Basic Needs Fund
Funding Amount
$8,500 - $25,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Grant Type
foundation
Overview
Basic Needs Fund
Status: Active (most recent awards announced February 2026)
Geographic Scope: Seven-county Central Indiana service area: Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, and Putnam counties
Focus Areas:
Eligibility:
What They Fund:
Program Details:
In 2026, $480,000 was awarded to 23 nonprofits through this fund. This is the second year United Way has opened this fund to nonprofits outside its accredited network. A total of 75 organizations submitted letters of intent in the most recent cycle, with 38 invited to submit full applications. Two committees composed of United Way staff, board members, and volunteers reviewed applications and selected recipients. Expected to serve over 59,000 people across Central Indiana.
Contact: United Way of Central Indiana
How to Apply
Application Process
1. Letter of Intent Submission
- Organizations submit letters of intent
- Approximately 75 organizations submitted in 2026 cycle
- 38 were invited to submit full applications
- Specific deadline varies by year
2. Full Application
- Invited applicants submit full applications
- Applications reviewed by committees
- Committees composed of United Way staff, board members, and community volunteers
3. Review and Selection
- Competitive review process
- Selection based on alignment with fund priorities and organizational capacity
- Letter of intent describing organizational mission and need
- Full application (when invited)
- Demonstration of serving low-income populations
- Description of basic needs services provided
- Budget and financial information
- Evidence of organizational capacity
Required Application Components
Specific details not provided in available content, but based on structure:Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
Categories
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