Blue River Community Foundation shares progress on Community Support Grant initiatives

Blue River Community Foundation (BRCF) is celebrating significant progress in its efforts to strengthen Shelby County through a collaborative, data-informed approach made possible by a $750,000 Community Support Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through the GIFT IX initiative.

Rather than simply distributing grant dollars, BRCF has focused on listening to the community, gathering data, and working alongside nonprofit organizations, local leaders, and residents to identify the community's greatest opportunities and challenges.

"One of the greatest benefits of this grant has been the opportunity to slow down, listen, and make decisions with our community instead of for our community," said Jennifer Jones, Executive Director at Blue River Community Foundation. "The result is a stronger understanding of where our investments can have the greatest long-term impact."

During the first six months of the grant, BRCF launched two major initiatives that will shape community investment for years to come.

The first was a comprehensive Nonprofit Needs Assessment conducted in partnership with Hedges, a community impact consulting firm. The assessment engaged nonprofit leaders, board members, volunteers, community partners, and funders to better understand the strengths and capacity-building needs of Shelby County's nonprofit sector.

The findings are now serving as a roadmap for future grantmaking, training opportunities, technical assistance, and collaboration among local organizations. The assessment also led to the creation of BRCF's Framework for Nonprofit Support, a long-term strategy designed to ensure Shelby County nonprofits have access to the financial, human, and knowledge resources needed to grow, collaborate, and better serve the community.

BRCF also partnered with Major Health Partners (MHP) to expand the impact of Shelby County's Community Health Needs Assessment. While the assessment is completed every three years to help guide hospital priorities, BRCF and MHP brought together nonprofit organizations, community leaders, and other stakeholders to review the findings collectively and identify opportunities for coordinated community action.

That work has already resulted in the creation of cross-sector committees focused on addressing several of Shelby County's highest priority health challenges, including removing barriers to health, improving women's health and well-being, and addressing child and adolescent obesity.

The Community Support Grant has also enabled BRCF to make early investments in projects addressing community needs. During the first six months of the grant period, the Foundation awarded more than $98,000 to support two significant initiatives.

One grant established a Child Care Support Specialist through Child Care Answers to strengthen access to quality childcare, support providers, and connect families with needed resources throughout Shelby County.

Another investment brought Su Casa to Shelby County by opening a new office inside the Blue River Community Foundation building. The office expands access to family support services, translation assistance, resource navigation, and advocacy for Latino families, helping remove barriers that local partners have identified for many years.

Looking ahead, BRCF plans to continue using the data gathered through both assessments to guide future grantmaking and community partnerships. The Foundation is also exploring a targeted grant opportunity focused on advancing solutions to the community's highest-priority health needs.

"Our goal is not simply to fund good work," Jones said. "It's to help build a stronger nonprofit sector and bring organizations together around shared priorities so that, collectively, we can create lasting improvements in the quality of life throughout Shelby County."

For more information about Blue River Community Foundation and its Community Support Grant initiatives, visit www.blueriverfoundation.com or call 317-392-7955.