Apply for a Grant

Apply for a Grant

2025 Grant Cycle Application Period is closed.

Applications must be submitted online which can be accessed through the 2025 Application Portal. Grant applications must be submitted by 5:00pm on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.

2025 Application Portal

The Hillsboro Community Foundation (HCF), an affiliate of Central Kansas Community Foundation (CKCF), was established to promote and facilitate charitable giving in support of projects and programs that enhance the quality of life in Hillsboro and surrounding areas.  Each year, HCF accepts applications for grants designed to meet a need or enhance quality of life as part of the Grant Cycle.

The 2025 Grant Cycle application period opens Thursday, January 2, 2025 and continues through Wednesday, January 22, 2025. In total, the Hillsboro Community Foundation has approximately $23,000 available for the 2025 grant cycle.

  • The Hillsboro Impact Fund has approximately $7,000 available for the purpose of supporting charitable project/programs that benefit those in the Hillsboro community.
  • The Hillsboro Community Foundation Arts Fund has approximately $2,500 available to support local art initiatives that enrich the community.
  • The Community Wellness Endowment has approximately $3,500 to fund solutions for local health and wellness needs, aiming to protect and promote the health and well-being of individuals and the community as a whole.
  • The Marga Ebel Health Fund has approximately $3,000 to support initiatives that promote the health and well-being of children in and around Hillsboro.
  • The Helen and Laurine Schafer Charitable Fund supports health care in and around the Hillsboro community and has approximately $7,000 available.

The amount requested and types of project/programs will determine the number of grants and amounts to be awarded.

Effective July 1, 2025, grantees must complete an online grant agreement form before funds are distributed. The form’s link will be provided via email from CKCF’s grants officer. This change will apply to HCF’s 2026 grant cycle.

A grant award ceremony will take place during the annual Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Gala.

General Grant Guidelines and FAQ

The Hillsboro Community Foundation can make grants to the following entities:
  • 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
  • Government
  • Education
  • Religious
Individuals or organizations that do NOT fall into one of the above entities are encouraged to partner with a fiscal agent in one of those categories.

Management of the organization should be in the hands of reliable, ethical, and experienced personnel.

Grants are typically restricted to the geographic areas served by the Hillsboro Community Foundation.
Yes. Submission of an impact report from the previous grant cycle is required to be eligible for grants in the current year. Grantees who do not submit an impact report will be ineligible for grants for two years.

Please contact Melissa Schreiber, CKCF Grants Officer at melissa@centralkansascf.org or 316-251-4143 for more information.
  • Need – Project/programs where there is an evident need and the organization is in a key position to meet that need.
  • Feasibility – Project/programs that present a well-thought-out strategy for achieving goals with a cost-effective budget.
  • Collaboration – Project/programs that utilize resources to optimize shared goals of multiple organizations.
  • Effective Organizations – Project/programs that expand or improve the services of established organizations.
  • Outcomes Measurement – Project/programs with reasonable and effective measurement or evaluation tools to demonstrate impact of outcomes.
  • Innovation – Project/programs that represent new and promising approaches to unmet community needs.
Yes, the Hillsboro Community Foundation understands that daily operational work and its associated costs are vital for community advancement. Grant applications for operational costs are encouraged.
No. Grants may not be awarded retroactively for project/programs. Please ensure that the project/program will not occur until after grants are estimated to be made.
Yes. Completed applications must be submitted online here.
The Hillsboro Community Foundation awards grants ranging from $250 to $5,000. Due to high demand, applicants must specify the minimum funding required for their project to be viable. Applications unable to be funded at the minimum request will likely not be approved.

All submissions are subject to the process, procedures, and rules of both the Hillsboro Community Foundation and Central Kansas Community Foundation. Upon review by the HCF grant review committee, additional information may be requested for clarification.
Applicants are typically notified 3-5 weeks after the application window closes. This timeframe allows the HCF grants review committee to analyze each application and CKCF's grant officer to perform necessary due diligence.

Effective July 1, 2025, grantees must complete an online grant agreement form before funds are distributed. The form's link will be provided via email from CKCF's grants officer.
Yes. All grantees from the grant cycle are required to submit an impact report at the conclusion of the project/program. If no impact report is submitted, then the organization is ineligible to receive any new grants for two years.

The project/program must be completed, and an impact report must be submitted by Sunday, November 2, 2025, unless other considerations are shared prior to project/program completion.

Find the 2025 impact report form here.

The Hillsboro Community Foundation accepts grant applications year-round; however, funding is very limited outside of the dedicated grant cycle.

If you have questions or need further information, please contact

Chad Hughbanks, HCF Associate Director, at director@hcfoundationks.org, or 620-947-0170.
Melissa Schreiber, CKCF Grants Officer, at melissa@centralkansascf.org, or 316-251-4143.