Office of Community & Child Health

A $45,000 grant has been awarded for the continued expansion of the organization’s Community Diversion Program in Marion County. The program focuses on preventing future violence, providing early intervention for at-risk youth and strengthening family engagement and coordination among community partners, including Riley Children’s Health and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

A $45,000 grant has been awarded to support the organization’s evidence-based Building Dreams initiative, which provides preventive mental health and social-emotional wellness resources to under-resourced youth in Marion County. The program helps students build emotional skills, provides a digital platform for requesting support and equips educators with additional tools to respond to students’ needs.

A $43,000 grant has been awarded to support Cooking Matters, a program designed to strengthen nutrition knowledge and meal-preparation skills among families facing financial challenges. Through in-person and virtual classes offered at schools, churches, shelters and community centers, participants learn practical skills to make nutritious food choices and prepare healthy meals at home.

A $45,000 grant has been awarded for continued support of the IPS K-12 Swimming Program, which provides swimming instruction and water safety education to students. After serving 1,160 students in its inaugural year, the program will build on that progress by expanding opportunities for students to develop swimming skills, confidence and water safety knowledge.

A $40,000 grant has been awarded to support comprehensive health education for Marion County youth focused on physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. Led by trained health educators, LifeSmart Youth programs address topics including bullying and abuse prevention, healthy relationships, human growth and development, pregnancy and STI prevention, dating safety and mental health, helping students develop knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their health.

A $42,000 grant has been awarded to continue support for mobile vaccination clinics serving children and families in under-resourced Marion County neighborhoods. Clinics are frequently held at K-12 schools and are designed to reduce barriers related to access, language, culture and cost. Vaccines are provided at no cost to eligible uninsured and underinsured individuals, with the program continuing to expand its reach across the county.

2025

The 2025 grants, totaling $250,000, were awarded to the following organizations:

Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis

$45,000 grant to support the Community Diversion Initiative aimed at preventing gun violence and high-risk behaviors among vulnerable youth in Marion County.

The program provides relevant services in partnership with schools, law enforcement and community organizations, fostering protective factors and positive life pathways.

Indiana Immunization Coalition

$40,000 grant to expand vaccine access by operating at least 40 mobile clinics in Marion County neighborhoods and administering approximately 1,500 vaccines to at least 500 children aged 12 and under while working to remove barriers to care. They aim to ensure all recommended vaccines are available at no cost to uninsured or underinsured families.

Struggle Made Us

$45,000 grant to support trauma-informed prevention-centered programming for 150 youth, ages 12-18, and 75 caregivers in high-risk Marion County zip codes. The initiative fosters resilience, connection and long-term mental wellness being delivered in trusted community settings by trained facilitators and mentors with lived, shared experiences.

Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation

$40,000 grant to launch a districtwide swimming program to provide life-saving aquatic skills and water safety education to over 1,000 K-12 students, prioritizing communities with disproportionate drowning rates. The program will combine certified instruction, family engagement and community partnerships to address lack of swimming education access, reduce injury risks and promote lifelong physical wellness.

Eclectic Soul Voices

$45,000 grant to expand its Power & Promise Youth Council and engage 15-20 system-involved youth from Indianapolis’ Far Eastside to co-design and lead a public health-informed gun violence prevention campaign. Participants will develop leadership, advocacy and peer-education programs to address community violence and mental health in one of the city’s highest-need areas.

Jump IN for Healthy Kids

$35,000 grant to fund their multi-sector effort in reducing childhood obesity in Central Indiana by embedding evidence-based nutrition and physical activity practices into early childhood education, schools and community systems. The project prioritizes children in economically challenged and high-risk neighborhoods where families live, learn and play.