The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation awards grants to tax-exempt organizations serving greater Indianapolis, Indiana. The Foundation has established goals and strategies within three focus areas: Education, Health, and the Vitality of Indianapolis.

As a general philosophy, the Foundation seeks to support organizations and initiatives that are led by highly effective boards and executive leadership, that are goal oriented, and that consistently deliver strong outcomes. The Foundation is particularly interested in supporting initiatives designed to address unmet needs and bring about transformative change within its focus areas. In addition, evaluating the impact of programs and initiatives and sharing lessons learned with community stakeholders are integral components of the Foundation’s work.

The Foundation is currently only accepting inquiries from organizations whose work aligns with our Education focus area. If you seek to become a grantee, the first step is to determine your eligibility and assess your alignment, as described in our Grant Application Process. Please note we are not inviting proposals or accepting inquiries in our Health or Vitality of Indianapolis focus areas.