22 May Community Foundation Awards Nearly $1 Million Through 2026 Spring Grant Cycles
Strategic investments support innovation, education, housing, healthcare, youth development, and downtown revitalization across Grant County.
Grant County, Indiana —The Community Foundation of Grant County is proud to announce the distribution of $955,850 in grant funding through its 2026 Give To Grant Spring Grant Cycles, supporting projects and partnerships designed to strengthen communities, expand opportunity, and improve quality of life across Grant County.
Funding was awarded through three coordinated grant opportunities: the Innovation Partners Cycle, the Vireo Funding Partners Cycle, and the General Funding Partners Cycle.
Together, these grant opportunities reflect the Foundation’s commitment to investing in both immediate community needs and long-term transformational impact aligned with the Grant County Strategic Vision. Representing investments in housing stability, healthcare access, educational opportunity, disability inclusion, recreation, arts and culture, downtown revitalization, and long-term economic growth throughout Grant County.
“Grantmaking is one of the most visible ways generosity comes to life in our community,” said Dawn Brown, President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Grant County. “These projects represent organizations that are solving problems, creating opportunity, and working collaboratively to move Grant County forward. We are incredibly grateful to the donors whose generosity makes this work possible.”
“These grant awards reflect what is possible when donors, nonprofits, community leaders, and residents work together around a shared vision for Grant County,” said Mark Atkinson, Board Chair of the Community Foundation. “We are proud to support organizations that are improving lives today while also creating momentum and opportunity for the future.”
Innovation Partners Grant Award
The Foundation awarded a transformational $800,000 Innovation Partners grant to the City of Marion in support of AlRose at The Banks, a $17.5 million mixed-use riverfront redevelopment project in downtown Marion.
The development will include:
• 66 residential units
• Nearly 5,000 square feet of retail and office space
• Significant public infrastructure improvements
The project is led by BW Development in partnership with the City of Marion and is intended to catalyze continued investment and revitalization within Marion’s Riverfront District.
In alignment with the Foundation’s charitable mission, grant funding is specifically designated for public-benefit components of the project, including public infrastructure, greenery and green space enhancements, and trail extension improvements connected to the broader riverfront redevelopment effort.
Vireo Funding Partners Grant Award
Thriving Grant County received a $50,000 Vireo Funding Partners grant to support the Post-Secondary Enrollment and Completion Collaborative Action Network (CAN), focused on improving college and career outcomes for local youth through coordinated, systems-level collaboration. Additional Vireo Awards are expected later this year.
General Funding Partners Grant Awards
The following organizations received General Funding Partners grants through a combination of unrestricted community endowment dollars and donor-directed charitable funds stewarded by the Community Foundation of Grant County. Primary funding support was provided through the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund, with additional support from the WindSwell Foundation Fund, Cochran-Miller Fund, Kurt Herriman Memorial Endowment Fund, Virginia June and Lowell Byron Richards Fund, and Tri Kappa Janet Beer Music Education Fund.
• Affordable Housing Corporation — $10,000
Funded through the WindSwell Foundation Fund in support of Project RHO, an eight-unit permanent supportive housing initiative for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Cancer Services of Grant County — $10,000
Funded through the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund for the BESS Program providing free mammograms, follow-up diagnostic testing, breast health education, and support services to underserved residents of Grant County.
• Carey Services — $10,000
Funded through the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund in support of Phase I of the Next Generation Campus project, expanding opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Grant County.
• Grant County Family YMCA — $10,000
Funding support included from the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund and the Kurt Herriman Memorial Endowment Fund to provide swimming and water safety lessons to all second graders in Marion Community Schools.
• Junior Achievement — $10,000
Funding support included the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund and the Cochran -Miller Fund to support the JA BizTown program serving approximately 500 fifth- and sixth-grade students across Grant County elementary schools.
• NearSpace Education — $10,000
Funded through the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund for the purchase of 28–30 laptops supporting STEM-focused programming and educational opportunities for students across Grant County.
• Radiant Health — $10,000
Funded through the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund to enhance the physical environment at Stepping Stone, a residential behavioral health program for adults with serious mental illness.
• Special Olympics Indiana – Grant County — $10,000
Funded through the WindSwell Foundation Fund for the purchase of sports equipment to expand athletic programming opportunities serving individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• Upland Area Greenways Association — $9,850
Funding support included the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund and the Virginia June and Lowell Byron Richards Fund to replace, expand, and improve trailhead and wayfinding signage at the Seven Bridges Trailhead.
• Orchestra Indiana — $6,000
Funding support included from the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund and the Tri Kappa Janet Beer Music Education Fund to provide live orchestral music access through a Gas City community concert.
• Kate’s Kart — $5,000
Funded through the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund to support reading resources and literacy engagement for hospitalized children at Marion Health.
• Dodson Legacy, Inc. — $5,000
Funded through the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund to provide new duffel bags or suitcases filled with comfort and hygiene items for approximately 100 foster children in Grant County, offering a sense of dignity, stability, and care to each child.
About the 2026 Spring Grant Cycles
The 2026 Give To Grant Spring Grant Cycles were designed to support organizations at multiple levels of impact:
• Innovation Partners supports large-scale, transformational community investment opportunities.
• Vireo Funding Partners aligns funding around coordinated Career-to-Cradle strategies focused on long-term educational and workforce outcomes.
• General Funding Partners provides accessible grant opportunities for nonprofits meeting ongoing community needs.
All grant opportunities align with one or more priorities identified in the Grant County Strategic Vision, including Economic Vitality, Talent Development, Quality of Place, and Quality of Life.
The Community Foundation will continue its 2026 Give To Grant grantmaking efforts with several additional funding opportunities later this year, including: Collaboration Partners Summer Grant Cycle, Leadership Partners Fall Grant Cycle, and Crowdfunding Partners Winter Grant Cycle. Organizations interested in future funding opportunities are encouraged to monitor GiveToGrant.org for application timelines, eligibility details, and grant announcements.
The Community Foundation encourages donors interested in growing future grantmaking opportunities to contribute to the Give To Grant Unrestricted Fund. Through the Lilly Endowment Inc. GIFT IX initiative, every dollar donated to the fund is currently eligible to be tripled, turning a $1 gift into $3 to support future community needs across Grant County.
These charitable dollars are permanently invested to grow over time, creating an enduring source of community support. As those investments grow, a portion of the earnings becomes available each year to award grants, respond to emerging needs, support innovative ideas, and strengthen Grant County for generations to come.
To learn more about the Community Foundation of Grant County or to support future community impact, visit Community Foundation of Grant County at GiveToGrant.org.
About the Community Foundation of Grant County
The Community Foundation of Grant County, Indiana, Inc. is an advocate for local philanthropy and is dedicated to improving the lives of people in the Grant County area. An effective steward of the community’s charitable resources since 1984, the Foundation partners with donors to establish charitable funds and invests in nonprofit organizations and community initiatives through a variety of grantmaking efforts. The Community Foundation connects people, resources, and causes to promote sustainable impact for the betterment of Grant County. Currently the Community Foundation holds over 400 charitable funds that support a variety of charities and charitable causes in Grant County. For more information, please visit GiveToGrant.org.
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Media Contact:
Shelly Jones
Chief Development Officer
Community Foundation of Grant County
Email: Shelly@GiveToGrant.org
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