GCF opens new trust and belonging grants

WINCHESTER, Ky. – Greater Clark Foundation (GCF) is now accept­ing Expressions of Interest for the sec­ond round of its Building Trust & Belonging (BTB) Grant Program and Learning Cohort. This invest­ment reflects anoth­er $175,000 avail­able to sup­port com­mu­ni­ty-led ideas that strength­en rela­tion­ships, fos­ter belong­ing, and build trust across Clark, Powell, and Estill coun­ties. The ini­tia­tive com­bines grants of up to $20,000 with a shared learn­ing expe­ri­ence designed to help par­tic­i­pants reflect on their work and learn along­side peers. 

Building Trust & Belonging began in 2023 as a pilot to explore how invest­ing in peo­ple and orga­ni­za­tions could help renew trust between indi­vid­u­als, across dif­fer­ences, and between com­mu­ni­ties and insti­tu­tions. Since then, the ini­tia­tive has shown that the rela­tion­ships formed through the expe­ri­ence are just as mean­ing­ful as the project ideas them­selves. Those lessons have shaped this sec­ond round of fund­ing, plac­ing equal empha­sis on grant­mak­ing and shared learning. 

The pro­gram wel­comes ideas from com­mu­ni­ty mem­bers, grass­roots groups, non­prof­it orga­ni­za­tions, reli­gious orga­ni­za­tions, local gov­ern­ments, and qua­si-gov­ern­ment orga­ni­za­tions. Whether focused on bridg­ing divides, cre­at­ing inclu­sive spaces, strength­en­ing neigh­bor­hood con­nec­tions, or help­ing peo­ple feel seen and val­ued, the Foundation is seek­ing ideas that con­tribute to stronger, more con­nect­ed communities. 

“One of the most impor­tant lessons from the first round of Building Trust & Belonging was that the learn­ing didn’t end when the grants were award­ed,” said Timothy Johnson, CEO of Greater Clark Foundation. “Participants built rela­tion­ships that con­tin­ued well beyond the pro­gram and found new ways to lead with­in their orga­ni­za­tions and com­mu­ni­ties. We’re excit­ed to wel­come a new group of lead­ers into that expe­ri­ence and to con­tin­ue learn­ing along­side them.” 

All select­ed grantees will par­tic­i­pate in a shared learn­ing cohort that meets five times through­out the grant peri­od. The cohort is designed to sup­port reflec­tion, encour­age peer learn­ing, and strength­en par­tic­i­pants’ abil­i­ty to nav­i­gate the com­plex­i­ty of build­ing trust and belong­ing with­in their own communities. 

“GCF’s Board has con­tin­ued to invest in this ini­tia­tive because we’ve seen what can hap­pen when peo­ple are giv­en both the resources and the rela­tion­ships to grow their ideas,” said Darren Henry, Chair of the Greater Clark Foundation Board of Trustees. “Communities are durably strength­ened by the peo­ple who know them best. This ini­tia­tive is about sup­port­ing those lead­ers and cre­at­ing oppor­tu­ni­ties for ideas to take root.” 

The appli­ca­tion process has also evolved based on what GCF learned dur­ing the pilot pro­gram. Rather than requir­ing a full pro­pos­al upfront, appli­cants will begin with an Expression of Interest. Selected appli­cants will then be invit­ed into con­ver­sa­tions with Foundation staff before a final group is asked to sub­mit a full appli­ca­tion. The rela­tion­al grant­mak­ing process is inten­tion­al­ly designed to reduce bar­ri­ers, encour­age con­ver­sa­tion, and help appli­cants deter­mine whether their ideas are a good fit before invest­ing time in a full application. 

Expressions of Interest for Building Trust & Belonging grants are due September 14, 2026. To learn more about the pro­gram and begin an appli­ca­tion, vis­it: https://www.clarkambition.org/grant-seekers 

Additional infor­ma­tion about the ini­tia­tive, eli­gi­bil­i­ty, and key dates is avail­able in this fund­ing announcement. 

This work was made pos­si­ble through the sup­port of the Trust for Civic Life, a spon­sored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.