in grants for projects that promote and develop creativity mainly through the fine arts in Fayette, Rowan and Elliott Counties. This is in addition to the many generous gifts Mrs. Little personally made to the arts during her lifetime. Blue Grass Community Foundation has been proud to partner of the Little Foundation and will continue to administer ongoing grants and endowments.
The Steele-Reese Foundation Fund
This fund is no longer accepting grant applications. Since 1997, Blue Grass Community Foundation has partnered with the Steele-Reese Foundation to award over $380,000 in small grants (less than $5000 each) to nonprofits serving Eastern Kentucky. However, in an effort to have a greater impact, the Steele-Reese Foundation has decided to discontinue its small grant-making program in Eastern Kentucky and instead will concentrate its efforts on awarding larger grants of up to $100,000 each. For information on how to apply to the Steele-Reese Foundation, please contact Judy Owens, Steele-Reese Foundation Appalachian Director, at 859.313.5225 or jkowensjd@aol.com.
