Indiana University Health Foundation Awards $6.1 million to 12 Community Organizations
Indiana University Health has awarded $6.1 million to 12 community organizations working to improve the lives of Hoosiers in need.
The grants are from the $200 million Community Impact Investment Fund (CIIF), which is administered by the IU Health Foundation to address key social and environmental factors that impact people’s health outcomes. Yearly grants from the foundation come from earnings on the fund's invested capital.
Since the fund’s inception in 2018, IU Health has awarded more than $38 million in CIIF grants to dozens of organizations across Indiana. IU Health Foundation has also obtained an additional $3.6 million in donations to support the contributions from IU Health. This year’s grants address a wide range of needs, from affordable housing and employment training to community development and mental health services.
The 2024 grant recipients were notified of their awards this week and will share more information in coming weeks about their funded programs.
The following community-focused organizations across Indiana will receive IU Health CIIF funding for 2024:
Beacon Inc: $650,000 over two years for building renovations, including permanent supportive housing, an emergency overnight shelter and resource center with co-located services from other community partners for individuals with substance use disorder and severe mental illness in Monroe County.
Boys & Girls Club of Tipton County: $250,000 over three years to develop and pilot a targeted program curriculum which utilizes local community businesses to provide mentorship and virtual reality simulations, fostering workplace readiness for high school students to help them plan for their future and pursue meaningful careers.
Edna Martin Christian Center (EMCC): $750,000 over three years to renovate 37 Place, a community hub serving residents of the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood in Indianapolis. This will allow EMCC and other non-profits more space to offer key programs and services designed to help strengthen the community, making it a safer place to live. Englewood Community Development Corporation: $375,000 over three years to collaborate with the Southside US Colored Troop Coalition and lend support to historic Black congregations in the 46203-zip code, as well as train congregations to use their cultural assets to improve health in their communities.
Healthier Moms & Babies Inc (HMB): $630,000 over three years to address infant and maternal mortality in southeast Fort Wayne, helping launch the HMB Doula Collective, a program that provides doula training along with entrepreneurship training and mentorship. Partnerships with other community organizations will offer housing and financial literacy training and postpartum support via peer groups and mentorship.
Indy Public Safety Foundation: $630,000 over two years to launch the Indy Peace Mobile Coordinated Neighborhood Stabilization Response team, which will bring resources, support and hope to disconnected and disinvested communities most affected by gun violence, building upon the successes of the Indy Peace program as part of the City’s Gun Violence Reduction Strategy.
Mental Health America – Wabash Valley Region: $250,000 over two years to purchase and renovate a bus for mobile mental health screenings, working space for youth therapists and counselors and wellness programming to destigmatize mental health and teach life skills at schools in Tippecanoe and the surrounding counties.
Nextech Org, Inc: $365,417 over three years, in partnership with TeenWorks, to provide internships in technology to underserved teens in the Muncie area, introducing them to postsecondary options and setting them up for career success.
Pantry 279: $250,000 over three years to purchase equipment to increase services and variety of foods for patrons in Monroe and nearby counties during food delivery and pick up.
Peace Learning Center: $700,000 over three years to lead a community collaboration to divert youth away from the traditional juvenile justice system into one of case management, mental health services, and restorative practices by building upstream diversion programs in community centers and schools in Marion County.
Phalen Leadership Academy: $750,000 over two years to build the Cowdrey Community Center, providing a safe space for recreational activities and community gatherings. Located at 42nd Street and Mitthoeffer Road in Indianapolis, activities will be tailored to address community needs, improving overall quality of life for residents and breaking down barriers that have hindered progress.
Watch Us Farm: $500,000 over three years to support job and vocational training, as well as holistic support services for those with intellectual disabilities, critically addressing community issues including high unemployment, limited access to job training and social isolation among intellectually disabled adults. The project will take place in Boone County.
To learn more about the Community Impact Investment Fund, visit iuhealth.org/in-the-community/community-impact-investment-fund.