OVERVIEW: The Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr. Memorial Foundation supports arts and culture, education, health and human services, civic and community service and religion in Indiana.
IP TAKE: The Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr. Memorial Foundation is a longtime presence in Indianapolis philanthropy. The funder provides program support, general operating support, capital funding and scholarships. It does not provide challenge grants, matching grants, seed funding grants or multi-year commitments. This is an accessible funder with many interests for Indianapolis nonprofits because it has two grant cycles per year and a straightforward application process. Reach out to the executive administrator, Kelly Mills, at kmills@noyesfoundation.org or 317-844-8009, with questions.
PROFILE: Established in 1951, the Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr. Memorial Foundation is a family foundation based in Carmel, Indiana. Nicholas and Marguerite Noyes created this foundation to honor their son, Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr., who tragically died at the age of 28 in 1939. Noyes Sr. was the first comptroller of Eli Lilly and Company. The foundation aims to “uphold the founders’ charitable traditions and to continue their commitment to improving the quality of life in the greater Indianapolis area.” Its interest areas include funding for local arts and culture, education, health and human services, civic and community service, and religious organizations.
Grants for K-12 and Higher Education
According to tax records, the Noyes Foundation’s support for education encompasses a range of education groups including K-12 schools and colleges and universities, but the majority of grantmaking in this area goes to educational services organizations.
Past grantees include Oaks Academy, Progress House, Early Learning Indiana, Martin University, and Independent Colleges of Indiana, all of which received over $157,000 in grants. Other recipients include Les Cheneaux Culinary School, Teach for America, College Mentors for Kids, Brightlane Learning, Butler University, International School of Indiana, University of Indianapolis, Christian Theological Seminary, and St Richard’s Episcopal School.
Grants for Community Development
The Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr. Memorial Foundation funds a broad range of topics that are of interest to the Noyes family. Its community development and human services grantmaking touches on a broad variety of issues of interest to the board.
Previous Grantees include Project Transformation Indiana, Indy Hunger Network, Holliday Park Foundation, Brookside Community Development Corporation, Sheltering Wings Center for Women, Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, Ronald McDonald House of Central Indiana, and The John H. Boner Community Center.
Grants for Arts and Culture
The foundation does not appear to have a clear strategy with regard to its grantmaking for arts and culture; instead, it casts a wide net and gives to local organizations focused on arts education, visual and performing arts, museums and historical centers, and groups that promote cultural awareness.
Past grantees include Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library, Connor Prairie Museum, Indiana State Library Foundation, Indiana Music Education Association, Urban Musical Theatre, Heritage Place of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Film Project, Indianapolis Dance Company, Harrison Center for the Arts, and Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis and Indiana State Symphony.
Grants for Health
The Noyes Foundation’s support for health and healthcare across the region is generalized and does not appear to privilege one type of health organization over another. Its grants have gone to mental health, diseases, in-patient and out-patient facilities, and reproductive health.
According to tax records, previous grantees include American Red Cross, Muscular Dystrophy Family Foundation, Hear Indiana, Gennesaret Free Clinic, Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association Greater Indiana Chapter, Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources, Nicholas H Noyes Memorial Hospital, The Milk Bank, and Brookes Place for Grieving Young People.
The foundation also helped establish the Nicholas H Noyes Memorial Hospital in 1972 with a significant donation.
Important Grant Details
Grants range between about $200 and $200,000. The most common amount is $5,000. In a recent year the foundation gave out over $4 million in grants and held $108 million in assets.
Grantmaking focuses on the greater Indianapolis area and Marion County in Indiana. The foundation board only accepts unsolicited applications from local organizations in its home region. However, the foundation may support groups outside this region on an invitation-only basis.
Noyes provides program support, general operating support, capital funds and scholarships, but does not provide challenge grants, matching grants, seed funding grants or multi-year commitments.
This foundation accepts unsolicited letters of intent from nonprofits.
First-time grantseekers should email a letter of intent to the foundation in early January for the spring grant cycle or in late July for the fall grant cycle.
If invited to submit a full proposal, those spring and fall deadlines are a few weeks later.
It is necessary to submit 14 copies of the full application to the foundation by mail.
Organizations may apply one time per calendar year.
Direct general questions to the executive administrator, Kelly Mills, at kmills@noyesfoundation.org or 317-844-8009.
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