To unite people and invest resources through philanthropy to enhance the quality of life in the communities served, creating hometowns with opportunity, prosperity, and a fulfilling life for all.
Central Kentucky Community Foundation Inc’s recent giving shows a strong tilt toward schools, churches, and community institutions in Hardin County and surrounding Central Kentucky. The largest grants in the record include $460,000 to Larue County Board of Education in 2024 and $150,000 to the same district in 2025, alongside major support for Kentucky Community & Technical College System Foundation and Elizabethtown Community & Technical College. That pattern places education at the center of the foundation’s grantmaking, while still leaving room for faith-based support, human services, and arts and culture. The foundation also gives repeatedly to local civic and cultural anchors. The Brown-pusey House in Elizabethtown received multiple awards across 2023 to 2025, including funding classified for community education and arts and culture. First Christian Church in Elizabethtown also appears more than once, as do other congregations and service organizations in the area. With annual grants of $2.77 million and assets of $41.6 million, the foundation operates at a regional scale, but its grants are concentrated in local institutions that serve children, students, families, and congregations.
Education is a core theme in the grant record. Larue County Board of Education received $460,000 in 2024 and $150,000 in 2025 for K-12 education, while Hope Academy for Kids received $22,250 in 2025 for K-12 education. Postsecondary support also appears through Kentucky Community & Technical College System Foundation at $196,934 in 2024 and Elizabethtown Community & Technical College at $78,118 in 2024. Faith-based support is another visible strand. Legacy Mission International received $97,500 in 2025 for religious support, and First Christian Church in Elizabethtown received $60,000 in 2025 and $54,675 in 2023 for the same category. Human services are present too: Presbyterian Homes & Services of Kentucky received $50,000 in 2025, while Casa of the Heartland, Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland, and Warm Blessings also received grants in 2025. Arts and culture show up through The Brown-pusey House and Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum.
Typical grants cluster around five figures: the p25 is $9,038, the median is $12,311, and the p75 is $20,000. The recent record includes a smaller set of much larger awards, especially for schools and colleges, but most grants sit closer to the median than to the largest awards. Recipients often appear across multiple years, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation funds through a community foundation structure and does not make program-related investments or grants to individuals. Some initiatives accept unsolicited applications, including Hardin County Educational Fund, ECTC Scholarships, and Dow Sustainability Grant; others such as Financial Foundations Fund, Give5, Heels Together, and Get Ready! do not.
$1M
$41.6M
$4.7M
$2.3M
Most grants fall between $9K and $20K, with a median of $12K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$12K
75th Percentile
$20K
DAVETTE SWINEY
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Grantmaking is local and heavily centered in Kentucky. 84% of grants go to recipients in KY, and the top state by grant count is also KY. Elizabethtown appears frequently, including Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, The Brown-pusey House, First Christian Church, Severns Valley Baptist Church, and several human services groups. Hodgenville also appears through Larue County Board of Education. Outside Kentucky, the recent record includes Greenville, SC; Rancho Dominguez, CA; and Florence, AL, but the overall recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The grant record centers on education, faith-based organizations, human services, and community institutions. Recent awards include Larue County Board of Education, Kentucky Community & Technical College System Foundation, First Christian Church, and Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland. Existing focus areas also include early childhood, youth services, community development, financial literacy, scholarships, and nonprofit capacity building.
Typical grants are in the five-figure range. The listed distribution is $9,038 at the 25th percentile, $12,311 at the median, and $20,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes larger awards for schools and colleges, but most grants fall near the median.
Most giving stays in Kentucky: 84% of grants go to recipients in KY, and Kentucky is the top state by grant count. The recent record does include a small number of out-of-state recipients, such as Legacy Mission International in Greenville, SC; Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum in Rancho Dominguez, CA; and Heritage Christian University in Florence, AL.
Yes. Active programs listed as accepting unsolicited applications include Hardin County Educational Fund, ECTC Scholarships, and Dow Sustainability Grant. Other named initiatives, including Financial Foundations Fund, Give5, Heels Together, and Get Ready!, are marked as not accepting unsolicited applications.
Yes. Several organizations receive multiple grants across different years, including Larue County Board of Education, First Christian Church, The Brown-pusey House, Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, Ket, Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland, Warm Blessings, and Heritage Christian University. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than single awards.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LARUE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION | HODGENVILLE, KY | $150,000 | 2025 | K-12 EDUCATION |
| LEGACY MISSION INTERNATIONAL | GREENVILLE, SC | $97,500 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS SUPPORT |
| FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $60,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS SUPPORT |
| THE BROWN-PUSEY HOUSE | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $53,987 | 2025 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| PRESBYTERIAN HOMES & SERVICES OF KENTUCKY | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| KET | LEXINGTON, KY | $43,499 | 2025 | COMMUNITY EDUCATION |
| ELIZABETHTOWN COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $42,023 | 2025 | EARLY CHILDHOOD |
| BRANDENBURG UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | BRANDENBURG, KY | $40,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS SUPPORT |
| DOMINGUEZ RANCHO ADOBE MUSEUM | RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| SEVERNS VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $30,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS SUPPORT |
| CASA OF THE HEARTLAND | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $25,844 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| FEEDING AMERICA KENTUCKY'S HEARTLAND | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $24,600 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| WARM BLESSINGS | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $23,661 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| HOPE ACADEMY FOR KIDS | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $22,250 | 2025 | K-12 EDUCATION |
| HERITAGE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY | FLORENCE, AL | $20,500 | 2025 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| SUMMIT CHURCH | FORT MYERS, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS SUPPORT |
| FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY | HENDERSON, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| HELPING HAND OF HOPE | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $16,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| SPRINGHAVEN INC DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $15,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| FRIENDS OF THE HARDIN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $14,191 | 2025 | ANIMAL WELFARE |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY | LEXINGTON, KY | $13,000 | 2025 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH OF CHRIST | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $12,800 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL KENTUCKY COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL INC | LEBANON, KY | $12,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| MONROE BAPTIST CHURCH | TOMPKINSVILLE, KY | $12,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS SUPPORT |
| BAPTIST HEALTH HARDIN FOUNDATION | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $11,500 | 2025 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $11,186 | 2025 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| CITY OF ELIZABETHTOWN (ELIZABETHTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT) | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $10,459 | 2025 | COMMUNITY SAFETY |
| SHPIEL THEATRE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY EDUCATION |
| PROJECT LEARN INC | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| WHAS CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN INC | LOUISVILLE, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| CENTRAL VALLEY FEED THE HOMELESS | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| ROOM IN THE INN HARDIN COUNTY | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| WESLEY HILLTOP HOUSE INC | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $8,023 | 2025 | YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| HARDIN COUNTY SCHOOLS | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $7,976 | 2025 | EARLY CHILDHOOD |
| GRAYSON COUNTY | LEITCHFIELD, KY | $7,500 | 2025 | COMMUNITY SAFETY |
| HOSPARUS INC | LOUISVILLE, KY | $7,500 | 2025 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| FAMILY SCHOLAR HOUSE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $7,410 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| ANIMAL RESCUE KARE - ARK | MUNFORDVILLE, KY | $7,000 | 2025 | ANIMAL WELFARE |
| LEBANON JUNCTION CHURCH OF CHRIST | LEBANON JUNCTION, KY | $7,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS SUPPORT |
| RAPTOR REHABILITATION OF KENTUCKY INC | LOUISVILLE, KY | $6,000 | 2025 | ANIMAL WELFARE |
| SILVERLEAF SEXUAL TRAUMA RECOVERY SERVICES | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $5,599 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| ST VINCENT DE PAUL OUTREACH MINISTRIES | BARDSTOWN, KY | $5,500 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| COMMUNICARE INC | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $5,144 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| LARUE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION | HODGENVILLE, KY | $460,000 | 2024 | K-12 EDUCATION |
| KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM FOUNDATION | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $196,934 | 2024 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| ELIZABETHTOWN COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $78,118 | 2024 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| THE BROWN-PUSEY HOUSE | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $54,688 | 2024 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $45,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS SUPPORT |
| KET | LEXINGTON, KY | $43,615 | 2024 | COMMUNITY EDUCATION |
| FEEDING AMERICA KENTUCKY'S HEARTLAND | ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | $21,100 | 2024 | HUMAN SERVICES |
LARUE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
$150,000K-12 EDUCATION
LEGACY MISSION INTERNATIONAL
$97,500RELIGIOUS SUPPORT
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
$60,000RELIGIOUS SUPPORT
THE BROWN-PUSEY HOUSE
$53,987ARTS & CULTURE
PRESBYTERIAN HOMES & SERVICES OF KENTUCKY
$50,000HUMAN SERVICES
COMMUNITY EDUCATION
ELIZABETHTOWN COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE
$42,023EARLY CHILDHOOD
BRANDENBURG UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$40,000RELIGIOUS SUPPORT
DOMINGUEZ RANCHO ADOBE MUSEUM
$40,000ARTS & CULTURE
SEVERNS VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH
$30,000RELIGIOUS SUPPORT
WARM BLESSINGS
$23,661HUMAN SERVICES
HOPE ACADEMY FOR KIDS
$22,250K-12 EDUCATION
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
$20,500HIGHER EDUCATION
SUMMIT CHURCH
$20,000RELIGIOUS SUPPORT
HELPING HAND OF HOPE
$16,000HUMAN SERVICES
SPRINGHAVEN INC DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM
$15,000HUMAN SERVICES
FRIENDS OF THE HARDIN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER
$14,191ANIMAL WELFARE
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
$13,000HIGHER EDUCATION
ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH OF CHRIST
$12,800RELIGIOUS SUPPORT
CENTRAL KENTUCKY COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL INC
$12,000HUMAN SERVICES
MONROE BAPTIST CHURCH
$12,000RELIGIOUS SUPPORT
CITY OF ELIZABETHTOWN (ELIZABETHTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT)
$10,459COMMUNITY SAFETY
SHPIEL THEATRE
$10,000COMMUNITY EDUCATION
PROJECT LEARN INC
$10,000HUMAN SERVICES
CENTRAL VALLEY FEED THE HOMELESS
$10,000HUMAN SERVICES
ROOM IN THE INN HARDIN COUNTY
$10,000HUMAN SERVICES
WESLEY HILLTOP HOUSE INC
$8,023YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
HARDIN COUNTY SCHOOLS
$7,976EARLY CHILDHOOD
GRAYSON COUNTY
$7,500COMMUNITY SAFETY
FAMILY SCHOLAR HOUSE
$7,410HUMAN SERVICES
ANIMAL RESCUE KARE - ARK
$7,000ANIMAL WELFARE
LEBANON JUNCTION CHURCH OF CHRIST
$7,000RELIGIOUS SUPPORT
RAPTOR REHABILITATION OF KENTUCKY INC
$6,000ANIMAL WELFARE
SILVERLEAF SEXUAL TRAUMA RECOVERY SERVICES
$5,599HUMAN SERVICES
ST VINCENT DE PAUL OUTREACH MINISTRIES
$5,500HUMAN SERVICES
COMMUNICARE INC
$5,144HUMAN SERVICES
LARUE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
$460,000K-12 EDUCATION
HIGHER EDUCATION
ELIZABETHTOWN COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE
$78,118HIGHER EDUCATION
THE BROWN-PUSEY HOUSE
$54,688ARTS & CULTURE
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
$45,000RELIGIOUS SUPPORT
Current and upcoming funding from Central Kentucky Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicants must be Hardin County Schools faculty or staff. The program is restricted access and applicants need an access code. Grant recipients must report follow-up outcomes. First-time applicants must contact CKCF to set up a user account.
Deadline: Teachers may apply at any time; grants are awarded throughout the year.
Who can apply: Applicants must meet the general Granted program eligibility requirements and serve people in Washington County who face financial hardship.
Deadline: Application deadline: August 1, 2026.
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