Grantmaking Policies
The Brown County Community Foundation has the best interests of the community at heart. We are concerned with many different areas affecting the well being of people who live and work here. By supporting charitable organizations in broad areas of community need – education, social services, health care, arts and humanities, and environment – we help build a stronger, healthier Brown County.

  • Grants are made to nonprofit agencies that serve Brown County and its citizens.
  • In general, grants shall be made for capital purposes only, not for operating expenses.
  • Evidence of 501(c)(3) and/or 170(b)(1)(A) tax status must be submitted with all applications.
  • Preference is generally given to requests that demonstrate the most urgent and immediate need for funding or satisfy an identifiable community need.
  • Grants are ordinarily made for one year only.
  • The Brown County Community Foundation rarely provides the entire support of a project.
  • Grants are not generally available for those agencies and institutions that are funded primarily through tax support.

Grant applications are generally available in April. Applications are due late May, with decisions announced in late June*, or July. For more information, contact the Foundation at 812-988-4882.

*Exact dates are published in grant cycle announcements and printed on applications.

Brown County Community Foundation

Click below to download the Mini Grant Application in PDF format. We will be happy to provide you the application, via email, in Word format. Email your request to mflinn@bccfin.org.

   2010 Mini Grant Application

Please Note: Viewing and printing the Mini-Grant Application Form requires an Adobe Reader. If you do not have one installed on your computer, you can download a free copy by clicking on the icon below:

Donor Options
Your clients have several options to consider as they explore giving through our community foundation. These include determining:

  • The type of fund that best meets their charitable giving goal.
  • The type of gifts to make as they initiate and grow the fund, and
  • How they will involve themselves, and other family members, in the giving process

Detailed information about all donor options are available in our section titled Becoming a Donor.

It is easy to help your client establish a named charitable fund:

  1. First, decide what type of contribution the client would like to use to establish the fund. A donor can contribute cash, securities; in-kind gifts such as real estate or other personal property; or planned/deferred gifts which include bequests, charitable gift annuities, insurance contracts, charitable lead trusts, charitable remainder trusts, life estate contracts, and others.
  2. Select a name for the fund. Donors can use their own name, the name of a family member or one they invent.
  3. Designate current fund advisors such as the client and spouse, and successor advisors such as children.
  4. Complete and sign a simple governing document that we will provide and help customize for the donor.

To get started, explore a donation option or discuss a situation, please contact the Brown County Community Foundation at 812.988.4882 or info@browncountycommunityfoundation.org.

A community foundation has three special features:

1. Personalized service

Our staff:

  • Educates people on charitable giving vehicles
  • Customizes giving approaches to match personal interests and tax planning needs
  • Facilitates complex forms of giving
  • Shares knowledge on community needs
  • Offers grantmaking expertise and administrative services
  • Helps people create personal legacies via named funds
  • Offers involvement in recommending uses of a gift
  • Provide the option to give anonymously
  • Collaborates with the donor to achieve the most important personal satisfaction, that of assisting others in need

Creating solutions that fit every situation

2. Local Expertise

  • We are a local organization with local staff and board members
  • We have knowledge of community issues, opportunities, and resources
  • We direct grants to appropriate areas

Making a difference where it is needed most

3. Community Leadership

  • We act as a community catalyst
  • We build endowments to ensure grants are always available to support the community
  • We support high impact opportunities
  • We are governed by leaders with strong ties to our community
  • We foster development of new organizations and programs
  • We re-direct funds as community needs change

Our business is building community

copyright 2007 Brown County Community Foundation