Best Grants for Museums in Indiana

The National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) aims to protect coastal communities through nature-based solutions, enhancing habitats while addressing the growing threats of climate change. Established in 2018, the fund focuses on restoring vital ecosystems like marshes and reefs to mitigate flooding impacts. With rising sea levels and increasing storm intensity, NCRF invests in community-led projects that foster resilience, ensuring both people and wildlife can adapt to changing environmental conditions.

The Mildred B. Price Nursing Scholarship, established by William B. Price in honor of his mother, supports aspiring nursing students in Indiana. This scholarship aims to empower residents of Grant, Hamilton, Knox, Madison, Pulaski, Starke, or White Counties. Eligible applicants must demonstrate financial need and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher while pursuing a nursing degree at any Indiana college or university. This initiative fosters equitable opportunities in the nursing profession.

The R. B. Annis Scholarship, offered by the Hamilton County Community Foundation, supports Arsenal Tech High School students pursuing a four-year degree in Indiana or at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. This scholarship honors R. B. Annis's commitment to educational opportunities for those in financial need. Applicants must demonstrate community involvement, academic improvement, and a GPA of 2.5 or higher, making it a vital resource for aspiring students in the community.

The Reach Your Potential STEM Scholarship, provided by the Hamilton County Community Foundation, aims to empower Indiana students by facilitating access to educational opportunities in STEM fields. This scholarship targets current high school seniors facing financial need and encourages community involvement. Eligible candidates must be Indiana residents for eight years, demonstrate academic commitment, and pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. This initiative not only fosters individual growth but also strengthens the community as a whole.

Marshall County Community Foundation administers a number of scholarships, from traditional awards for graduating seniors to those geared towards current students, professionals, and other special circumstances.

Bowen Family Medical Scholarship Fund 

The purpose of this fund is to provide one or more annual scholarships to a Marshall County resident accepted into an accredited school of medicine to prepare for a career in rural family medicine. The intent of this scholarship is to prepare physicians for family practice in a rural Indiana community. 

For purposes of this scholarship rural Indiana is defined as Indiana Communities excluding the cities of Indianapolis, Evansville, Fort Wayne, South Bend, and the northwest Indiana counties of Lake and Porter. 

The Bowen Family Medical Scholarship Fund is renewable annually to previous recipients based upon the successful medical school advancement of the recipient and at the discretion of the Scholarship Advisory Committee. 

Should the scholarship be granted to a newly recruited family practice physician in the form of medical school debt reduction, the funding is also renewable at the discretion of the Scholarship Advisory Committee. 

The Dekko Community Fund, established in 1992 by the Dekko Foundation, aims to foster economic freedom through education for children and young people in Noble County. The fund supports initiatives that promote self-sufficiency and development, enabling youth to connect their skills to career opportunities. By investing in the healthy growth of these individuals, the fund serves as a catalyst for positive change, helping them achieve economic freedom and contribute to their communities.

The Norfolk Southern In-Kind Donation Grant supports organizations seeking physical donations of materials that align with their focus areas, including safety, sustainability, workforce development, and thriving communities. This grant is available year-round, with no application deadline. Recipients must be located within Norfolk Southern territory and are encouraged to apply for resources that will enhance their community projects and initiatives, fostering growth and resilience.

Indianapolis Colts Foundation Inc

Committed to improving the lives of our fellow Hoosiers by building a healthy, inclusive and compassionate community through meaningful outreach, projects and partnerships. The Colts also support current and former Colts players by engaging with them in charitable, off-field efforts, helping them leave a legacy of service to the community.

Hometown Grant Program

The Indianapolis Colts and the America Dairy Association Indiana are teaming up to show their continued commitment to child health and wellness by opening their application for a $10,000 'Hometown Grant'.

The 'Hometown Grant' program, developed by Fuel Up to Play 60 and the NFL, provides local organizations with the opportunity to identify deserving schools in their area and award them with a $10,000 to help meet their health and wellness goals. In its seventh year, the Hometown Grant program allows each of the 32 NFL Clubs, Fuel Up to Play 60 and local dairy representatives to provide funding to schools throughout the country totaling $320,000 this year. Previous Indiana Hometown Grant winners include Pike Township, Decatur Township, Lawrence Township, Warren Township and Beech Grove.

The Carol Ann Tieman Scholarship Fund, established by Fred Tieman in 2001, honors the legacy of Carol A. Tieman, a dedicated educator and community supporter. This scholarship provides $1,500 to a Central Noble High School senior planning to pursue a four-year degree in teaching at an Indiana university, with preference for those focusing on elementary education. The Community Foundation of Noble County, a 501(c)(3) public charity, administers various scholarships to empower local students in achieving their educational aspirations.

In 2025, the Community Foundation of Madison & Jefferson County awarded over $233,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors of the county’s public and private high schools. Nearly 50 different students earned money toward their college costs. Scholarships are available for a variety of applicants. Some are specific to schools, majors, need, or interests.

CFMJC scholarships may be used for tuition and related expenses like fees and required equipment at accredited colleges and universities. Room and board are not covered.

George & June Kirk Scholarship 

Criteria evaluated:

• Academic achievement and financial need. Community involvement, extracurricular activities, and after-school employment may be taken into consideration.

Required materials:

• FAFSA SAI PDF upload

Scholarship amount:

• $30,620 | 1 scholarship, renewable at $7,655 for 4 years

About Regions

Regions Financial Corporation is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas.

Regions Foundation

Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact the communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank.

Matching Gifts Program

Full-time associates and recent retirees (up to 5 years after retirement) of Regions and its affiliated companies can request a Regions Matching Gift to eligible organizations. The recipient organization must be a 501(c) or 170(c) organization located in the Regions footprint (except for accredited educational institutions, which may be located anywhere in the United States) and has a primary mission that clearly fits one of these categories:

• Economic and community development: Supporting economic prosperity through affordable housing, job creation, small-business development, homebuyer education and retention, neighborhood revitalization and stabilization, food security/hunger relief.
• Education and workforce readiness: Supporting career prosperity through student competency and skill building, college and career readiness, educational access and success, credential building and employment and educator training and resources.
• Financial wellness: Supporting financial prosperity through K-12 and college financial education, adult and workforce financial empowerment.
• Arts and culture: Organizations that promote visual or performing arts, historic or science museums, zoos, botanical gardens, libraries, parks or public radio and television.
• Service members and Veterans: Organizations that have a primary mission of supporting U.S. military service members and veterans.
• Individuals with disabilities: Organizations that have a primary mission of supporting individuals with disabilities.

Regions Matching Gifts for Full-Time Associates

Regions supports organizations important to our associates through the Regions Matching Gifts Program. This program, which is open for use for all full-time Regions associates, affiliate associates and recent retirees, allows you to make an even greater difference to your favorite charities by doubling your tax-deductible contributions to these organizations. 

The CTPVSS/STP Student Award, established by the Society of Toxicology, aims to support students pursuing careers in Toxicologic Pathology. Awardees receive $500 from CTPVSS, complimentary STP Annual Meeting registration, a year of free student membership, and $1,500 from STP for lodging and travel to the Annual Symposium in June. Eligible applicants must be first authors of SOT-accepted abstracts that integrate pathology with various scientific approaches, enhancing understanding of toxicologic responses.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW)

Our Mission: Empower Students to Thrive in an Evolving World

Our Philosophy for Education: We believe all students – beginning at a young age – need access to real-world, applied learning experiences that empower them to gain the skills they need to thrive in college, career, and beyond.

We believe teachers play an immeasurable role in empowering students, and our programs provide teachers with the support and resources they need to devote more time to inspiring students.

PLTW Engineering - New Program In Partnership With Ardagh Group

Ardagh Group has partnered with PLTW to support education in its local communities where Ardagh employees live and work. This partnership recognizes the critical role education, and access to education, plays in ensuring equal opportunities and in building successful, vibrant communities. It is expected that over the next 10 years, Ardagh sponsored education programs will benefit more than 500,000 PreK-12 students as well as delivering best-in-class teacher training to more than 5,000 teachers across 2,000 schools in Ardagh's U.S. communities.

Ardagh is a global supplier of sustainable packaging solutions with 16,000+ employees worldwide, and proud local employer.

Program Requirements

The purpose of this grant is to assist the grantee's implementation of the PLTW Engineering program. Grantee must offer the PLTW Engineering program for three academic years. Grantee must offer at least one PLTW Engineering course in the 2027-2028 academic year and must offer one additional course in the 2028-2029 academic year (two different courses in two years). Grantee may implement any PLTW Engineering courses of their choosing. Grantee must complete three years of grant reporting.

The George and Frances Ball Foundation offers Quarterly Competitive Grants to support organizations with 501(c)(3) designations. These grants focus on capacity building in East Central Indiana, enhancing education, civic engagement, nature preservation, and the arts. Applications are accepted four times a year, with deadlines on January 21, April 9, July 8, and November 5. Successful applicants can expect a decision within 6–8 weeks of the submission deadline, fostering community improvement and support.

About Regions

Regions Financial Corporation is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas.

Regions Foundation

Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact the communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank.

Matching Gifts Program

Full-time associates and recent retirees (up to 5 years after retirement) of Regions and its affiliated companies can request a Regions Matching Gift to eligible organizations. The recipient organization must be a 501(c) or 170(c) organization located in the Regions footprint (except for accredited educational institutions, which may be located anywhere in the United States) and has a primary mission that clearly fits one of these categories:

• Economic and community development: Supporting economic prosperity through affordable housing, job creation, small-business development, homebuyer education and retention, neighborhood revitalization and stabilization, food security/hunger relief.
• Education and workforce readiness: Supporting career prosperity through student competency and skill building, college and career readiness, educational access and success, credential building and employment and educator training and resources.
• Financial wellness: Supporting financial prosperity through K-12 and college financial education, adult and workforce financial empowerment.
• Arts and culture: Organizations that promote visual or performing arts, historic or science museums, zoos, botanical gardens, libraries, parks or public radio and television.
• Service members and Veterans: Organizations that have a primary mission of supporting U.S. military service members and veterans.
• Individuals with disabilities: Organizations that have a primary mission of supporting individuals with disabilities.

Regions Matching Gifts for Recent Retirees

Retirees of Regions and its affiliated companies are eligible for the Matching Gift Program for up to 5 years after retirement (the gift date must be within the first 5 years of retirement). Regions will match donations of $25 or more, up to a total of $1,000 per year per retiree.

The Regions Community Affairs team will contact the organization on your behalf to verify the gift and review eligibility.

The Indiana Community Recycling Grant Program, administered by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), aims to enhance recycling and waste reduction initiatives across communities. With funding ranging from $1,000 to $100,000, this program supports projects focused on recycling education, organics management, and hazardous waste disposal. Funded through a solid waste management surcharge, it encourages environmentally sound practices while requiring a 25% cash match from applicants. Note that funding is not guaranteed.

The Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation Charitable Grant supports qualified charities focused on community betterment and basic human needs. Founded in 2016, it aims to enhance lives through initiatives such as affordable housing, health programs, and the arts. Organizations eligible for funding must be tax-exempt and serve areas where Frankenmuth Insurance operates. Notably, the foundation excludes support for individuals, political groups, and projects typically financed by governments, ensuring its resources benefit the wider community.

The CHS Foundation's Ag Leadership Grant aims to enhance agricultural leadership and cooperative education. This program supports projects that cultivate a diverse pipeline for future agricultural leaders, focusing on education and career training for high school students to young professionals. Priority is given to initiatives that impact multiple states within the CHS trade area, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of the cooperative business model in agriculture.

What Is Kiwanis?

Kiwanis is a global service organization of volunteers committed to improving the lives of children—one community at a time. Our members take action every day by:

• Sheltering the homeless and supporting families in crisis
• Feeding the hungry and organizing food drives
• Mentoring at-risk youth and empowering young leaders
• Raising funds for pediatric medical research and care
• And much more—all focused on helping children in our communities thrive

All Indiana Kiwanians make up the membership of the Kiwanis Indiana Foundation, Inc. (aka the Indiana District Foundation) The Foundation has 501(c)(3) status.

Eagle Award

The Kiwanis Indiana Foundation has established a recognition award for presenting to anyone who has gone “above and beyond” in serving their Kiwanis club. It can also be awarded for service to their community or others. It could be awarded to an outgoing President, Lt. Governor, or other club officer. This includes someone who has brought in several new members, a member who has taken on and completed a new service project. Or it can be to anyone else you or your club feel have accomplished great things.

The Honoree will receive a beautifully designed Eagle lapel pin and a certificate with the $250 donation to the Kiwanis Indiana Foundation.

What Is Kiwanis?

Kiwanis is a global service organization of volunteers committed to improving the lives of children—one community at a time. Our members take action every day by:

• Sheltering the homeless and supporting families in crisis
• Feeding the hungry and organizing food drives
• Mentoring at-risk youth and empowering young leaders
• Raising funds for pediatric medical research and care
• And much more—all focused on helping children in our communities thrive

All Indiana Kiwanians make up the membership of the Kiwanis Indiana Foundation, Inc. (aka the Indiana District Foundation) The Foundation has 501(c)(3) status.

J.L. McCulloch Award

A personal gift of $1,000 to the Kiwanis Indiana Foundation, Inc., by an individual entitles him or her to the J.L. McCulloch Award. The recipient of this award is recognized with a framed medallion, a ribboned medallion, and either a lapel pin or a pendant.

This is the Indiana District’s most prestigious award and is named for our first Kiwanis Indiana District Governor. The receiving of this award by its honored recipients has left a legacy to the service. This continues the good works begun by the man for whom it is named.

What Is Kiwanis?

Kiwanis is a global service organization of volunteers committed to improving the lives of children—one community at a time.  Our members take action every day by:

• Sheltering the homeless and supporting families in crisis
• Feeding the hungry and organizing food drives
• Mentoring at-risk youth and empowering young leaders
• Raising funds for pediatric medical research and care
• And much more—all focused on helping children in our communities thrive

All Indiana Kiwanians make up the membership of the Kiwanis Indiana Foundation, Inc. (aka the Indiana District Foundation) The Foundation has 501(c)(3) status.

Grants

The Foundation makes grants to increase the capacity of Indiana District of Kiwanis clubs. It also supports Indiana District of Kiwanis supported projects to respond effectively to the needs of the citizens of the state. In general, the Foundation prefers funding for projects that further the Objects of Kiwanis.

A club may only receive a grant once every two years.

The Foundation’s goal is to provide effective assistance to as many Indiana Kiwanis Clubs as possible. Grant awards will be available from $250- $4,000 and require matching funds on a sliding scale, depending on the amount of therequest. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis until the total funds available for the fiscal year are depleted. All clubs will be notified if/when that happens.

What We Fund

It is anticipated that projects receiving grants will involve one of the following categories:

• Youth
• Elderly
• Civic and Community Development
• Health and Human Services

The Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation Grant supports 501(c)(3) organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area, focusing on education, health, arts, and community welfare. Established in 2004, the foundation prioritizes projects that enhance community well-being, ensuring grants are awarded to nonprofits with operating budgets under $10 million. Organizations must apply annually and adhere to specific eligibility criteria, including geographical and operational restrictions. The foundation aims to empower local initiatives that promote positive societal impact.

The Mind Trust

The Mind Trust is a nonprofit that invests in public education to transform lives and increase academic achievement in Indianapolis, across Indiana, and beyond. This includes managing student-centered programming, growing new high-quality public charter schools, supporting existing schools and educators, and engaging the community in every region we serve.

Indiana Charter School Fellowship

The Indiana Charter School Fellowship is a competitive, statewide opportunity for experienced educators and school leaders who are ready to grow high-quality public charter schools across Indiana. The fellowship supports the growth of new school models, replication of existing models, or expansion of existing schools.

Fellows receive tailored support to design a school that meets real community needs, delivers strong academic results, and has sustainable operational and financial systems. Through one-on-one coaching, visits to high-performing schools across the country, access to expert partners, and protected time to plan, Indiana Charter School Fellows leave the program with a clear path to launching or growing a great school.

Whether you’re an established leader with a proven track record or someone with a bold new idea for what school could be, the fellowship gives you the space, structure, and support to bring that vision to life. As Indiana’s charter sector continues to grow, we’re looking for leaders who are ready to build the next generation of public schools—schools that are excellent, student-focused, and deeply connected to the communities they serve.

The Republic Bank Grants program supports non-profit organizations in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Florida that enhance community welfare through various initiatives such as education, healthcare, and civic projects. By providing financial and in-kind donations, Republic Bank aims to strengthen community ties and foster impactful change. Eligible organizations must have IRS 501(c) status and submit grant requests in writing at least two months in advance, ensuring timely support for their initiatives.

RBC Foundation – USA aims to enhance community quality of life by supporting non-profit organizations that promote diversity and positive change. In 2023, it awarded over $2.8 million in grants, prioritizing youth programs for ages 15-29, arts access for diverse populations, and mental well-being initiatives. The foundation encourages sustainable projects that foster economic independence, providing critical support for education, mental health, and cultural enrichment, thereby making a significant impact across various communities.

The MRC/SOT Early Career Toxicologist Award, presented by the Society of Toxicology, recognizes an outstanding Midwest toxicologist with up to 10 years of experience. This prestigious award honors candidates actively contributing to the field or recently retired, showcasing their unique research achievements and teaching proficiency. Winners receive an engraved plaque and an honorarium, celebrating their commitment to advancing toxicology and enhancing human, animal, and environmental health.

National Geographic Society: Request for Proposals

Award Overview

The National Geographic Society (NGS) is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for academic researchers and graduate students investigating topics related to geography education in select states and locations. Awards of up to $10,000 (for researchers) and $5,000 (for graduate students) are available to support research projects.

At NGS we spark curiosity, empower exploration, and inspire change. We fund inspiring changemakers around the world who use the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. 

We welcome submissions from researchers across disciplines but successful proposals must include research related to educational approaches or processes including but not limited to specific learning activities, learning outcomes, or educational tools that advance knowledge. Research that illuminates barriers and/or advances access for those farthest from opportunity is encouraged. 

Research proposals should generate new knowledge, and can either be new or scaled up versions of existing successful projects (e.g. evaluating a different group of learners or geographic area).