United Way of Central Indiana says money will help Hoosiers in need
United Way of Central Indiana on Tuesday, Nov. 4 announced it is awarding $350,000 in grants to five Hamilton County nonprofits to help meet residents’ basic needs and improve the education, financial stability, and well-being of families.
The grants come from United Way’s Basic Needs and Family Opportunity Funds.
Thursday, Oct. 30, United Way announced a separate, $1 million Central Indiana Food Relief Fund in emergency response to cuts to federal SNAP benefits. The $350,000 announcement is separate from that fund: United Way awards Basic Needs and Family Opportunity funding twice a year – once for organizations accredited with United Way and once for nonprofits outside its accredited network. This funding is part of United Way’s ongoing commitment to meeting the essential needs of all people – a priority of the nonprofit’s work.
The Basic Needs Fund focuses on safe and affordable housing, healthy food access, transportation, and health services. The Family Opportunity Fund supports integrated programming that serves both youth and adults in the same household, aimed at improving the education, financial stability, and well-being of the whole family.
The Hamilton County nonprofits receiving Basic Needs grants are:
- Alternatives Inc: $50,000
- Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville: $75,000
- Children’s TherAplay: $50,000
- PrimeLife Enrichment: $50,000
- Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County: $125,000
In all, United Way of Central Indiana is awarding $17.3 million in grants to 71 nonprofits across the region, and the funding is expected to serve more than 148,000 people in central Indiana. This round of grant funding was open to nonprofits in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, and Morgan counties that are accredited with United Way of Central Indiana. There are five accredited nonprofits in Hamilton County, and all received grants. Funding contracts begin Jan. 1, 2026.
While the other nonprofits that received funding in this grant cycle are headquartered outside of Hamilton County, many of them serve Hoosiers throughout the region, including Hamilton County residents.
A separate grant cycle is currently underway for nonprofits outside United Way’s accredited network, with that funding announcement expected in February.
For this round of funding, a committee of 13 people – United Way staff, board members, and community volunteers – reviewed Basic Needs Fund applications, and a committee of eight people reviewed Family Opportunity Fund applications. These committees made funding recommendations, which were approved by United Way’s Board of Directors at its Oct. 23 meeting. Nonprofits could apply for one-year or multi-year grants, and a number of recipients will now enter their second year of multi-year grants that began in 2025.
“Now more than ever, this funding is critical to helping our partners meet the growing and changing needs of our community,” said Shannon Jenkins, United Way’s vice president of impact. “Nonprofits continue to face increased demand and shifting resources, and these grants help support their efforts to deliver essential services and create opportunities for the individuals and families they serve. United Way is uniquely positioned to bring partners together, align resources and invest where the need is greatest, and we’re proud to stand alongside organizations doing this critical work.”
“Children’s TherAplay is thrilled and honored to receive a grant from United Way’s 2026 Impact Funds,” Executive Director Kathy Pelletier said. “The funds from this grant will be vital in supporting our efforts to expand programming to provide caregiver mental health support and access to after-school therapy sessions to low-income families raising a child with a disability. We are extremely grateful for the support and look forward to impacting the lives of countless families together.”
Hamilton County has been part of United Way of Central Indiana since 1966. Over the last six years, United Way has invested over $5 million in Hamilton County and partnered with 47 nonprofits and schools.
United Way works to tackle generational poverty, with a focus on basic needs, early care and learning, economic mobility, and safe and affordable housing.
Click here to see the full list of grant recipients on United Way’s website.
