Indian River Community Foundation
Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: $19,143,625 (2023 tax year)
- Success Rate: Not publicly available
- Decision Time: Monthly LOI review cycles
- Grant Range: Not publicly available
- Geographic Focus: Indian River County, Florida
Contact Details
- Website: https://ircommunityfoundation.org
- Phone: 772.492.1407
- Email: grants@ircommunityfoundation.org
- Address: 5070 Highway A1a Ste 200, Vero Beach, FL 32963
- Grant Support: Brooke Sauserman at brooke@ircommunityfoundation.org (for orientation)
Overview
Founded in 2008, the Indian River Community Foundation operates as a donor-driven philanthropic organisation that connects charitable giving with community needs in Indian River County, Florida. With total assets of $78,436,639 (2023), the foundation has achieved both the National Standards Seal and GuideStar Platinum status, demonstrating operational excellence and transparency. Under the leadership of President & CEO Jeff Pickering and Board Chair Kathryn Healy, the foundation awarded $19,143,625 in grants during the 2023 tax year.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programmes
The foundation operates several grant programmes:
- Discretionary Grants: Competitive grants from unrestricted funds (amounts vary)
- Donor-Advised Fund Grants: Grants directed by individual donors
- Field of Interest Funds: Targeted funding for specific causes
- Designated Funds: Pre-determined beneficiary organisations
Priority Areas
- Vulnerable Individuals and Families
- Animal Welfare, Environment & Historic Preservation
- Health Services and Healthcare Access
- Youth Development and Education (kindergarten readiness focus)
- Nonprofit Capacity Building
- Community Development
What They Don't Fund
- Political activities or lobbying
- Services primarily benefiting a single religious sect
- International social or political issues
- Grants to individuals
- Federated appeals
Governance and Leadership
The foundation is led by President & CEO Jeffrey R. Pickering and Board Chair Kathryn Healy. The board of directors consists of active community members who volunteer their time and expertise, including Allen Jones, Angelia Perry, Anthony Guettler, Carla E Meyer, Dawn E Michael, and others. The leadership emphasises "Building a better community through donor-driven philanthropy" as their core mission.
Application Process & Timeline
How to Apply
The foundation uses a two-step online application process:
- Setup GuideStar Profile: Organisations must establish or update their GuideStar profile to Platinum Seal level
- Submit Letter of Idea (LOI): Applications begin with an LOI submitted through the Grant Interface portal at https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=indianriver
- Full Application: Staff reviews LOIs and invites qualifying organisations to submit full applications
First-time applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a Nonprofit Grantseeker Orientation before applying.
Decision Timeline
- LOIs due by 5:00 PM on the last day of each month
- Staff reviews LOIs and determines which organisations advance to full application
- Full applications reviewed by Board of Directors and community members
- First-time applicants may require pre-application conference
Success Rates
Not publicly available
Reapplication Policy
Multi-year requests are not considered. Organisations must reapply annually for continued funding.
Application Success Factors
Based on the foundation's structure and priorities:
- Must serve Indian River County, Florida residents or operate within the county
- Strong alignment with one of the foundation's priority areas
- Clear demonstration of community impact
- Platinum Seal GuideStar profile demonstrates organisational transparency
- Attendance at orientation sessions for first-time applicants is strongly recommended
- Projects should address documented community needs, particularly those identified through the foundation's Indian River Indicators data platform
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- Geographic restriction is strict - must serve Indian River County, Florida
- Monthly LOI submission cycles provide regular opportunities to apply
- Foundation emphasises donor-driven philanthropy, suggesting strong donor engagement in funding decisions
- Strong emphasis on data and community indicators suggests proposals should reference local data
- First-time applicants should plan extra time for orientation and potential pre-application conference
- Multi-year funding not available - budget for single-year projects only
References
- Indian River Community Foundation official website: https://ircommunityfoundation.org (Accessed December 2025)
- Indian River Community Foundation Grants Page: https://ircommunityfoundation.org/grants/ (Accessed December 2025)
- Indian River Community Foundation Grant Application Page: https://ircommunityfoundation.org/grants/apply-grant/ (Accessed December 2025)
- GuideStar Profile for Indian River Community Foundation (EIN 20-1729243): https://www.guidestar.org/profile/20-1729243 (Accessed December 2025)
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/201729243 (2023 Form 990)
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