What Fayette Community Foundation does

Fayette Community Foundation (legal entity: Fayette County Foundation, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community foundation established in 1986 in Connersville, Indiana, serving Fayette County. The foundation stewards approximately $19 million in assets across 198+ permanent endowment funds and deploys roughly $2.5 million annually in grants and scholarships. Its core activities include two grant programs (a Mini Grant Program for requests up to $2,500 open year-round, and a Competitive Grant Cycle for requests over $2,500 opening each summer), three scholarship programs (49+ Traditional Scholarships, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, and the Hager Ross HSE Scholarship for adult learners), and endowment fund management across six fund types (Community Impact, Field of Interest, Designated, Donor-Advised, Scholarship, and Operational). The foundation also runs capacity-building services including nonprofit meetups, grant-writing resources, and strategic-planning grants.

The foundation's technology footprint is minimal: no proprietary systems are documented, and operations rely on Community Force scholarship-management software for application processing alongside a standard online donation portal. Distribution occurs through direct community engagement, multi-channel marketing (website, email newsletter, Instagram, annual impact reports, community events like Swing for Impact Golf Scramble), and earned-media coverage of grant announcements. The organization is governed by a 13-member volunteer Board of Directors and operates with a 4-person staff led by Executive Director Abigail Roszell.

FCF's business model is donation-driven: revenue derives from individual, family, and business contributions to various endowment funds, supplemented by endowment investment returns and significant matching-program grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. (GIFT VIII 2:1 match program, GIFT IX $750,000 first-responder initiative). Donors may give via one-time or recurring contributions to specific funds or unrestricted endowments, with planned-giving and memorial/tribute options supporting legacy philanthropy. Since 2017, the foundation has granted over $2.6 million and supported 150+ organizations in Fayette County, with no fees charged to donors — the foundation is sustained by its endowment and operational-fund contributions rather than service fees.

Name

Fayette Community Foundation

Legal name

Fayette County Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://givetofcf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fayette Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation in Connersville, Indiana, stewarding $19 million across 198+ endowment funds and deploying $2.5 million annually in grants and scholarships to nonprofits, students, and first responders in Fayette County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Sponsors (BPAGAKAF)

Keywords

• Community foundation grants
• Scholarship program administration
• Endowment fund management
• Philanthropic giving services
• Charitable grantmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Connersville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: Individual, family, and business donors contribute to various endowment funds managed by the foundation. Donations can be directed to specific funds or unrestricted endowments for community grantmaking.
2. Endowment Investment Returns: Endowment funds are invested and earnings are distributed back to the community through grants and scholarships as directed by donors. Assets exceed $19 million.
3. Lilly Endowment GIFT IX Matching: Received $750,000 Community Support Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through GIFT IX initiative to strengthen first responder organizations in Fayette County.
4. Lilly Endowment GIFT VIII Matching: Lilly Endowment matched $1 for every $2 donated to Community Impact Funds through GIFT VIII, successfully reaching $375,000 goal to unlock $750,000 match.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fayette Community Foundation is a community-based 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization that stewards more than 198 charitable endowment funds and distributes capital to Fayette County, Indiana through grant programs (Mini Grants up to $2,500 and an annual Competitive Grant Cycle for requests over $2,500) and three scholarship programs. It connects donors with local causes by accepting contributions into six fund types (Community Impact, Field of Interest, Designated, Donor-Advised, Scholarship, and Operational endowments) and reinvesting endowment returns back into the community.

Product overview

Fayette Community Foundation operates as a nonprofit philanthropic organization offering a portfolio of grant programs, scholarship opportunities, and endowment management services. The core offerings include two grant tiers (Competitive Grant Cycle for requests over $2,500 and Mini Grants for requests up to $2,500), three scholarship programs (Traditional Scholarships, Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, and Hager Ross HSE Scholarship), and comprehensive endowment fund management. Additional services include Memorial and Tribute Gifts, Planned Giving/Legacy Planning, matching fund programs like GIFT VIII, Nonprofit Meetups for capacity building, and Strategic Planning Services. The organization connects donors with community causes through over 200 endowed funds spanning Community Impact, Field of Interest, Designated, Donor-Advised, Scholarship, and Operational categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Competitive Grant Cycle Annual competitive grant program for requests over $2,500, including a Letter of Intent phase and full application process, supporting community betterment, health and human services, and education initiatives in Fayette County.
• Mini Grant Program Streamlined grant program for requests of $2,500 or less, open year-round (except during Competitive Grant Cycle and January-February), providing quick funding decisions for smaller-scale community projects.
• Traditional Scholarships

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Statewide administrator for Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. ICI works with community foundations across Indiana to administer the prestigious scholarship program that provides full tuition, fees, and book allowances for Indiana college students.
• Indiana HumanitiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Supports the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN) alongside ICI, providing resources and opportunities for scholars to be active leaders on campuses and in communities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Community Foundation of Jackson County: Southern Indiana community foundation administering endowments, scholarships, and competitive grant rounds for Jackson County. Closely aligned with FCF's geographic scale, programming mix, and rural Indiana donor/grantee profile.
• Community Foundation of Boone County: Small Indiana community foundation providing grantmaking, scholarship administration, and endowment services for Boone County residents. Comparable scale and rural/small-county positioning, with overlapping programs (mini grants, scholarships, DAFs).
• Hamilton County Community Foundation: An Indiana community foundation stewarding charitable assets and administering grants and scholarships for a single county. Directly comparable to FCF in structure (community foundation, donor-advised funds, scholarships, grant cycles) and regulatory environment, but serves a faster-growing, wealthier county.
• Hendricks County Community Foundation: Indiana county-level community foundation that administers endowments, donor-advised funds, scholarships, and competitive grants. Closely analogous operating model to FCF, with a similar focus on local grantmaking and donor stewardship within a single Indiana county.
• The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne: Northeast Indiana community foundation managing charitable assets, donor-advised funds, scholarships, and competitive grants for a multi-county region. Directly comparable community foundation model with overlapping programming and donor services.
• Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County: Indiana county-based community foundation offering donor-advised funds, competitive and mini grants, and a robust scholarship portfolio. Directly mirrors FCF's structure and programming in a similar mid-size Indiana county context.

Others

• Indiana Philanthropy Alliance: Statewide membership association representing Indiana foundations, including community foundations like FCF. Provides shared services, advocacy, and peer learning — a sector infrastructure peer rather than a direct grantmaking competitor.
• Lilly Endowment Inc. Major national philanthropic funder and the single most important capital partner for FCF (GIFT VIII, GIFT IX, Community Scholarship Program). Not a peer in the grantmaking sense, but a critical upstream partner whose programs directly shape FCF's capacity and strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF): The largest community foundation in Indiana, operating the Indianapolis Foundation and Legacy Funds. Offers the same core services as FCF (DAFs, scholarships, competitive grants, endowment management) but at much greater scale and with a broader metro regional footprint.

Regional players

• Ball Brothers Foundation: A private Indiana family foundation making grants across East Central Indiana, including scholarship and community programs. Comparable to FCF in Indiana geography and grantmaking focus, though structured as a private family foundation rather than a community foundation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/fayettecommunityfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fayette-community-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fayette Community Foundation