Best Financial Assistance Grants in Indiana

Industrial Grant Development Fund (IGDF)

The Industrial Grant Fund (IDGF) provides assistance to municipalities and other eligible entities as defined under I.C. 5-28-25 with off-site infrastructure improvements needed to serve the proposed project site. Upon review and approval of the Local Recipient’s application, project specific Milestones are established for completing the improvements. IDGF will reimburse a portion of the actual total cost of the infrastructure improvements. The assistance will be paid as each Milestone is achieved, with final payment upon completion of the last Milestone of the infrastructure project. 

The Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust – Falk Catalyst Awards support high-risk, high-reward biomedical research with up to $350,000 in funding over one to two years. These awards aim to address critical scientific challenges and enable the translation of innovative research into clinical practices. Projects focus on identifying biological markers, therapeutic targets, and developing interventions to disrupt disease processes, ultimately improving treatment outcomes for patients.

The STEM Education Major Teaching Fellowship provides funding for students majoring in STEM Education at INSGC affiliate institutions. This financial support enables students to engage in meaningful outreach experiences, covering expenses for student teaching or hands-on STEM activities. Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens enrolled in relevant programs with a minimum GPA of 2.5. This opportunity encourages collaboration with INSGC Outreach Affiliates for mentorship and project locations.

Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs works with Indiana communities to build relevant and economically thriving places where people want to live, work and grow.

Mission: The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs works with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to aid communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development.

CDBG Planning Grant - Economic Recovery Plan

The Planning Grant Program leverages Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to encourage communities to plan for long-term, holistic improvement. The Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) seeks applications from local units of government for programs funded through the State CDBG program. Eligible local units of government are counties, cities, or incorporated towns not located within an entitlement community. Unincorporated areas must apply through the county in which they are located. Eligible planning activities consist of all costs associated with data gathering, study, analysis, and preparation of plans and the identification of actions to implement such plans.

Economic Recovery Plan identifies strategies to recover and bolster the local economy in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The NCDDG program supports innovative research aiming to discover and develop new treatments for mental disorders, including substance use and alcohol use disorders. This initiative encourages collaborations between academic and industry partners to advance neurostimulation techniques and drug/device development. Applicants are invited to submit proposals that focus on specific projects utilizing the U01 mechanism, with a clear emphasis on rationally designed candidate agents and cutting-edge technologies. Letters of Intent are encouraged 30 days prior to the submission deadline.

Community Foundation of Randolph County

Our mission is to bring people and resources together to strengthen the quality of life, both now and in the future, for the residents of Randolph County.

The Community Foundation’s work falls into three major categories: grant-making, donor service, and community convening. Our most visible activities are the grants and scholarships we award each year. Most of these awards come from income earned from permanently endowed funds. Scholarships and other grants come from funds that donors have established for specific purposes.

David E. Hyre Memorial Scholarship Fund

The David E. Hyre Memorial Scholarship was created by Mr. Hyre’s daughters in his memory. David Hyre, born in 1943, graduated Winchester High School in 1961. He also attended Purdue University (Mechanical Engineering Bachelors), University of Michigan (Mechanical Engineering Masters), and Michigan State University (M.B.A.). He was a part of the Chrysler Institute of Engineering (CIE Program). He worked as an engineer and a manager during his 35 years at Chrysler until he retired in 2001. David was very active with Habitat for Humanity and ushered at the Maddie Kelly Center for the Arts in Niceville, FL. He was also an election poll volunteer and Special Deputy for Okaloosa County, FL. His favorite hobby was collecting watches; he was a member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and participated in shows across the country.

This is a four-year scholarship for a student graduating from a Randolph County high school attending Purdue University studying engineering.

Community Foundation of Randolph County

Our mission is to bring people and resources together to strengthen the quality of life, both now and in the future, for the residents of Randolph County.

The Community Foundation’s work falls into three major categories: grant-making, donor service, and community convening. Our most visible activities are the grants and scholarships we award each year. Most of these awards come from income earned from permanently endowed funds. Scholarships and other grants come from funds that donors have established for specific purposes.

Diana Fahl Sciences Scholarship

In the early 1990’s Diana Fahl began working at Indiana University East, she saw there was a financial need for single mothers. Diana came up with the idea to create a fundraiser cookbook, with faculty, staff and students submitting recipes. Diana served as the editor, and it was a hit; they reached the level for two endowed scholarships. Ten years later Diana saw that the student body had changed to a more traditional student body with a large percentage of freshman students not advancing to sophomore level. Diana proposed a new scholarship as a two-fold scholarship, the high school graduate would receive the first component of the scholarship their freshman year of college, then, as the student proceeds to their sophomore year they would get an increased additional payment from the scholarship. Diana served as editor of this cookbook and two more endowed scholarships were created.

After decades of working with the community and creating needed scholarships, Diana is overwhelmed with pride to have a science scholarship in her name.

This scholarship may be awarded to students who are a Randolph County resident, graduate from a Randolph County school, and plans to pursue a degree in the Sciences (not including nursing) at Indiana University East.

The PLTW Engineering Program Expansion in Indiana aims to enhance educational opportunities through the Step Up Indiana STEM Grant. Schools can utilize a total award of $15,000 to implement new PLTW programs or expand existing ones for the 2026-2027 academic year. Eligible uses include additional courses, class periods, and teacher training, while ensuring that funds are allocated effectively to support STEM education initiatives.

The David M. Dolan Scholarship, offered by the International Association for Great Lakes Research, supports master's and Ph.D. students engaged in applied environmental statistics and modeling related to the Great Lakes. The scholarship provides a $3,000 award, complimentary conference registration, and IAGLR membership. Recipients must present their research at the annual IAGLR conference. Eligibility is limited to those whose research aligns with Dr. Dolan's work, and previous awardees are not eligible.

The HDR Foundation Grant Cycle supports community organizations aligned with HDR's values, focusing on education, healthy communities, and environmental stewardship. This employee-funded initiative emphasizes the importance of employee engagement in grant proposals, requiring a clear scope of work and completion within a year. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofits, educational institutions, and tribal governments, while grants are not provided for faith-based organizations or individual support.

Mission

The Foundation was established in December 2013 by Kathryn B. McQuade, after retiring from 33 years of working in the business community. I was blessed to have been born into a loving middle class family. My father worked very hard to insure that all of his children were given an opportunity for a good education and my mother, “a stay at home Mom’ was always there for us. My world was safe and comfortable. My life is in stark contrast to how much of the rest of the world lives. I continue to read of the terrible injustices waged against women and children globally and hope that this foundation can provide them the opportunity and resources to succeed. We will support organizations that help us achieve our goal of Striving to make sustainable improvements in women and children’s rights education and welfare.

Kathryn McQuade Foundation Grant

The Foundation will make timely decisions on your grant request and provide clear communications on our expectations of reporting progress.

Women

The Foundation’s goal is to provide women assistance and provide them an opportunity to succeed. Assistance can take many forms, however our goal is to help them become self sufficient and enable them to lift themselves out of poverty and provide for their children. Access to education, job training and professional skills, even access to capital in order to build a business are possible ways we will consider helping women to succeed. Grant requests should focus on enabling the women to sustain financial independence.

We look forward to hearing of the many creative ways organizations are working on helping women succeed through out the world. To help women is to help their children and the communities they live in.

Children

Too many children in the US and across the world live in poverty and lack the access to education. Education and/or appropriate skills training are necessary to break the cycle of poverty and crime. While the assistance to women may take many forms, the foundation’s focus for children will target education and/ or skills training. The Foundation is open to many ideas on how to accomplish this goal and look forward to receiving proposals to help all children achieve their potential.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program aims to elevate educational attainment in Indiana by providing full-tuition scholarships to eligible high school graduates from each county served by community foundations. Launched in 1998, this initiative encourages engagement among scholars and local leaders to enhance community quality of life. By partnering with Independent Colleges of Indiana, the program aspires to support talented students in pursuing degrees at accredited institutions, fostering both personal and economic growth within the state.

The Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants in Indiana support organizations in facilitating self-help housing projects for low-income families. By supervising construction efforts, these grants enable families to build their own homes in rural areas, fostering community involvement and skill development. Eligible applicants include government non-profits, federally-recognized tribes, and private non-profit entities. Funds can be used for technical assistance, recruitment, and guidance in loan applications, but cannot cover direct construction costs.

The Seed Grant for Research on Lottery Gambling, announced by the International Center for Responsible Gaming and the Hoosier Lottery, promotes studies focusing on responsible gambling and gambling disorders related to lottery activities. Researchers are encouraged to explore various projects, including pilot studies, preliminary research, and follow-up testing. Emphasizing the connection to Indiana, the initiative seeks to develop insights that inform responsible gambling practices and policies.

The Clowes Fund, based in Indianapolis, provides grants focusing on socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals through Immigrant Services and Workforce Development. The fund offers two types of grants: Introductory Grants for organizations with smaller budgets aimed at immigrant and workforce initiatives, and Continuation Grants for established programs. The application process includes an initial Letter of Inquiry, and funding is primarily directed towards addressing barriers faced by immigrants and supporting community economic participation.

The IU Health Values Fund Grant Pilot & Feasibility Program supports early-career researchers in advancing their careers and securing funding. It emphasizes pilot clinical trials that align with IU Health's core values: purpose, excellence, compassion, and teamwork. This program is designed to benefit patients in the IU Health system by fostering innovative research that meets medical and scientific standards, ultimately contributing to the improvement of healthcare outcomes.

The CHS Foundation supports initiatives that benefit the agriculture industry, focusing on 501c3 organizations within specific states. Their funding is aimed at empowering cooperative growth and sustainable practices. Local projects may also be eligible through the CHS Seeds for Stewardship program. However, funding is not available for individuals, sports teams, or religious groups, ensuring that the support remains directed towards community and cooperative development.

Project Lead The Way is offering a rolling grant for schools to implement the PLTW Biomedical Science program for the 2026-2029 academic years. Eligible schools can receive up to $14,000 to cover participation fees and training costs. This grant encourages public, private, and charter schools across the U.S. to enhance their science curriculum, supporting students with engaging, hands-on learning experiences. Schools must commit to offering specific courses during the grant period to qualify for funding.

The Delta Dental Foundation's Community Mini Grants provide up to $10,000 to local nonprofits promoting oral health care in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. These grants focus on enhancing access to dental care for at-risk populations, educating communities about oral health, and supporting innovative programs. Applications are evaluated based on alignment with strategic aims and the ability to achieve impactful results. This initiative seeks to improve community health through dedicated funding and support for effective oral health programs.

The Doctoral Fellowship Program, initiated by NASA's National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, aims to enhance STEM education and research opportunities across the U.S. The Indiana Space Grant Consortium (INSGC) offers fellowships ranging from $6,000 to $20,000 for eligible doctoral students engaged in STEM projects. This initiative supports the INSGC's mission to inspire and educate the next generation of scientists and engineers, ensuring a bright future for technological innovation and workforce development.

The Chicago Board of Trade Foundation Grant offers funding to non-profit organizations in the Chicago area, focusing on initiatives that assist children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt and must not discriminate based on race, religion, or sexual orientation. Applications will be assessed based on program effectiveness, community impact, and organizational management. The foundation does not fund individuals, political candidates, or organizations without tax-exempt status.

The Jeffris Heartland Fund Grant, provided by the Jeffris Family Foundation, supports significant historic preservation projects across several Midwestern states, including Iowa and Wisconsin. Grants range from $5,000 to $50,000, covering 50% of costs for Historic Structure Reports, requiring a dollar-for-dollar match. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations and government agencies, focusing on projects with historical significance, architectural merit, and strong community ties. Applications are accepted anytime, with decisions made approximately 30 days after submission.

The Masters’ Fellowship Program, offered by the Indiana Space Grant Consortium, provides financial support ranging from $6,000 to $8,000 for graduate students engaged in STEM research or education. This initiative aims to enhance opportunities for students at INSGC affiliate institutions, fostering diversity and inclusion within STEM fields. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens enrolled full-time and in good academic standing. The program encourages reapplication for continued support in subsequent years.

The California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant aims to support public middle and high school sports programs facing funding challenges due to budget cuts. Established by California Casualty, this grant provides financial assistance for purchasing equipment and covering travel costs for competitions. Eligible applicants must be active employees of public schools and members of affiliated education associations. Awards cannot be used for individual student recognition or fundraising projects.

The Tree Campus Higher Education Program, initiated by the Arbor Day Foundation, encourages colleges and universities to enhance their green spaces, benefiting both the environment and student well-being. By meeting five standards, participating institutions can gain national recognition for their commitment to tree care and sustainability. This initiative not only fosters a healthier campus but also engages students in environmental stewardship, making a positive impact on their communities. Join to celebrate the importance of trees in our lives.

The NCAA Division II Degree Completion Award provides financial assistance to student-athletes who have exhausted their athletics eligibility, enabling them to complete their first undergraduate degree. Since its inception in 2001, nearly $9 million has supported approximately 1,875 athletes, with a remarkable 90 percent graduation rate among recipients. The award covers tuition costs up to $15,000 for remaining credits and may be used in the summer term or short terms surrounding the final undergraduate year.

The McKesson Foundation Grant provides funding above $25,000 to support health equity initiatives across North America. Founded in 1943, its mission focuses on removing barriers to quality healthcare for vulnerable communities. The foundation prioritizes projects that align with strategic pillars: reducing cancer burdens, preparing the healthcare workforce, and enhancing crisis response. Eligible organizations include national and local nonprofits. Funding is limited to specific regions and assessed based on demonstrated need and expected impact.