Blue River Foundation Inc
Blue River Foundation Inc (also known as Blue River Community Foundation) is a community foundation based in Shelbyville, Indiana, serving Shelby County. Established in 1988, the foundation was created when the Leadership Shelby County Class learned about the community foundation model while exploring the possibility of establishing a YMCA in the community. The foundation operates from a historic Victorian Eclectic building constructed in 1896, which previously served as Shelbyville High School and later as administrative offices for Shelbyville Central Schools before being donated to the foundation in 1998.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$62.3M
+14.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.9M
+33.6% YoY
Grant Count
50
-21.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$59K
+71.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The foundation is a catalyst for igniting action that elevates the quality of life in Shelby County.
Vision: To encourage philanthropy and inspire action that improves all lives and builds stronger communities in Shelby County.
Primary Funding Areas:
- Education
- Civic causes
- Youth development
- Arts and culture
- Social services
- Health
- Community development and improvement
Grantmaking
The foundation administers multiple grant programs with varying deadlines and award timelines:
Review Cycle
and award timelines:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily serves Shelby County, Indiana. The Wortman Family Foundation Grants program extends to Hancock County as well.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $62,304,997
- Total revenues: $12,136,621
- Total expenses: $5,790,878
- Total giving: $4,351,596
- Program expense ratio: 71.66%
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $62,304,997 | $54,309,733 | $47,834,724 |
| Revenue | $12,136,621 | $5,733,321 | $4,011,694 |
| Expenses | $5,790,878 | $4,119,542 | $3,720,111 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,212,759 | $1,896,511 | $2,353,823 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
241 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Blue River Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Boys and Girls Club of Shelby ($798,837), Early Learning Shelby County ($543,863), Shelby Co Players ($335,839).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BLUE RIVER CAREER PROGRAMS SHELBYVILLE, IN | INDUSTRY PROGRAM | $12,566 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF HANCOCK COUNTY GREENFIELD, IN | EXERGAME EQUIPMENT | $10,645 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF SHELBY SHELBYVILLE, IN | FUND DISTRIBUTION | $798,837 |
| CANCER ASSOCIATION OF SHELBY COUNTY SHELBYVILLE, IN | HEALTHY EATING PROG | $15,430 |
| DIVISION OF OVERSEAS MINISTRIES INDIANAPOLIS, IN | FOOD PROGRAM | $20,000 |
| DOLLYWOOD FOUNDATION PIGEON FORGE, TN | BOOK PROGRAM | $23,000 |
| EARLY LEARNING SHELBY COUNTY SHELBYVILLE, IN | FACILITY EXPENSES | $543,863 |
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH SHELBYVILLE, IN | FOOD PANTRY/BUILDING | $5,840 |
| FOREST HILL CEMETARY ASSOCIATION SHELBYVILLE, IN | PAVING | $47,500 |
| GEIST CHRISTIAN CHURCH INDIANAPOLIS, IN | OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- Beth Case – President (Financial Advisor, Edward Jones)
- Amy Berthouex – Vice President (Partner, Thurston Farms Partnership)
- Jody Butts – Secretary (Attorney, Stephenson Rife)
- Rob Morgan – Treasurer (Controller, Beaty Construction, Inc.)
- Tim Barrick – Partner & Chief Marketing Officer, RATIO Architects
- Shoshanna Everhart – Director, Indiana DCS Ombudsman Bureau
- Shawn French – Manager Occ Health/Safety, Eli Lilly and Company
- Greg Gerline – Operations Manager, Sandman Bros.
- Eric Glasco – Attorney, Stephenson Rife
- Bill Poland – Founding Partner, Genesis Property Group
- Denny Ramsey – Retired, Shelbyville Central Schools Administrator
- Wendy Stephenson – Retired, Financial Advisor, VALIC
Staff: The foundation employs 7 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BETH CASE | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| AMY BERTHOUEX | VICE PRESIDE | 1 | — |
| JODY BUTTS-DOLDER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ROB MORGAN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| DENNY RAMSEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ERIC GLASCO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LEE MARKS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LISA BRIDGES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SHAWN FRENCH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SHOSHANNA EVERHART | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TIM BARRICK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| WENDY STEPHENSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER JONES | EXECUTIVE DI | 40 | $96,500 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation received a $5 million grant and was awarded a Community Leadership Grant, demonstrating continued support and recognition of its work in the community.
Blue River Community Foundation awarded $5 million grantThe foundation maintains a four-star rating (100% score) for accountability and financial health, reflecting exemplary governance with a fully independent board and robust financial management practices.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Blue River Foundation Inc fund?
**Mission:** The foundation is a catalyst for igniting action that elevates the quality of life in Shelby County. **Vision:** To encourage philanthropy and inspire action that improves all lives and builds stronger communities in Shelby County. **Primary Funding Areas:** • Education • Civic causes • Youth development • Arts and culture • Social services • Health • Community development and improvement
How do I apply for a grant from Blue River Foundation Inc?
The foundation administers multiple grant programs with varying deadlines and award timelines: **Grant Programs:** • **Community Grants** – Interest forms due March 1; awards announced in May • **Hometown Community Grants** – Applications due July 1; awards announced in August • **City & County Progress Grants** – Interest forms due July 1; awards announced in September • **Wortman Family Foundation Grants** – Interest forms due November 1; awards announced in January (serves Shelby and Hancock…
Where does Blue River Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily serves Shelby County, Indiana. The Wortman Family Foundation Grants program extends to Hancock County as well.
What size grants does Blue River Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Blue River Foundation Inc awarded 50 grants totaling $2.9M — an average of about $59K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Blue River Foundation Inc's EIN?
Blue River Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1756331. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Blue River Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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