Franklin County Community Foundation Inc
Franklin County Community Foundation is a public charity based in Brookville, Indiana. Established in 1998, it manages more than 165 endowed funds and supports community grants and scholarships, with the stated aim of improving Franklin County.
Key facts about Franklin County Community Foundation Inc
In short: Franklin County Community Foundation Inc gave $801K across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $33K), mostly in Indiana. 63% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 35-2034336
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $800,792
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- Average grant
- $33,366
- Median grant
- $11,150
- New grantees (estimate)
- 63% first-time grantees (15 of 24, 2025)
- Total assets
- $20,294,372
- Primary geography
- Indiana (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- For unrestricted-endowment grants, complete the application process; applications become available in December for the following year’s cycle. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The listed deadline for the unrestricted community grants program is December 31, 2026.
- Next open deadline
- December 31, 2026 (FCCF Grant Application (Unrestricted Community Grants))
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$20.3M
+7.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$801K
-13.2% YoY
Grant Count
24
+60.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
-45.7% YoY
Is Franklin County Community Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
63%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 24 grantees (63%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $65K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $53K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is “to nurture and facilitate a spirit of giving and giving back for the betterment of Franklin County.” Its website describes community grants and student scholarships as core activities. In its 2023 filing, the foundation reported distributing 55 scholarships and 66 grants to schools, governmental units, and tax-exempt organizations.
Its 2025 grants show support for community projects and organizations, including health, recreation, arts, research, transportation planning, and emergency services. The grantee Whitewater Canal Trail describes its mission as developing, maintaining, and constructing trails to promote health and well-being and the beauty of natural habitat. Metamora Volunteer Fire Department says it assists victims of fires and vehicle accidents and responds to natural disasters and other needs. Margaret Mary Health Foundation says it advances community health and wellness through philanthropy and support of Margaret Mary Health.
Grantmaking
The foundation’s 2025 filing reports 24 grants totaling $800,792. Grant amounts ranged from $5,003 to $240,000, with a median of $11,150. Among the largest awards were $240,000 to Margaret Mary Health Foundation Inc. for a matching grant; $124,770 to the Town of Brookville for pool passes and a sportsplex; $80,600 to Main Street Brookville Inc. for general support and general pass-through; and $56,380 to Whitewater Canal Trail for general support and an endowment fund grant.
Review Cycle
The listed deadline for the unrestricted community grants program is December 31, 2026.
How to Apply
. The page lists projects such as school athletics equipment, fire department gear, accessibility ramps, and community wayfinding.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Franklin County Community Foundation Inc
FCCF Grant Application (Unrestricted Community Grants)
Franklin County Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
December 31, 2026
FCCF Scholarship Funds (Community-Established Scholarships)
Franklin County Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Franklin County Community Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s grant program identifies Franklin County, Indiana, as its geographic scope and says projects must benefit the county. In its 2025 filing, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana and 4% to recipients in Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $64K (2019) to $922K (2024). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $801K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Margaret Mary Health Foundation Inc ($240K). Together the top 10 received $687K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($7,800), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 71 (79%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Margaret Mary Health Foundation Inc Batesville, IN | Matching Grant | $240,000 |
| Town of Brookville Brookville, IN | Pool Pass, Sportsplex | $124,770 |
| Main Street Brookville Inc Brookville, IN | General Support; General Pass Through | $80,600 |
| Whitewater Canal Trail Brookville, IN | General Support and Endowment Fund Grant | $56,380 |
| Franklin County Arts Council Brookville, IN | General Support for the Art Council | $53,320 |
| Avian Education and Research Institute West College Corner, IN | Research Project | $49,570 |
| Miami University Oxford, OH | Avian Research Project | $28,230 |
| Franklin County Commissioners Brookville, IN | Bike Ped Planning Grant | $20,000 |
| Drewersburg Volunteer Fire Department West Harrison, IN | Equipment | $18,999 |
| Fraternal Order of Eagles #1129 Brookville, IN | Bowling Ball Retrieval System | $15,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $20,294,372 | $1,400,978 | $1,528,148 | $800,792 (24 grants) |
| 2024 | $18,893,169 | $7,157,801 | $1,679,559 | 0 grants reported |
| 2023 | $10,933,884 | $833,669 | $790,071 | $209,350 (9 grants) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,294,372 | $18,893,169 | $10,933,884 |
| Revenue | $1,400,978 | $7,157,801 | $833,669 |
| Expenses | $1,528,148 | $1,679,559 | $790,071 |
| Net Investment Income | $552,016 | $293,631 | $275,797 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 4, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 3, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Molly Brier as president, Rhonda Kerr as vice president, John Seale as treasurer, and Deborah Gross as secretary. Directors listed on that filing are Mike Bentz, Carrie Rupp, Jenny Meier, Tammey Robben, Greg Mehlbauer, and Beverly Metz.
Franklin County Community Foundation Inc is led by Michelle Lunsford, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 15 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michelle Lunsford
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$47K (2019) → $60K (2025)
Molly Brier
President
Board Member → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Seale
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rhonda Kerr
Vice President
Board Member → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barb Reed
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carrie Rupp
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Bentz
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jenny Meier
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tammey Robben
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Beverly Metz
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Deborah Gross
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Mehlbauer
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Beth Kaiser
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alex Dudley
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shelly Fohl
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (13)
- Former: Andy Shultz (2019–2024) — Past President
- Former: Carrie Gillman (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff Franks (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Chad Mears (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Laura Frondorf (2019–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Jake Linkel (2019–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Linda Rosenberger (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Rhonda Hofer (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Jannet Baker (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Fain (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Mark Oglesby (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Patti Wilhelm (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Andrea White (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $60K, to Michelle Lunsford (Executive Director).
Contact
Mailing address: 527 Main Street, Brookville, IN 47012
Phone: (765) 647-6810
Website: https://fccfin.org
Frequently asked questions about Franklin County Community Foundation Inc
How much does Franklin County Community Foundation Inc give each year?
Franklin County Community Foundation Inc gave $801K across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $922K across 15 grants.
What is Franklin County Community Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Franklin County Community Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $11,150, and its average grant was $33,366, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Franklin County Community Foundation Inc that year got $14K on average.
Where does Franklin County Community Foundation Inc give grants?
Franklin County Community Foundation Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Brookville, IN (13 grants), Batesville, IN (3 grants) and Metamora, IN (2 grants).
Does Franklin County Community Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 17% of Franklin County Community Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Designated Grant" (3 grants).
Who are Franklin County Community Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Franklin County Community Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Margaret Mary Health Foundation Inc ($240,000), Town of Brookville ($124,770) and Main Street Brookville Inc ($80,600), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($7,800), which are not listed by name. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Franklin County Community Foundation Inc?
Franklin County Community Foundation Inc reported $20.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.4M.
What does Franklin County Community Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “to nurture and facilitate a spirit of giving and giving back for the betterment of Franklin County.” Its website describes community grants and student scholarships as core activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Franklin County Community Foundation Inc?
For unrestricted-endowment grants, complete the application process; applications become available in December for the following year’s cycle. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Franklin County Community Foundation Inc's EIN?
Franklin County Community Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-2034336. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Franklin County Community Foundation Inc by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Franklin County Community Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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