BBF Rapid Grants

BBF Rapid Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Ball Brothers Foundation
Amount: Up to US $5,000
Last Updated: October 13, 2025

Summary

The Ball Brothers Foundation's BBF Rapid Grants program offers immediate funding to organizations in Indiana, particularly in East Central Indiana and Muncie/Delaware County. The foundation prioritizes capacity-building initiatives, innovative community solutions, specific projects, and general operating support. This program is designed to address urgent needs, such as professional development, equipment purchases, and project initiation, ensuring that organizations can quickly respond to community challenges and enhance their impact.

Overview

What We Fund Ball Brothers Foundation provides funding to organizations operating in Indiana. Historically, the vast majority of our funding has been targeted to organizations in East Central Indiana with a particular emphasis in the Muncie/Delaware County area. While organizations outside the Muncie/East Central Indiana area are welcome to apply for support, please be aware that funding for organizations outside this footprint is rare. The foundation prefers to provide funding for: Capacity-building initiatives that strengthen an organization’s ability to achieve greater performance and impact, such as through strategic planning, board development, collaboration, communications, professional development, and operational improvements  Innovative approaches for addressing traditional or emerging community needs that result in long-term, systematic, sustained solutions that consider the use of community impact models and result in measurable outcomes  Specific program/project initiatives or endeavors  General operating support  Seed money to help launch new programs, projects or initiatives Focus Areas Arts, Culture & Humanities;Education;Environment;Health;Human Services; orPublic Affairs/Society Benefit. Funding Interests Within those focus areas, we have a particular interest in the following: Quality of Place We encourage requests that strategically align with Muncie Action Plan, that support development and implementation of park/recreation areas near downtown, and that support the development and implementation of a pedestrian plan. Priority will be given to requests that place emphasis on neighborhoods adjacent to downtown or that support the Muncie Action Plan neighborhood revitalization initiative, the Muncie Downtown Plan, and community assets such as the Cardinal Greenway, Canan Commons, and Tuhey Park. Early Childhood Education Ball Brothers Foundation supports programs and initiatives dedicated to the education of children and their families. We place emphasis on requests that support the Muncie Action Plan’s early childhood education initiative and the Muncie–Delaware County Chamber’s early childhood goal, professional development for accredited or licensed childcare workers, centers which pursue Paths to QUALITY accreditation, and projects that focus on capacity-building. Emergency Management As a foundation, we support community preparedness in times of immediate need due to unforeseen natural and manmade occurrences; the activation of the local Red Cross chapters in disaster situations; and critical needs of selected public agencies responsible for the physical welfare of its citizens. We entertain requests for needed resources to assist with community preparedness, as well as professional development for personnel involved with agencies dedicated to community preparedness and safety. Outdoor Pursuits We believe outdoor education and recreation are critical to the well-being of both children and adults. The foundation encourages requests that involve outdoor programs, activities, and opportunities for all ages. Priority will be given to organizations that are able to provide outdoor opportunities in the Muncie/Delaware County area using existing venues, facilities, and outdoor areas. Consideration for funding will be given for capacity-building, program development and implementation, and personnel. Workforce Development Within foundation rules and regulations, we aim to support various economic development organizations and programs designed to attract and retain jobs in the area. Specifically, we encourage requests that support the Muncie Action Plan, marketing efforts for the region, organizations that collaborate on projects supporting workforce development, professional development, and post-secondary training. BBF Rapid Grants Provided for immediate funding needs which may include funds to provide professional development, to assist with travel or equipment needs for a new project or initiative, to act as seed money for a new project, or other related needs. A limited number of Rapid Grants are designed to provide funding to organizations that require immediate funding for the following types of needs, but not limited to: Continue a project; Provide professional development; Buy equipment or materials for a project; Travel to meet representatives to advance ideas for a project; Formulate a project idea; Carry out a mandated law or event; or For seed money to begin a new project.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. BBF only provides funding to organizations operating in Indiana.Historically, the vast majority of BBF funding has been targeted to organizations in East Central Indiana with a particular emphasis in the Muncie/Delaware County area.Other counties included in the geographical footprint are: Blackford County, Grant County, Henry county, Jay County, Madison County, and Randolph County.Some limited exceptions are occasionally made outside these areas.While organizations outside the Muncie/East Central Indiana area are welcome to apply for support, please be aware that funding for organizations outside this footprint is rare.RestrictionsThe proposal must clearly demonstrate linkages to the organization’s strategic plan. The focus must be on one of the Ball Brothers Foundation’s interest areas .The proposal has potential for immediate leveraging of other funds to support the project or initiative and demonstrates the likelihood of gaining further support from other sources once the original grants ends .The proposal must include a definitive process for measuring or assessing results .Organizations/institutions must have tax exempt status as defined by IRS Codes.

Ineligibility

The Foundation will not support:

Direct assistance to individuals or scholarships; Applications coming from outside of Indiana;Booster organizations;On-going salary requests of staff personnel to support an organization;Services that the community-at-large should normally underwrite (i.e. roads, bus transportation, etc.);Capital building projects;Research projects (except for philanthropic studies).