Blue River Community Foundation

06/17/2026

✨ GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT ✨
We’re excited to award $4,000 to Girl Scouts of Central Indiana for Kitchen Scientist: Cooking Fundamentals!

Through its mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, Girl Scouts of Central Indiana serves more than 14,000 girls each year through programs that develop leadership skills, encourage exploration, and prepare girls for success in life.

🍳 Building on the success of a previous Shelby County cooking program, Kitchen Scientist combines culinary arts, STEM education, and leadership development through hands-on learning experiences delivered in partnership with Girls Inc. of Shelby County.

🔬 Participants will learn not only how to cook, but why cooking techniques work. Through activities focused on food chemistry, nutrition, measurement, kitchen safety, and scientific experimentation, girls will develop practical life skills while exploring STEM concepts in a fun and engaging way.

💚 Research shows that many girls face barriers to STEM participation and opportunities for hands-on learning. By creating an environment that is supportive, collaborative, and girl-centered, this program helps participants build confidence, curiosity, critical thinking skills, and independence. The impact extends beyond the classroom. Girls will take home resources that allow them to continue practicing their skills with family members, reinforcing healthy habits and lifelong learning.

This grant was made possible through the following funds held by BRCF:
- Laura Sly-Pilk Empowerment Fund
- Shelby County Youth Shelter Fund

06/15/2026

✨ GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT ✨
We’re excited to award $25,000 to Blue River Career Programs for their Electrical Trades Start-Up Initiative!

As the career center serving all five Shelby County high schools, Blue River Career Programs equips students with dual college credits, industry credentials, and real-world job skills that prepare them for successful careers after graduation.

⚡ Local employers continue to face a growing shortage of skilled electricians, while student interest in career and technical education remains strong. Community leaders and industry partners identified Electrical Trades as one of the most needed additions to Blue River Career Programs’ current offerings.

🔧 This grant will help launch a new Electrical Trades pathway beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. Students will gain hands-on experience, earn dual credits through Ivy Tech, pursue industry-recognized certifications, and participate in valuable work-based learning opportunities.

👷 The program will create a direct pipeline from high school classrooms to high-demand careers, helping students enter the workforce with the skills employers need while providing local businesses with access to future talent. Workforce development remains one of the most important investments a community can make. By preparing students for careers that are essential to our region’s growth, this project will strengthen both economic opportunity and workforce readiness throughout Shelby County.

This grant was made possible through the following funds held by BRCF:
- Shelby County Life Long Learning Fund
- Bob and Sue Wortman Fund
- Julia C. Runnebohm Memorial Fund

06/12/2026

✨ GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT ✨
We’re excited to award $25,000 to Arts for Learning for an Art Residency at Shelbyville High School!

For more than 60 years, Arts for Learning Indiana has provided high-quality arts education experiences that help students discover creativity, build confidence, and strengthen critical thinking skills.

🖌️ This residency will bring a professional teaching artist into Shelbyville High School, where students will participate in hands-on arts experiences designed to strengthen communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and artistic skills. Teachers will also gain strategies for integrating creativity into everyday learning. The project will culminate in a student-created legacy piece that will remain at the school as a lasting reflection of student voices, experiences, and creativity.

🌟 By investing in the arts, we are investing in student success. This residency will provide meaningful learning experiences that support academic achievement, social-emotional growth, and a stronger sense of belonging within the school community.

This grant was made possible through the following funds held by BRCF:
- DePrez Family Community Fund
- Julia C. Runnebohm Memorial Fund
- Plymate Family Fund

06/10/2026

✨ GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT ✨
We’re excited to award $20,000 to The Arc of Shelby County for the purchase and installation of new equipment at the SENSES Sensory Gym!

For more than a decade, The Arc of Shelby County has provided opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to learn, grow, and thrive. One of its most unique community resources is the SENSES Sensory Gym, which serves children of all abilities through interactive sensory play experiences.

🌈 The SENSES Sensory Gym is the only facility of its kind within a 40-mile radius of Shelbyville and has welcomed more than 100,000 child visits over the past decade. Families throughout the region rely on the space to support sensory development, motor skills, and social interaction.

🧠 This grant will support the purchase of a new Litezilla Ultimate Scarf Launcher, replacing an aging homemade attraction that has become a favorite among visitors. The upgraded equipment will provide expanded opportunities for movement, exploration, observation, and sensory learning.

💛 By supporting inclusive spaces like SENSES, we help create a community where every child has opportunities to learn, play, and reach their full potential.

This grant was made possible through the following funds held by BRCF:
- Access to Recreation Fund
- Bueford and Caryl Loper Robbins Fund

06/08/2026

✨ GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT ✨
We’re excited to award $10,000 to The Addison Times for Strategic Planning!

As Shelby County’s community-focused nonprofit news organization, The Addison Times provides free local journalism that helps residents stay informed, engaged, and connected. Through coverage of local government, community events, history, and public affairs, the publication serves thousands of readers across the county.

📰 As The Addison Times transitions from its founder-led model to a nonprofit organization, its leadership is focused on building a strong foundation for the future. While the publication has experienced steady growth and strong community support, long-term sustainability requires thoughtful planning around staffing, operations, technology, community engagement, and future expansion.

📋 This grant will support a comprehensive strategic planning process that brings together board members, community stakeholders, and professional consultants to create a roadmap for the organization's next chapter. The process will help identify opportunities to expand countywide coverage, strengthen digital outreach, and ensure the organization can continue adapting to a rapidly changing media landscape.

🏘️ Local journalism plays a critical role in building strong communities. By helping residents stay informed about the issues that affect their daily lives, The Addison Times strengthens civic engagement, increases community awareness, and helps preserve the stories that make Shelby County unique.

This grant was made possible through the following funds held at BRCF:
- Plymate Family Fund

06/04/2026

✨2026 Community Grant Recipients Announced✨

This year, we are awarding $123,510 to seven organizations whose projects will strengthen Shelby County through local journalism, workforce development, environmental stewardship, arts education, early childhood education, services for individuals with disabilities, and youth development.

Congratulations to our 2026 Community Grant recipients:

✨ Addison Times
✨ Central Indiana Land Trust
✨ Blue River Career Programs
✨ Arts for Learning
✨ Shelby County YMCA
✨ The Arc of Shelby County
✨ Girl Scouts of Central Indiana

These organizations are addressing important community needs while creating new opportunities for residents of all ages. We are grateful to the donors whose generosity makes these investments possible and honored to support the incredible work happening throughout Shelby County.

Learn more about the funded projects in our full announcement.
https://canva.link/2d6x7bfnjgch99j

06/03/2026

June's enewsletter is overflowing with good news and information!

🌟Shelby County welcomes Su Casa to our community!
🌟2026 Scholarship recipients announced! 248 Scholarships were distributed to 167 students totalling $541,300.
🌟Registration is filling up for the 2027 Scholarship Workshop. There's still time to sign up!
🌟2026 Community Grant Recipients announced! $123,510 was awarded to local nonprofit agencies.
🌟Progress and Hometown Grant cycles are open!
🌟Another utility art box installation was completed at the Blue River Trailhead!
🌟The Jordan and Brooke Caldwell Family Community Fund was established to support Shelby County for years to come!
🌟The 2025 Annual Report is available online https://indd.adobe.com/view/d8a66e07-d335-49fb-9764-3aa0a878d1f8

Read all the details and more at the following link: https://mailchi.mp/blueriverfoundation.com/brcf-jun2026-news-17661652

06/03/2026

We love an opportunity to partner with our local community stakeholders to continue supporting and growing our nonprofit community. Thanks for the shout out Hedges!!

Indiana has more than 47,000 nonprofits. Across the country, the sector employs more than 12 million people and spends nearly $2 trillion each year.

And yet, many people enter the nonprofit world by accident or simply because someone gave them a chance, invited them to volunteer, or encouraged them to get involved.

That’s why programs like Shelby County Jr. Leadership are so important.

This spring, 23 students from the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce initiative gathered at Blue River Career Center for a hands-on learning experience facilitated by Hedges and funded by Blue River Community Foundation.

These teens explored how nonprofits operate, how organizations create change, and how students can connect their interests, skills, and values to causes that matter to them.

Thank you to Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and Blue River Community Foundation for investing in the next generation of nonprofit leadership.

Read more on our website about why nonprofit education and leadership development matter now more than ever. https://www.hellohedges.com/2026/05/18/building-the-nonprofit-leadership-pipeline-in-shelby-county/

06/01/2026

REMINDER: The deadline to register for Blue River Community Foundation’s summer Scholarship Workshop is June 11 for the June 18th session. A limited number of seats are still available.
This free workshop is open to Shelby County high school students who will graduate by June 2027. Students will learn about scholarship opportunities available through BRCF, including the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. Topics will include using BRCF’s online application, writing an expressive essay, choosing recommenders, interview preparation, and transitioning from high school to college. Attendees will also hear insights from members of BRCF’s Alumni Scholar Alliance and a representative from INvestEd.

Students may choose one of the following sessions:
June 18 from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
July 16 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

To register, visit: https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/104258
To learn more, visit: blueriverfoundation.com
For questions, contact Julie Alvis at [email protected] or 317-392-7955 ext. 102.
Link to flyer for additional information: https://indd.adobe.com/view/86c0770f-c1b8-43a5-857e-666033171f91

05/30/2026

Memorial and honorary gifts were recently made to Blue River Community Foundation for the individuals listed below. This is a wonderful, lasting way to honor those who are celebrating special milestones like a birthday, anniversary, or retirement, or to memorialize those we've lost.
The Foundation notifies family members of the tribute gift , but we never share gift amounts.
Donors do not have to have their own fund or set up a new fund to honor those they love. The Foundation has a number of funds already established to support the organizations and causes that mean the most to the honoree.