The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County is a charitable endowment that seeks to improve the quality of life for the citizens of St. Joseph County and their succeeding generations by receiving gifts, investing them perpetually, and using the earnings to make grants to local charities.
A full-tuition scholarship administered for local students sits alongside a broad set of competitive grant programs, showing how Community Foundation of St Joseph County Inc blends education support with community philanthropy. The foundation awards local grants in St. Joseph County through programs such as Special Project Grants, ArtsEverywhere Grants, Senior Living Grants, and scholarship opportunities tied to specific student populations. It also administers the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship locally for selected students attending accredited Indiana colleges or universities. Recent grant records show both large institutional support and targeted community funding. Among the foundation’s largest grants are a restricted award to Intend Indiana Inc in Indianapolis and major allocations through South Bend-based grant listings, indicating that a substantial share of its annual giving moves through organized local grant cycles. The foundation also supports operating and unrestricted grants, which appear in recent awards to organizations such as St Margarets House and REAL Services Inc. Education remains central across multiple programs, but the portfolio also reaches arts, senior services, community development, and racial equity through named scholarship and grant initiatives. That mix suggests a funder that uses both competitive processes and program-specific awards to serve county residents across different stages of life.
Education is one of the clearest themes in the foundation’s grantmaking. The CFSJC Scholarship Program awards more than 80 scholarship funds and includes internship-supported opportunities for local students, while the 21st Century Scholar Success Fellowship provides a $5,000 stipend to 21st Century Scholars from St. Joseph County attending a local college or university. Arts support appears through the ArtsEverywhere Grants program, a biannual competitive process for arts-related nonprofit work. In recent awards, South Bend Civic Theatre received $183,540 and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra received $682,480, both reflecting the foundation’s role in sustaining local cultural programming. Senior services are another defined area. The Senior Living Grants program supports senior living-related nonprofit organizations and programs in St. Joseph County, and recent grants include Center for Hospice Care in Mishawaka, which received $177,300. The foundation also runs Special Project Grants for community-based nonprofit projects and capacity-building work.
$26M
$327.4M
$61.3M
$30.1M
Most grants fall between $9.1M and $10.3M, with a median of $9.7M.
25th Percentile
$9.1M
Median
$9.7M
75th Percentile
$10.3M
Rose Meissner
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The typical grant size is large: the 25th percentile is $9,079,962, the median is $9,684,436, and the 75th percentile is $10,288,911. That size profile points to a foundation that often moves substantial dollars through a relatively concentrated set of awards. Recent records also show both restricted and unrestricted support, alongside scholarship awards with fixed amounts such as $7,000 and $5,000 in named programs. Its giving is local and recurring rather than one-off, with 100% of grants going to recipients in Indiana and active, continuing programs such as competitive grants, scholarships, and administered partnerships. The foundation accepts unsolicited applications for several programs, including Special Project Grants, ArtsEverywhere Grants, Senior Living Grants, and scholarship opportunities.
Grantmaking is concentrated in St. Joseph County, Indiana, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s home state. Recent awards are centered in South Bend, with additional grants in Mishawaka, Elkhart, Valparaiso, Indianapolis, and Plymouth. The recipient list also includes a small number of nonlocal organizations, such as Arise Rwanda Ministries in Portland, Oregon, and Global Impact in Washington, DC, but these are exceptions within an otherwise county-centered portfolio.
Active programs include Special Project Grants, ArtsEverywhere Grants, Senior Living Grants, the CFSJC Scholarship Program, the Charles Martin “Touch a Life” Scholarship, the 21st Century Scholar Success Fellowship, and the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship administered locally.
Yes. Several programs accept unsolicited applications, including Special Project Grants, ArtsEverywhere Grants, Senior Living Grants, and the scholarship opportunities listed in the active programs section.
Its grant-size distribution is high: the 25th percentile is $9,079,962, the median is $9,684,436, and the 75th percentile is $10,288,911.
It gives most often in Indiana, and 100% of grants in the recipient-country distribution go to U.S. organizations.
The listed focus areas include education, early childhood literacy, scholarships, arts and culture, nonprofit capacity building, senior services, community development, and racial equity / African American community support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Community Foundation of St Joseph County that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations serving the citizens of St. Joseph County are eligible to apply.
Deadline: March 1 and October 1 each year; if a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications are due the next business day at 9:00 a.m.
Who can apply: Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations located in or serving St. Joseph County, Indiana, that demonstrate superior leadership, management, programming, impact, partnerships, and organizational quality. Organizations serving multiple counties must focus their responses on St. Joseph County. Invited applicants must provide organizational leadership and board information, budgets, an independent financial audit, and other application attachments.
Deadline: Letter of intent deadline: July 1, 2027. Full application deadline for invited organizations: August 1, 2027, by 11:59 p.m.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intend Indiana Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $12,250,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Community Foundation of Elkhart County | Elkhart, IN | $1,000,400 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Marshall County Community Foundation | Plymouth, IN | $875,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| South Bend Symphony Orchestra | South Bend, IN | $682,480 | 2025 | Restricted |
| St Margarets House | South Bend, IN | $567,707 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| REAL Services Inc | South Bend, IN | $408,019 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| LOGAN | South Bend, IN | $396,916 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Michiana Area Council of Governments | South Bend, IN | $395,966 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Ivy Tech Foundation | South Bend, IN | $320,127 | 2025 | Restricted |
| New Day Intake Center | South Bend, IN | $262,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| HealthLinc | Valparaiso, IN | $250,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Hope Ministries | South Bend, IN | $244,457 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Arise Rwanda Ministries | Portland, OR | $244,455 | 2025 | Restricted |
| REAL Services Foundation Inc | South Bend, IN | $237,746 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| South Bend Community School Corporation | South Bend, IN | $225,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Habitat for Humanity | South Bend, IN | $209,192 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Mishawaka Parks & Recreation Foundation Inc | Mishawaka, IN | $205,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Heroes Camp Inc | South Bend, IN | $203,234 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Indiana University South Bend | South Bend, IN | $202,641 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Global Impact | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| WVPE | Elkhart, IN | $188,215 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Saint Joseph High School | South Bend, IN | $186,814 | 2025 | Restricted |
| South Bend Civic Theatre | South Bend, IN | $183,540 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Center for Hospice Care | Mishawaka, IN | $177,300 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Center for the Homeless | South Bend, IN | $154,984 | 2025 | Restricted |
| United Way of St Joseph County | South Bend, IN | $146,321 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| The Dollywood Foundation | Sevierville, TN | $145,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor | South Bend, IN | $142,329 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| YMCA of Greater Michiana Inc | Niles, MI | $126,573 | 2025 | Restricted |
| The History Museum | South Bend, IN | $124,556 | 2025 | Restricted |
| City of South Bend | South Bend, IN | $123,064 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Potawatomi Zoological Society | South Bend, IN | $117,600 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Farm to Family Fund Inc | Bloomington, IN | $115,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| WNIT Channel 34 | South Bend, IN | $105,426 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| enFocus Inc | South Bend, IN | $100,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Reins of Life | South Bend, IN | $99,740 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Bethel University | Mishawaka, IN | $94,205 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Youth Service Bureau | South Bend, IN | $93,703 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| South Bend Education Foundation Inc | South Bend, IN | $92,975 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| The Foundation of Saint Joseph Health System | Mishawaka, IN | $92,895 | 2025 | Restricted |
| YWCA North Central Indiana Inc | South Bend, IN | $87,554 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| South Bend Museum of Art | South Bend, IN | $85,263 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Scholarship Foundation of St Joseph County | Mishawaka, IN | $84,680 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Fischoff National Chamber Music Association | Notre Dame, IN | $84,050 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Robinson Community Learning Center - University of Notre Dame | South Bend, IN | $83,400 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Holy Cross College | Notre Dame, IN | $79,427 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| John Glenn School Corporation | Walkerton, IN | $77,671 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation | Mishawaka, IN | $75,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| School City of Mishawaka | Mishawaka, IN | $75,000 | 2025 | Restricted |
| Network for Good | Chicago, IL | $73,500 | 2025 | Restricted |
Intend Indiana Inc
$12,250,000Restricted
Marshall County Community Foundation
$875,000Restricted
South Bend Symphony Orchestra
$682,480Restricted
Unrestricted
Michiana Area Council of Governments
$395,966Restricted
New Day Intake Center
$262,500Unrestricted
Hope Ministries
$244,457Unrestricted
Arise Rwanda Ministries
$244,455Restricted
REAL Services Foundation Inc
$237,746Unrestricted
South Bend Community School Corporation
$225,000Restricted
Habitat for Humanity
$209,192Restricted
Mishawaka Parks & Recreation Foundation Inc
$205,000Restricted
Indiana University South Bend
$202,641Restricted
WVPE
$188,215Restricted
Saint Joseph High School
$186,814Restricted
South Bend Civic Theatre
$183,540Restricted
Center for Hospice Care
$177,300Unrestricted
City of South Bend
$123,064Restricted
Farm to Family Fund Inc
$115,000Restricted
South Bend Education Foundation Inc
$92,975Unrestricted
The Foundation of Saint Joseph Health System
$92,895Restricted
South Bend Museum of Art
$85,263Restricted
Scholarship Foundation of St Joseph County
$84,680Unrestricted
Fischoff National Chamber Music Association
$84,050Restricted
John Glenn School Corporation
$77,671Restricted
Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation
$75,000Restricted
School City of Mishawaka
$75,000Restricted
Network for Good
$73,500Restricted