About Arthur Jordan Foundation
A defining feature of the Arthur Jordan Foundation is its long-running support for the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. The largest recent grants on file all went to that institution, including a $335,500 operating grant in 2023, a $291,577 operating grant in 2024, and a $262,985 operating grant in 2025. That pattern points to sustained backing rather than one-time project funding, with an emphasis on keeping a historic site functioning year after year.
Beyond the presidential site, the foundation also supports Indianapolis organizations working in arts and culture, education, human services, and civic life. Recent grants show support for groups such as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Opera, Indy Hunger Network, and Butler University Ronecker Fund. The foundation’s grantmaking is local and centered on Indianapolis-based nonprofits, with a mix of operating support, program support, capital support, and special project support. Its recurring gifts suggest a funder that uses multi-year relationships to underwrite core organizational needs as well as selected projects and infrastructure.
What Arthur Jordan Foundation Funds
Historic preservation and public history are central to the Arthur Jordan Foundation’s giving. It awarded $244,965 in 2023 to Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site Inc for operating support, special project support, and endowment support, showing attention to both day-to-day operations and long-term institutional strength.
In arts and culture, the foundation has backed music-centered organizations with operating grants, including $20,000 to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2024 and another $20,000 in 2025, plus $15,000 to Indianapolis Opera in 2025. It also supports youth and community services: $25,000 to Indy Hunger Network in 2025, $20,000 to Indianapolis Children’s Choir in 2025, and $15,000 to Center for Leadership Development Inc in 2024. Community vitality appears in grants such as $12,500 to Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Inc in 2025 and $10,000 to Indianapolis Parks Foundation in 2025.
How Arthur Jordan Foundation Gives
Typical grants are modest, with a p25 of $2,500, a median of $3,000, and a p75 of $5,000. The recent-grants list also shows a clear tiering pattern: many awards cluster at $10,000 to $15,000, while a small number of larger operating grants reach well beyond that range. The foundation gives repeatedly to the same organizations across multiple years, especially the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site and several Indianapolis nonprofits, which indicates ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. It funds organizations, not individuals, and it makes no program-related investments. Unsolicited applications are accepted through multiple grant programs, including operating, program, capital, and special project support.
