OVERVIEW: The Clowes Fund supports social services, arts, education, workforce development and immigrants and refugees in Indiana and other areas of interest to the family.
FUNDING AREAS: Social services, arts, education, workforce development, immigrants and refugees
IP TAKE: Indiana nonprofits must share the Clowes Fund with two other geographic regions but this is a particularly good funder to know for Indianapolis groups because it often supports returning grantees.
PROFILE: Established in 1952, the Clowes Fund is a family foundation based in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the foundation of Dr. George Henry Alexander Clowes, his wife, Edith, and their sons, Allen W. and Dr. George H.A. Clowes, Jr. The founding patriarch was the director of research at Eli Lilly and Company. Clowes family members of the third and fourth generations govern the foundation today. The foundation aims to "seeks to enhance the common good by encouraging organizations and projects that help to build a just and equitable society, create opportunities for initiative, foster creativity and the growth of knowledge and promote appreciation of the natural environment.” It funds local efforts for social services, arts, education, workforce development and immigrants and refugees.
The Clowes Fund has specific interests in Indianapolis, Indiana related to social services. At this time, it is primarily interested in proposals to benefit immigrants, refugees and asylees. Grants for this population address the legal, economical, language and psychological hurdles these people experience locally. It previously funded new requests for workforce development, but is now mostly only supporting existing grantees in this funding area. These grants fund efforts to better access to jobs, skills training, keep youth ages 15 to 25 in school and to help dropout students reenter school and achieve economic self-sufficiency. The Clowes Fund awards for capital, operating, matching, endowment, challenge, capacity building, program/project and seed money support.
Grants range between about $5,000 and $50,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving on the grants awarded page of the funder’s website. Grantmaking focuses on Indianapolis, New England and Seattle. In Indiana, the focus is on Marion County and the seven contiguous counties. Past local grantees include Marion County Commission on Youth, Chin Community of Indiana and Shepherd Community Center.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofit through its online system. It accepts preliminary proposals by November 1, final proposals by February 1 and makes funding decisions by July 1. Direct general questions to the staff at staff@clowesfund.org or 317-833-0144.
PEOPLE:
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