Blue Grass Community Foundation

Name: Blue Grass Community Foundation — grants, 990 financials & funding data
Creator: Kindora

ActivePhilanthropy & Voluntarism

LEXINGTON, KYWebsite8592253343

About Blue Grass Community Foundation

Blue Grass Community Foundation creates more generous, vibrant and engaged communities by growing charitable giving throughout the Bluegrass and Appalachia Kentucky.

Focus Areas

racial equitycommunity developmenteducation and workforce developmentarts and culturehealth and human servicesyouth developmentscholarships

Who They Fund

unspecified/undetermined beneficiary population

Funding Style

general operating supportunrestricted supportunspecified/undetermined funding approach

About Blue Grass Community Foundation

Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc uses community funds to back equity, education, workforce, arts, health, and neighborhood-led projects across the Bluegrass and Appalachian Kentucky. A clear example of its scale is the $2.7 million grant to American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in 2024, alongside a broad portfolio that includes university support, local parks, community foundations, and emergency response. The foundation also uses named initiatives to channel giving into specific community needs, such as the Equity Fund for equity-related community initiatives and organizations, and BGCF365 programs that pool member contributions for Fayette County projects. Its work reflects both large institutional grants and smaller local awards, with recent recipients ranging from Lexington-based nonprofits to organizations elsewhere in Kentucky and beyond. The foundation’s listed philosophy emphasizes general operating support and unrestricted support, while its active grant programs point to community justice, inclusion, workforce pathways, and grassroots leadership. Across those efforts, the common thread is charitable support intended to strengthen communities in the Bluegrass region and Appalachia Kentucky.

What Blue Grass Community Foundation Funds

In workforce development, Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc awarded $300,000 to Whetstone Boys Ranch for general exempt-purpose support and $270,000 to Housing Development Alliance for the same purpose, showing that workforce and community stabilization can be funded through sizable institutional grants. In arts funding, it gave $350,000 to The Mr Holland's Opus Foundation and $173,699 to Lexington Children's Theatre, reflecting support for arts organizations at different scales. Community development is visible in grants such as $524,333 to Town Branch Park and $357,352 to Legacy Greenscapes, both in Lexington and Winchester. Education also appears through $250,000 to Catholic Education for Youth Foundation Inc and $223,000 to Redwood Cooperative School, indicating continued support for learning-related organizations.

How Blue Grass Community Foundation Gives

Typical grant size sits at a p25 of $10,000, a median of $16,462, and a p75 of $35,876, even though the recent grants list also includes much larger awards. The foundation appears to fund through a mix of broad charitable support and named programs, including community-based grant opportunities and scholarship funds. Several recipient organizations recur across years, including Town Branch Park, Legacy Greenscapes, Crown Hill Cemetery, University of Kentucky, Lexington Children's Theatre, and Lexington Black Prosperity Initiative-related awards, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time-only support. BGCF365 Giving Circle is one of the few active programs marked as accepting unsolicited requests.

Financial Snapshot

Annual Giving

$20.7M

Total Assets

$296.2M

Total Revenue

$64.3M

Total Expenses

$34M

Typical Grant Size

Most grants fall between $10K and $36K, with a median of $16K.

25th Percentile

$10K

Median

$16K

75th Percentile

$36K

Geographic Reach

Local29 states funded

Funding intensity

Low

High

Headquarters

Leadership

LISA ADKINS

Accepts unsolicited proposals

Funding intensity

Low

High

Where Blue Grass Community Foundation Funds

Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Blue Grass Community Foundation.

Rank	Country	Grants	Total	Share
1	United StatesDomestic	1,588	$74.9M	99.9%
2	Kenya

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Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Grass Community Foundation

What are Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc’s main funding areas?

The foundation’s listed focus areas include racial equity, community development, education and workforce development, arts and culture, health and human services, youth development, and scholarships. Active programs also highlight equity-related initiatives, workforce pathways, community support in Fayette County, and emergency arts relief.

How large are Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc’s typical grants?

The grant-size distribution shows a p25 of $10,000, a median of $16,462, and a p75 of $35,876. Some active programs have narrower ranges, such as $1,500–$10,000 for the Hudson-Ellis program and $5,000–$15,000 for BGCF365 Giving Circle.

Does Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc accept unsolicited applications?

Most named programs do not accept unsolicited requests, including the Equity Fund, Hudson-Ellis Competitive Grantmaking Program & Scholarship Fund, BGCF365 Grant Opportunities, Better Together Grants, Emergency Arts Relief Fund, LBPI Better Together Grants, Accelerating Innovative + Equitable Workforce Pathways Grant, and the Grassroots Black Leadership Award. BGCF365 Giving Circle is marked as accepting unsolicited requests.

Where does Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc give most often?

Its grants are concentrated in Kentucky, where 84% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state. Recent Kentucky recipients include organizations in Lexington, Winchester, Sharpsburg, Berea, Prestonsburg, Hazard, and Ashland, while a smaller share went to organizations outside the state and to one recipient in Kenya.

Do recipients repeat across years?

Yes. Several organizations appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Town Branch Park, Legacy Greenscapes, Crown Hill Cemetery, University of Kentucky, Lexington Children's Theatre, and Lexington Black Prosperity Initiative-related awards. That pattern points to repeated support for some recipients over multiple years.

Recipient	Location	Amount	Year	Purpose
THE FAYETTE EDUCATION FOUNDATION	LEXINGTON, KY	$520,164	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ROBERT L BROWN FOUNDATION INC	LEXINGTON, KY	$480,384	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ATHLETICS	LEXINGTON, KY	$404,325	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
WHETSTONE BOYS RANCH	MOUNTAIN VIEW, MO	$400,000	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
SAFE PASSAGE	LOUISVILLE, KY	$396,590	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	LEXINGTON, KY	$379,123	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
FOUNDATION FOR APPALACHIAN KENTUCKY	HAZARD, KY	$369,533	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE	HAZARD, KY	$350,000	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
HOUSING ORIENTED MINISTRIES ESTABLISHED FOR SERVICES INC	WHITESBURG, KY	$350,000	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CLARK COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES	WINCHESTER, KY	$294,275	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
GATTON PARK ON THE TOWN BRANCH	LEXINGTON, KY	$292,272	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CLARK COUNTY HOMELESS COALITION	WINCHESTER, KY	$281,957	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
FRANKLIN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT	FRANKFORT, KY	$272,242	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY	LEXINGTON, KY	$254,965	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF THE BLUEGRASS	LEXINGTON, KY	$251,207	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
KCEOC COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP INC	GRAY, KY	$250,000	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
BLUE GRASS CHRISTIAN CAMP	LEXINGTON, KY	$250,000	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ROWAN COUNTY FISCAL COURT	MOREHEAD, KY	$240,960	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ESPERANZA INC	LEXINGTON, KY	$205,210	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
LEXINGTON CHILDREN'S THEATRE	LEXINGTON, KY	$203,288	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
LEGACY GREENSCAPES	WINCHESTER, KY	$198,607	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
AMERICAN RED CROSS	NASHVILLE, TN	$187,141	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
BANK OF AMERICA CHARITABLE GIFT FUND	BOSTON, MA	$181,949	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ARH FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES INC	LEXINGTON, KY	$161,000	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CIVICLEX	LEXINGTON, KY	$153,776	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
THE WORKING WORLD INC	NEW YORK, NY	$150,000	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN CHURCH	CINCINNATI, OH	$146,380	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CITY OF WINCHESTER	WINCHESTER, KY	$139,349	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
BLACK MALE WORKING ACADEMY	LEXINGTON, KY	$138,795	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
LEXINGTON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL	LEXINGTON, KY	$138,717	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
JAMES BAKER HALL FOUNDATION INC	SADIEVILLE, KY	$136,623	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
JUBILEE JOBS OF LEXINGTON	LEXINGTON, KY	$136,614	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
YMCA OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY	LEXINGTON, KY	$133,500	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ULTRASOUND LEADERSHIP ACADEMY INC	HILLSBORO, KY	$131,223	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
ROWLAND ARTS CENTER	WINCHESTER, KY	$123,879	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
DYNAMIC CATHOLIC INSTITUTE	ERLANGER, KY	$120,000	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
GOD'S PANTRY FOOD BANK	LEXINGTON, KY	$119,425	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
FIRST METHODIST CHURCH	CYNTHIANA, KY	$119,172	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
COMMUNITY RESPONSE COALITION OF KENTUCKY INC	LEXINGTON, KY	$117,680	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CLARK COUNTY FISCAL COURT	WINCHESTER, KY	$115,897	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE BLUEGRASS INC	LEXINGTON, KY	$113,686	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
BLUEGRASS COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE	LEXINGTON, KY	$112,500	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE KING	LEXINGTON, KY	$111,876	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
LEXINGTON RESCUE MISSION	LEXINGTON, KY	$111,822	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CENTRAL EUROPEAN CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOUNDATION	NASHVILLE, TN	$105,000	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
THE HEARING & SPEECH CENTER	LEXINGTON, KY	$102,436	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
REDWOOD COOPERATIVE SCHOOL	LEXINGTON, KY	$101,667	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
LEEDS CENTER FOR THE ARTS	WINCHESTER, KY	$100,595	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
CENTRAL KENTUCKY YOUTH ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INC	LEXINGTON, KY	$98,955	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
LEXARTS	LEXINGTON, KY	$97,277	2026	TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION

Recipient

Location

Amount

Year

Purpose

THE FAYETTE EDUCATION FOUNDATION

LEXINGTON, KY

$520,164

2026