United Way of Central Indiana grants $10.5M to 34 organizations for family programs

United Way of Central Indiana announced Wednesday that it is awarding $10.5 million in grants to 34 organizations from its Family Opportunity Fund.

The fund supports the integration of services that improve the education, financial stability and overall health and well-being of families. The work is rooted in what’s called the 2Gen – short for two-generation – approach, which focuses on supporting children and their caregivers to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Of the 34 grantees, five organizations will use their funding to grow their operations, build partnerships, and improve data collection to support 2Gen programming.

A committee of 19 people – including United Way staff, board members, and community volunteers – reviewed applications and selected the recipients.

“We remain committed to working alongside our partners, who are providing innovative and integrated 2Gen services and programs to families throughout Central Indiana,” said Shannon Jenkins, United Way’s impact senior director. “Sustaining investment in new and innovative models that lead to positive outcomes for families is what will lead to intergenerational opportunity for thousands of Central Indiana families over the next five years.”

Organizations that received grants serve people throughout central Indiana. United Way estimates the funding will assist approximately 4,000 families over a period of 15 months.

Family Opportunity Fund Grantees

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana: $175,000
  • Brightlane Learning: $225,000
  • Catholic Charities: $440,000
  • Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE): $600,000
  • Concord Neighborhood Center: $175,000
  • Early Learning Indiana: $325,000
  • Easterseals Crossroads: $325,000
  • Edna Martin Christian Center: $600,000
  • Fathers and Families Centers: $480,000
  • Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center: $225,000
  • Firefly Children & Family Alliance: $175,000
  • Flanner House: $600,000
  • Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana: $450,000
  • Hawthorne Community Center: $600,000
  • Indianapolis Urban League: $600,000
  • Indy Reads: $175,000
  • Lutheran Child & Family Services: $600,000
  • Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY): $200,000
  • Martin Luther King Community Center: $400,000
  • PACE: $175,000
  • Reach for Youth: $175,000
  • Shepherd Community Center: $225,000
  • Southeast Community Services: $410,000
  • Mary’s Early Childhood Center: $350,000
  • TeenWorks: $175,000
  • The Villages of Indiana: $320,000
  • Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana: $450,000
  • YMCA of Greater Indianapolis: $175,000
  • YMCA of Morgan County: $175,000

2Gen Capacity Building Grantees

Five organizations will receive a $100,000 2Gen capacity building grant. These grantees will join the 2023 Family Opportunity Fund cohort to learn from other grantees, as well as receive 2Gen technical assistance and support from United Way’s Impact team. The organizations are:

  • The Arc of Greater Boone County
  • AYS
  • Burmese American Community Institute, Inc.
  • Christamore House
  • Noble