The Brave Heart Foundation Inc

FISHERS, IN EIN: 27-0720856 Website

The Brave Heart Foundation is a private foundation based in Fishers, Indiana (located in the Indianapolis area). Founded in 2009, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designated for philanthropic and grantmaking purposes. The foundation supports small programs and nonprofits working to change the lives of children and families in underserved populations, with a particular focus on organizations operating within Indiana.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$5.0M

+6.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$795K

+20.8% YoY

Grant Count

167

+10.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$5K

+9.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Brave Heart Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $336K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission: The Brave Heart Foundation exists to assist and support programs that help underserved populations with special emphasis on children and families through education, health and wellness and grassroots community action programs and services.

Vision: Offer support and resources to the community helping those in need.

The foundation's philosophy centers on celebrating and supporting "caring spirits" and individuals and organizations who "stick their necks out for others, driving impact through generous acts that support our greater community."

Primary Funding Areas:

Education (organizations directly focused on education initiatives or special projects supporting educational opportunities)
Health & Wellness (organizations and projects making a direct impact on the health of neighbors and overall community)
Grassroots Community Development (supporting changemakers and big picture thinkers doing good)

Grantmaking

Grant Range

s:** Typical grant awards range from $5,000 to $43,799. The foundation also operates an invitation-only Big Heart grant program that awards $25,000 for capacity building projects.

How to Apply

** The foundation accepts applications through their website at www.thebraveheartfoundation.com.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations and projects within the state of Indiana, with a particular emphasis on the Indianapolis area and surrounding communities.

Grant Distribution by State

Indiana $1.2M (94%)

Pennsylvania $16K (1%)

Florida $12K (1%)

Texas $11K (1%)

Virginia $10K (1%)

District of Columbia $9K (1%)

California $9K (1%)

New York $6K (0%)

+12 more states

States

California Colorado District of Columbia Florida Hawaii Illinois Indiana Kentucky Michigan Minnesota Missouri New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington

Cities

AlexandriaArcadiaArlingtonAuburnAuroraAustinAvonBerkeleyBig IslandBloomingtonBlufftonCarmelCarpinteriaCarunnaChicagoCiceroCincinnatiColumbusCrawfordsvilleCulver

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 31, 2023:

Total Assets: $4,721,563
Total Revenue: $606,095
Total Expenses: $735,836
Total Liabilities: $0

Historical Distribution:

2009: $179,000 distributed
2012: $257,750 distributed
2013: $211,120 distributed
2014: $150,000 distributed
2015: $298,286 distributed
2016: $310,000 distributed
2017: $286,320 distributed
2018: $390,320 distributed
2019: $374,000 distributed

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$5,045,338	$4,721,563	$5,133,309
Revenue	$903,614	$606,095	$1,231,362
Expenses	$861,856	$735,836	$810,463
Qualifying Distributions	$831,230	$689,541	$770,373
Net Investment Income	$548,877	$279,804	$904,944
Distributable Amount	$336,002	$307,818	$314,632

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

250 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from The Brave Heart Foundation Inc

Foundation

Brave Heart Foundation Grant

THE BRAVE HEART FOUNDATION INC

Amount

Up to US $5,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Avondale Meadows Academy United Schools of Indianapolis ($33,000), Bartram Memorial Fund ($9,000), Carmel Youth Assistance Program ($7,500).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
100 BLACK MEN OF INDIANAPOLIS INDIANAPOLIS, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$500
A SENIOR RETREAT ADULT DAY SERVICES FRANKLIN, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$1,000
ALBION FELLOWS BACON CENTER EVANSVILLE, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$1,990
ALLIES INC INDIANAPOLIS, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$5,000
ALL-OPTIONS BLOOMINGTON, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$5,000
AMIGOS THE RICHMOND LATINO CENTER RICHMOND, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$5,000
ARTMIX INDIANAPOLIS, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$5,000
ASCENT 121 CARMEL, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$7,000
ATHLEAD INDY INDIANAPOLIS, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$1,500
AVONDALE MEADOWS ACADEMY UNITED SCHOOLS OF INDIANAPOLIS INDIANAPOLIS, IN	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$33,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Bill Griffith – Chair
Gerry Griffith – Vice Chair
Lara Chandler – Executive Director (designated in 2018)
Katie Hagerty – Board Member
Kevin Hampton – Board Member
Carmen Hansen-Rivera – Board Member
Kim Walton – Board Member

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
WILLIAM GRIFFITH	CHAIR	5	—
GERRY GRIFFITH	TREASURER	5	—
JAMES MULHOLLAND	SECRETARY	1	—
KIM WALTON	MEMBER	1	—
DAVID MCDANIEL	MEMBER	1	—
KATIE HAGERTY	MEMBER	1	—
KEVIN HAMPTON	MEMBER	1	—
CARMEN HANSEN RIVERA	MEMBER	1	—
LARA CHANDLER-BELSLEY	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR	5	$26,375

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Brave Heart Foundation Inc fund?

**Mission:** The Brave Heart Foundation exists to assist and support programs that help underserved populations with special emphasis on children and families through education, health and wellness and grassroots community action programs and services. **Vision:** Offer support and resources to the community helping those in need. The foundation's philosophy centers on celebrating and supporting "caring spirits" and individuals and organizations who "stick their necks out for others, driving im…

How do I apply for a grant from The Brave Heart Foundation Inc?

**Grant Sizes:** Typical grant awards range from $5,000 to $43,799. The foundation also operates an invitation-only Big Heart grant program that awards $25,000 for capacity building projects. **Recent Grant Activity:** • 2024: $573,930 distributed • 2023: $466,638 distributed (107 grants made) • 2022: $350,000 distributed • 2021: $359,000 distributed • 2020: $496,000 distributed **Recent Grant Examples (2023):** • CoCoDA: $36,000 (Community Assistance) • Sheltering Wings Center for Women: $31,4…

Where does The Brave Heart Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations and projects within the state of Indiana, with a particular emphasis on the Indianapolis area and surrounding communities.

What size grants does The Brave Heart Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Brave Heart Foundation Inc awarded 167 grants totaling $795K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Brave Heart Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Brave Heart Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $336K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Brave Heart Foundation Inc's EIN?

The Brave Heart Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0720856. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.