Blue River Community Foundation

What Blue River Community Foundation does

Blue River Community Foundation (BRCF) is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) community foundation founded in 1993, headquartered at 54 W. Broadway Street, Suite 1, Shelbyville, Indiana. It serves Shelby County, Indiana as a catalyst for philanthropic action, administering multi-fund-type giving vehicles (community, designated, field of interest, agency, donor advised, scholarship, and geographic-specific funds) and distributing grants and scholarships to local nonprofits and students. The foundation also operates community initiatives in arts and culture, literacy, civic engagement, and quality of place, alongside the Pillar Society legacy giving program.

The underlying technology is a community foundation operations platform built on standardized web infrastructure (Squarespace-hosted website, JotForm forms, SmarterSelect scholarship application platform). No proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or integrations are disclosed. The foundation has achieved National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations certification, signaling adherence to industry best practices in governance, investment management, and grant administration.

BRCF's "revenue model" is donor-driven: it receives charitable contributions (cash, assets, securities, real estate, planned gifts) and distributes grants and scholarships to community beneficiaries. It does not sell a product or charge market-based pricing; specific fund minimums and administrative fees are not publicly disclosed. Since 1993 BRCF has awarded $31,458,962 in grants and $8,531,042 in scholarships (since 1994), and partners with Lilly Endowment, the Wortman Family Foundation, and the SW Academic Fund to extend its programmatic reach. The organization is led by Executive Director Jennifer Jones and Communications & Scholarships Director Julie Alvis, with governance provided by a Board of Directors headed by President Beth Case.

Name

Blue River Community Foundation

Legal name

Blue River Community Foundation

Website

https://blueriverfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Blue River Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation founded in 1993 that administers donor funds, awards grants to nonprofits, and provides scholarships to students in Shelby County, Indiana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Charitable grant administration
• Donor advised funds
• Scholarship administration
• Planned giving programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Shelbyville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Giving and Donations: The foundation receives various types of charitable contributions including outright gifts of cash or assets, real estate, securities, and other property. Donors can establish different fund types including community funds, designated funds, field of interest funds, agency funds, donor advised funds, and scholarship funds.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Blue River Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation that accepts charitable contributions from donors and deploys those funds as grants to local nonprofits and scholarships to students in Shelby County, Indiana. It offers multiple donor fund vehicles including community funds, designated funds, field of interest funds, agency funds, donor advised funds, scholarship funds, and geographic-specific funds, along with planned giving services through the Pillar Society.

Product overview

Blue River Community Foundation offers a comprehensive suite of philanthropic services including grant distribution programs, scholarship programs, and various fund types for donors. The organization provides community funds, designated funds, field of interest funds, donor advised funds, agency funds, and scholarship funds. Additional services include the Pillar Society legacy giving program, publications including annual reports and newsletters, and community initiatives in arts and culture, literacy, and civic engagement. Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded over $31 million in grants and $8.5 million in scholarships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BRCF Scholarships Scholarship program for students in Shelby County pursuing higher education, college, or vocational/trades careers, administered by the foundation.
• Lilly Endowment Scholarship Scholarship administered by BRCF in partnership with the Lilly Endowment, providing scholarship opportunities for eligible students in Shelby County.
• Grant Programs Grant distribution programs supporting nonprofits in Shelby County across program areas including education, healthcare, arts and culture, civic, and social services.
• Donor Advised Funds Flexible giving vehicle where donors recommend which organizations receive grants and amounts, providing a personal approach to philanthropy.
• Community Funds Unrestricted funds that can be used to address changing community needs in five program areas: education, healthcare, arts and culture, civic, and social services.
• Designated Funds Donor-directed funds that provide ongoing support to specific charitable organizations with planned giving and investment management services.
• Field of Interest Funds Donor-established funds supporting specific areas such as beautification, at-risk youth, elderly, arts and culture, geographic areas, or other donor-identified priorities.
• Agency Funds Endowment or rainy-day funds managed by BRCF for local charitable organizations, with benefits and grants distributed back to those charities.
• Scholarship Funds Donor-established scholarship funds that invest in community students, with administrative services provided by the foundation.
• Geographic Specific Funds Funds supporting rural residents of Shelby County through hometown area funds including Northeastern, Northwestern, Southwestern, and Waldron Area.
• Pillar Society Recognition program for individuals who have included BRCF in their estate plans, including those with active funds and those who have indicated estate intentions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $31.4 million in grants awarded since 1993
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 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.

• Wortman Family FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRCF partners with the Wortman Family Foundation to provide grant opportunities for nonprofits in Shelby County, extending the foundation's grant-making capacity.
• National Standards for U.S. Community FoundationscoreOthersBRCF has achieved National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations certification, demonstrating operational excellence and adherence to best practices in philanthropy.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BlueRiverCF

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blue River Community Foundation