FY26 Butler Giving Circle Community Grant Application
Applying for a Butler Giving Circle Community Grant
The Butler Giving Circle (BGC) supports Butler University programs and projects that positively impact the greater Indianapolis community by awarding BGC community grant funding. You can read more about the Giving Circle and past BGC grant recipients online: https://www.butler.edu/givingcircle.
All Butler University community members with the vision and capacity to manage and effectively utilize a grant and enhance an existing partnership with a community organization are encouraged to apply for BGC community grant funding.
Applications for BGC community grants should articulate how funding will impact students and community partners. While we consider all proposals, our current priorities are to:
- Broaden Butler's connection to and partnership with community organizations
- Create experiential learning opportunities for Butler University students
Application Timeline/What to Expect
Applications for the 2025-2026 grant cycle will be accepted from December 15, 2025, through February 22, 2026.
Applications for the 2025-2026 grant cycle will be accepted from December 15, 2025, through February 22, 2026.
Applications will be reviewed by the BGC Executive Committee. The committee, composed of University Advancement staff and BGC shareholders, will select 3 finalists who will be notified by April 1, 2026. The committee may ask for clarification, suggest revisions, and/or ask for updates to the application.
Finalists must be available to present their proposal to the BGC Shareholders during their Annual Meeting and Vote on June 10, 2026, between 5:30 and 7:30 PM. Finalists will be allotted time for a verbal presentation and questions. The proposal that receives the most votes will be awarded grant funding for FY26.
Things to Remember:
A Butler University faculty or staff member must be the sponsor of all projects and programs from the time of the grant application through the completion of the project. All expenditures must comply with relevant University policies and be approved by the faculty or staff member completing the application.
A Butler University account must exist to accept funding.
Grant funds will be transferred to and spent by the Butler entity listed on the grant application and cannot be granted to the community organization directly.
The following projects will not be funded through the BGC community grant program:
- general operating support
- scholarships or endowment requests
- partnerships with national organizations
Grant amounts will vary depending on current Shareholder participation. The typical BGC community grant falls around the $10,000 - $15,000 range. Depending on total Shareholder participation, there may be opportunities to award more than one grant or multiple smaller grants.
Recipients of BGC community grant funding will be required to submit at minimum two updates highlighting outputs and outcomes of the project/program.
If you have questions about the grant process, please contact the Office of Butler Community Engagement at alumni@butler.edu or 317-940-9946.