Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc logo

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Columbus, IN EIN: 35-1343903 Website

Heritage Fund is a public charity based in Columbus, Indiana, and the community foundation of Bartholomew County. Established in 1976, it connects donors with causes and supports charitable work in the community through grantmaking, scholarships, and other activities.

Key facts about Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc

In short: Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc gave $4.3M across 64 grants in 2025 (avg $66K), mostly in Indiana. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
35-1343903
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$4,252,557
Grants made (2025)
64
Average grant
$66,446
Median grant
$19,919
New grantees (estimate)
25% first-time grantees (16 of 64, 2025)
Total assets
$128,030,247
Primary geography
Indiana (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Next open deadline
October 23, 2026 (David and Margaret Bottorff Math and Science Initiative for Elementary Teachers)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$128.0M

+16.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$4.3M

-21.9% YoY

Grant Count

64

-9.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$66K

-13.4% YoY

Is Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc open to new grantees?

25%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 16 of 64 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $83K. How we count

Medians: $13K first-time, $25K repeat.

  • 72% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 39% from 2022 to 2025. Method

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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Heritage Fund’s stated mission is to inspire generosity, gather and grow community leaders, and help ensure Bartholomew County is an exceptional place for all to live, learn, work, and play.

Its primary areas of impact are Youth Development; Downtown Vitality; and Arts, Culture, Architecture and Design. The website describes youth-development work in terms of early learning, youth mental health, and social-emotional learning. It also describes downtown work focused on developing community assets, and arts and culture work intended to sustain and expand local assets, programming, and collaboration. Secondary areas are Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Leadership Development; and Responsive Community Need.

The 2025 grants included support for organizations working in several areas. For example, Landmark Columbus Foundation describes its work as caring for and advancing Columbus’s cultural heritage through design; the Bartholomew County Historical Society says it discovers, collects, preserves, and shares local history; and the Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation says it supports the school corporation and programs that help students achieve educational excellence. United Way of Bartholomew County describes its work around education, financial stability, health, and personal relationships.

Grantmaking

Heritage Fund reported 64 grants totaling $4,252,557 in filing year 2025. The grants ranged from $6,000 to $782,001, with a median grant of $19,918. The largest awards included $782,001 to Landmark Columbus Foundation, $368,427 to Community Education Coalition, $288,488 to Foundation for Youth, $223,000 to the Office of Downtown Development, and $211,781 to Bartholomew County Historical Society. The filing states the purpose for these awards as furthering each recipient’s exempt purpose.

The website says Heritage Fund awards over $700,000 annually to local organizations through its grants programs. Its 2025 filing describes more than $500,000 in annual competitive Community Fund grants from unrestricted dollars. These figures refer to different descriptions of its grantmaking.

Community Fund applications are submitted online. The guidelines encourage applicants to discuss a proposal with the Director of Community Impact before applying. Applicants submit a letter of intent (LOI); after LOI review and approval, an organization receives access to the full application. The guidelines say applications are accepted four times a year, and the website lists April 3 and September 25 as 2026 deadlines, with an LOI required one week before the application deadline. Both listed 2026 deadlines have passed as of September 28, 2026. The website says awards are announced approximately eight weeks after each deadline. Heritage Fund favors proposals that address community needs innovatively, collaborate, reach a broad segment of the community, encourage additional funding, avoid duplicating services, and plan for sustainability. It requires written grant applications and says significant grants require written closeout reports.

Other opportunities include the AEI Youth Sports Fund, which offers quarterly deadlines for assistance with sports participation for youth ages 18 and under in Bartholomew and surrounding counties; its next listed deadline is September 30, 2026. The David and Margaret Bottorff Math and Science Initiative for Elementary Teachers lists an October 23, 2026 deadline. The Voelz, Reed, & Mount Foundation opportunity lists a May 8, 2026 deadline, which has passed.

Open Grants

9 open opportunities from Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc

Show all 9 →
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The Community Fund guidelines identify Bartholomew County, Indiana, as the service area. The 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana. Some separate opportunities extend beyond Bartholomew County: the AEI Youth Sports Fund covers Bartholomew and surrounding counties, and the Voelz, Reed, & Mount Foundation opportunity names multiple counties.

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 64 itemized grants.

Cities

ColumbusIndianapolisHopeWashingtonBloomingtonDanvilleNorth VernonScottsburgFranklinIrvineBeverly HillsCliffordGreencastleLos AngelesNaplesNashville

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$2M$4M$6M$8M37 grants2019 37 grants2020 61 grants2021 50 grants2022 50 grants2023 71 grants2024 64 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.0M (2020) to $6.0M (2023). In 2025 it made 64 grants totaling $4.3M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Landmark Columbus Foundation: $782KLandmark Columbus Foundation$782KCommunity Education Coalition: $368KCommunity Education Coalition$368KFoundation for Youth: $288KFoundation for Youth$288KOffice of Downtown Development: $223KOffice of Downtown Development$223KBartholomew County Historical Society: $212KBartholomew County HistoricalSociety$212KOur Hospice of South Central Indiana: $210KOur Hospice of South CentralIndiana$210KColumbus Indiana Philharmonic: $179KColumbus Indiana Philharmonic$179KBartholomew Consolidated School Corp: $165KBartholomew ConsolidatedSchool Corp$165KAsbury United Methodist Church: $156KAsbury United Methodist Church$156KBartholomew County Public Library: $150KBartholomew County PublicLibrary$150K

The largest 2025 recipient was Landmark Columbus Foundation ($782K). Together the top 10 received $2.7M.

Grant Size Distribution

296 grants across all recorded years

205<$50K36$50–100K38$100–250K9$250–500K5$500K–1M3$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 205 grants of 296 (69%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Landmark Columbus Foundation Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$782,001
Community Education Coalition Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$368,427
Foundation for Youth Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$288,488
Office of Downtown Development Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$223,000
Bartholomew County Historical Society Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$211,781
Our Hospice of South Central Indiana Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$209,586
Columbus Indiana Philharmonic Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$179,232
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$165,071
Asbury United Methodist Church Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$156,326
Bartholomew County Public Library Columbus, INTo Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization$149,610

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants reported Grant count
2025 $128,030,247 $14,722,235 $8,226,853 $4,252,557 64
2024 $110,312,886 $10,015,349 $8,756,719 $5,444,983 71
2023 $99,398,224 $9,729,076 $8,864,458 $6,016,495 50
Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$5M$10M$15M$20M2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$128,030,247$110,312,886$99,398,224
Revenue$14,722,235$10,015,349$9,729,076
Expenses$8,226,853$8,756,719$8,864,458
Net Investment Income$6,031,834$3,752,852$3,381,823

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 31, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 27, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 30, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 28, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 13, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 15, 2025)
  7. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 18, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists these directors: Aida Ramirez, Anuja Mazgaonkar, Brad Davis, Carl Lienhoop, Chad Phillips, Courtney Metzger, Jeff Brown, Jeff Wiltrout, Jim Roberts, and John Whittington. The filing’s organizational narrative says the board is composed of 26 community leaders.

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc is led by Tracy Souza, President & CEO - since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 4 of 30 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Tracy Souza

    President & CEO -

    President & CEO → President & CEO -, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $169K (2019) → $123K (2025)

  • Edith Blakeslee

    President & CEO -

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $121K (2025)

  • Lori Thompson

    Chair

    Director → Vice Chair, 2023

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carl Lienhoop

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jim Roberts

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mark Stewart

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Reinhold Hill

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tom Harmon

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeff Brown

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lora Mount

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tracy Haddad

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Aida Ramirez

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brad Davis

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Johnnie Edwards

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Katie Glick

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nicholas Sprague

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Anuja Mazgaonkar

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sarla Kalsi

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Courtney Metzger

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeff Wiltrout

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Whittington

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mary Ferdon

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Steve Baker

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chad Phillips

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mandy Wyant

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kristin Munn

    Employee

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $102K (2022) → $118K (2025)

  • Stephanie Seaborne

    Employee

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $101K (2025)

  • Michelle Schaefer

    Vice Chair

    Director → Treasurer, 2021

    Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Phil Luzius

    Secretary

    Director → Secretary, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Maggie Kamman

    Treasurer

    Director → Treasurer, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (23)
  • Former: Alice Johnson (2019–2024) — Vice Chair
  • Former: Felipe Martinez (2019–2024) — Director
  • Former: Kathy Oren (2023–2024) — Director
  • Former: Jim Bickel (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Jim Lienhoop (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: John Elwood (2019–2023) — Secretary
  • Former: Johnny Tsai (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: John Burnett (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Mark Levett (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Matthew Kirr (2019–2022) — Vice Chair
  • Former: Jarvis Cooper (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Kelly Benjamin (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Norbert Nusterer (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Diane Doup (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Laura Leonard (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Tom Vujovich (2019–2020) — Treasurer
  • Former: Tony M. Gambaiani (2019–2020) — Vice Chair
  • Former: Wendy Elwood (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Amit Patel (2019) — Director
  • Former: Dave Barker (2019) — Director
  • Former: Ro Whittington (2019) — Director
  • Former: Tobi Herron (2019) — Director
  • Former: Victoria Craig Griffin (2019) — Director

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

Tracy Souza — President & CEO - Part Year: $123KTracy SouzaPresident & CEO - Part Year$123KEdith Blakeslee — President & CEO - Part Year: $121KEdith BlakesleePresident & CEO - Part Year$121KKristin Munn — Employee: $118KKristin MunnEmployee$118KStephanie Seaborne — Employee: $101KStephanie SeaborneEmployee$101K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $123K, to Tracy Souza (President & CEO - Part Year). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Mailing address: 538 Franklin St, Columbus, IN 47202-1547
Phone: (812) 376-7772
Website: https://heritagefundbc.org

Frequently asked questions about Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc

How much does Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc give each year?

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc gave $4.3M across 64 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $5.4M across 71 grants.

What is Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc's typical grant size?

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc's median grant in 2025 was $19,919, and its average grant was $66,446, across 64 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc that year got $18K on average.

Where does Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc give grants?

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, IN (51 grants), Indianapolis, IN (5 grants) and Hope, IN (2 grants).

Who are Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc's largest grantees?

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Landmark Columbus Foundation ($782,001), Community Education Coalition ($368,427) and Foundation for Youth ($288,488), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc?

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc reported $128.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $14.7M.

What does Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc fund?

Heritage Fund’s stated mission is to inspire generosity, gather and grow community leaders, and help ensure Bartholomew County is an exceptional place for all to live, learn, work, and play. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc?

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check heritagefundbc.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc's EIN?

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1343903. 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.

Your AI grants department

Here's the math on researching Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc by hand.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Carl Marshall Reeves

Fenton, MO

The foundation supports macular degeneration research and organized charities in the Columbus, Indiana area, with about half of its grants intended for each; research awards also go to organizations in other states. In 2025, grants ranged from $1,499 to $85,000, with a median of about $15,000. It accepts applications for local charities and research, with separate application deadlines stated on its website.

Assets

$15.0M

Grants

30

Total Given

$617K

Clarence E Custer and Inez R Custer Foundation Inc

Columbus, IN

The foundation supports Indiana nonprofits in areas including recovery services, hospice care, education, emergency assistance, neighborhood programs, and family services, with a preference for organizations near Columbus and projects benefiting Bartholomew County residents. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $72,000, with a median of $8,000. It accepts requests through a preset application from 501(c)(3) organizations; churches are not currently considered.

Assets

$5.0M

Grants

37

Total Given

$497K

Lilly Endowment Inc

Indianapolis, IN

Lilly Endowment funds community development, education and youth, and religion, with a national reach—especially in religion—and a particular commitment to Indianapolis and Indiana. Its 2025 grants had a median of $100,000, though awards ranged widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$105.9B

Grants

2,285

Total Given

$3.9B

Repp Associates Foundation

Columbus, IN

Assets

$15K

Grants

29

Total Given

$12K

Elizabeth Ruddick Nugent Foundation

Columbus, IN

The Elizabeth Ruddick Nugent Foundation supports Indiana organizations across areas including recovery services, hospice care, education, family services, and community programs. Its 2025 grants ranged from $500 to $78,000, with a median grant of $8,000; it accepts requests by letter describing the organization and request, submitted before its annual meeting.

Assets

$8.6M

Grants

41

Total Given

$530K

Duke Energy Foundation

Charlotte, NC

The Duke Energy Foundation funds workforce development, local economic development and recovery, disaster resilience, conservation, and economic opportunity in communities across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. It reports more than $30 million in annual charitable grants; awards vary widely, with a 2024 median of $25,000, and applications of $20,000 or less are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants should contact their local Foundation representative before applying.

Assets

$1.9M

Grants

41

Total Given

$25.6M

National Collegiate Athletic Association

Indianapolis, IN

The NCAA funds college sports, including member conferences and schools, championships, student-athlete programs, coaching and athletics administration, and academic initiatives. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $61.9 million, with a median of $16,228; recipients were across the United States, with the largest reported shares in Texas, North Carolina, Illinois, and Alabama. The profile does not state whether the NCAA accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$1.1B

Grants

591

Total Given

$627.8M

Central Indiana Community Foundation Inc

Indianapolis, IN

CICF supports a range of charitable work through its funds and partner entities, including youth programs, housing, social services, environmental equity, and services for older adults, primarily in Central Indiana. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. CICF does not award grants directly; most competitive opportunities use its grants portal, while the Hamilton County Multi-Year Partner Grant is invitation-only and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$583.5M

Grants

525

Total Given

$31.1M

University of Notre Dame du Lac

Notre Dame, IN

The University of Notre Dame du Lac funds university priorities such as student aid, Catholic mission, academics, research and athletics, and also supports other nonprofits, including educational, research and community organizations. Its 2025 grants had a median of $30,480 (ranging from $5,500 to $36.5 million) and went to organizations in Indiana and other states; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Education

Assets

$29.6B

Grants

462

Total Given

$84.8M

United Way of Central Indiana Inc

Indianapolis, IN

United Way of Central Indiana funds basic needs, family opportunity, economic mobility, early learning, housing, and human-services-sector support, primarily in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, and Putnam counties. Its 2025 grants had a median of $16,238, while current Basic Needs and Family Opportunity awards range from $8,500 to $150,000; those funds accept applications from nonprofits outside its accredited partner network, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$255.2M

Grants

370

Total Given

$29.9M

Lumina Foundation for Education Inc

Indianapolis, IN

Lumina Foundation funds research, policy, technical assistance, and initiatives that expand equitable access to education and credentials beyond high school, with a national focus. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $2.51 million, with a median of $12,500. It says it does not accept unsolicited requests; funding is primarily proactive, with occasional open calls for proposals.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$1.5B

Grants

357

Total Given

$30.0M

Round Room Gives Inc

Fishers, IN

Round Room Gives supports community organizations and local charitable activities, including education, family services, health, and animal welfare, with grants across about 40 states. In 2024, grants ranged from $250 to $140,000, with a median of $3,452. It accepts applications through an online form on an ongoing basis; applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations with a TCC employee sponsor.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$1.4M

Grants

357

Total Given

$1.8M

More Funders in Indiana

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?