Dearborn Community Foundation Inc
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc. is a public charity based in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Established in 1997, it builds and safeguards community endowments and makes grants supporting quality of life in Dearborn County.
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Dearborn Community Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 38 grants in 2025 (avg $33K), mostly in Indiana. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,238,044
- +9.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 38
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $32,580
- +9.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $11,179
- Total assets
- $39,140,835
- +17.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (7 of 38, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Dearborn Community Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Grant applications are completed online. Eligible applicants include tax-exempt organizations serving Dearborn County residents; for a tax-exempt organization that is not a 501(c)(3), the request must have a charitable purpose. The Foundation recommends consulting it before applying and advises against submitting applications to multiple programs for the same project in one cycle. School corporations and school-sponsored organizations must first apply to their school’s Endowment Corporation or Education Foundation and include its decision letter. Grant agreements specify the approved purpose and must be signed before funds are released. Recipients must submit a final report with supporting documentation within six months of the award; unused funds must be returned. Some program reviews may take up to three months from the application due date.
- Contact
Mailing address: 322 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
Phone: (812) 539-4115
Website: https://dearborncf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
10 open opportunities from Dearborn Community Foundation Inc
City of Aurora Grant Program
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
City of Lawrenceburg Community Grant Program
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
City of Lawrenceburg Youth Grant Program
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Dearborn Community Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was City of Greendale ($205K). Together the top 10 received $893K.
Grant Size Distribution
179 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 151 grants of 179 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s grant policies say grants must benefit residents of Dearborn County. In 2025, 99% of itemized grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana and 1% to recipients in Ohio. The nursing scholarship program also identifies Ohio County, Indiana, as part of its service region.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Dearborn Community Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 38 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $72K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $71K first-time, $10K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $750K (2023) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 38 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Greendale Greendale, IN | The Greendale Beautification project & purchasing a drone for the Greendale Police Department | $205,000 |
| Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation Lawrenceburg, IN | Needs of the organization | $150,966 |
| LifeTime Housing Group Inc Dillsboro, IN | toward the $3 million addition of an 11-unit building at North Dearborn Village Senior Apartments contingent upon the organization providing proof it has secured the additional funds for completion of the project by April 1, 2026 | $122,767 |
| Miller York Volunteer Fire Department Guilford, IN | Towards the purchase of a new rescue engine contingent upon the organization providing proof it has secured the additional funding for the total purchase and other needs of the organization | $76,000 |
| North Dearborn Community Park Inc Guilford, IN | towards playground equipment contingent upon the organization providing proof it has secured additional funds to complete the playground project | $75,000 |
| City of Aurora Aurora, IN | Endowment distribution & the beautification & landscaping around the flagpole area and memorial at the Huey helicopter in Aurora's Lesko Park | $73,629 |
| Dearborn County Treasurer Lawrenceburg, IN | Endowment distribution | $71,439 |
| Town of Dillsboro Dillsboro, IN | towards the construction of the Pickleball courts and other needs of the organization | $54,328 |
| St John Ev Lutheran Church and School Aurora, IN | Emergency boiler replacement, roof replacement, and other needs of the organization | $32,690 |
| St Lawrence School Lawrenceburg, IN | Technology needs for the school to include 40 Chromebooks, replacement data switches, network support, maintenance, backup, subscription | $31,123 |
Ready to take the next step with Dearborn Community Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,140,835 | $5,749,886 | $2,202,387 | $1,238,044 | 38 | $1,652,152 |
| 2024 | $33,385,847 | $5,778,243 | $1,933,725 | $1,132,091 | 38 | $1,982,639 |
| 2023 | $29,333,321 | $3,099,914 | $1,639,603 | $749,901 | 36 | $916,861 |
| 2022 | $25,543,905 | $2,637,284 | $1,850,554 | $959,605 | 34 | $1,057,963 |
| 2021 | $28,709,986 | $3,989,851 | $1,696,471 | $879,754 | 33 | $1,367,898 |
| 2020 | $24,202,399 | $1,857,914 | $1,762,160 | $936,785 | 36 | $236,463 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to connect people who care with causes that improve quality of life in the community by advancing cultural, educational, and social opportunities, preserving community heritage, and helping donors create a permanent legacy in Dearborn County.
Its website lists grant areas including arts, culture and humanities; community and public benefit; education; public safety; environment and animal protection; human services; and youth programs. It says most grants to nonprofit, IRS tax-exempt organizations are discretionary awards decided through competitive review; the remainder are distributed from donor-established endowment funds based on donor recommendations.
Examples from 2025 show support for varied local organizations. North Dearborn Community Park describes its mission as providing a place for community members to gather and a safe place to move, play, and thrive. Miller-York Volunteer Fire Department describes itself as serving Miller, York, and Logan Townships in Dearborn County. Hillforest Historical Foundation says it works to restore and maintain a historic building and educate the public through events.
Grantmaking
In 2025, itemized grants totaled $1,238,044 across 38 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $5,250 to $205,000, with a median of $11,178. The filing also reports that the Foundation awarded 370 grants and scholarships during the year.
Among the largest itemized 2025 awards were $205,000 to City of Greendale for a beautification project and a police department drone; $150,966 to Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation for organizational needs; and $122,767 to LifeTime Housing Group for an addition to North Dearborn Village Senior Apartments, contingent on proof of additional project funding. Other major awards included $76,000 to Miller York Volunteer Fire Department toward a rescue engine, $75,000 to North Dearborn Community Park for playground equipment, and $73,629 to City of Aurora for an endowment distribution and park beautification.
The Foundation’s website lists scholarship programs including the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, the Lehner Women Empowering Women Scholarship, and the Clifford & Gladys Ellerbrook Ender Nursing Scholarship. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is for graduating seniors from Dearborn County attending an eligible Indiana college or university; the other two programs serve non-traditional female students and students pursuing nursing education, respectively.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Fred McCarter as Executive Director; Jon Strautman as Chairperson; Lisa Moorhead as President; Larry Campbell as Vice-President; Dave Lusby as Secretary; and Bridget Davidson as Treasurer. Directors listed are Becky Lyons, Jim Humphrey, Jeanne Lehn, and Michael Hollenbeck.
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc is led by Fred McCarter, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 15 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Fred McCarter
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $117K (2025)
Lisa Moorhead
President
Secretary → Vice President, 2024
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jon Strautman
Chairperson
Vice President → President, 2024
President → Chairperson, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeanne Lehn
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Hollenbeck
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Becky Lyons
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jan Tyler
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Casey Finnegan
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Gellert
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Honchell
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andy Schoeff
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim Humphrey
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bridget Davidson
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry Campbell
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dave Lusby
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Ed Gordon (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: James Stock (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Mike McLaughlin (2024) — Chairperson
- Former: Michael McLaughlin (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Ramzi Nuseibeh (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Elise Smith (2020–2022) — Chairperson
- Former: Fayla Nanz (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Mark Neff (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Bill Ward (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Kevin Schafer (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Tim Russell (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Cherie Maddin (2020) — Director
- Former: Julie Murphy (2020) — Director
- Former: Loretta Day (2020) — Director
- Former: Randy Tyler (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $117K, to Fred McCarter (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Dearborn Community Foundation Inc
How much does Dearborn Community Foundation Inc give each year?
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 38 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 38 grants.
What is Dearborn Community Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $11,179, and its average grant was $32,580, across 38 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dearborn Community Foundation Inc that year got $72K on average.
Where does Dearborn Community Foundation Inc give grants?
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lawrenceburg, IN (12 grants), Aurora, IN (11 grants), Dillsboro, IN (5 grants) and Guilford, IN (3 grants).
Does Dearborn Community Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 36 grants with a stated purpose on Dearborn Community Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Needs of the organization" (9 grants).
Who are Dearborn Community Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include City of Greendale ($205,000), Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation ($150,966) and LifeTime Housing Group Inc ($122,767), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dearborn Community Foundation Inc?
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc reported $39.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.7M.
What does Dearborn Community Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to connect people who care with causes that improve quality of life in the community by advancing cultural, educational, and social opportunities, preserving community heritage, and helping donors create a permanent legacy in Dearborn County. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dearborn Community Foundation Inc?
Grant applications are completed online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Dearborn Community Foundation Inc's EIN?
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-2036110. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 29, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 10, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Dearborn Community Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dearborn Community Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dearborn-community-foundation-inc-morg_243de5f802f94082874a03034b28f6d0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_352036110_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dearborn Community Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dearborn-community-foundation-inc-morg_243de5f802f94082874a03034b28f6d0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Dearborn Community Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Dearborn Community Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?