Story Category: Impact Stories

THE POWER OF ENDOWMENTS: INVESTING IN THE ARTS PAYS OFF IN PERPETUITY

Celebrated philanthropist Lucille Little was passionate about the arts. All told, Mrs. Little awarded over $50 million to nonprofits in Fayette, Rowan and Elliott Counties. It would be hard to find an arts organization in those communities that has not benefitted from her generosity. Mrs. Little died in 2002, but… Read More

BGCF365: Our Impact

THE FINALS! 2022-23 Grantmaking Cycle Results BGCF365 members met at Base249 for The Finals, our annual grantmaking meeting, on April 20. We heard project pitches from three Lexington nonprofits supporting Fayette County youth and voted on how to award $25,000 in total grants: FIRST PLACE $15,000 GRANT WINNER: … Read More

BGCF Celebrates $150 Million in Total Grantmaking

Blue Grass Community Foundation is celebrating a tremendous milestone: awarding over $150 million in grants and scholarships since our founding in 1967! BGCF was established when C.W. and Irene Sulier invited several Central Kentucky philanthropists to join them in establishing a public foundation to encourage charitable giving and to… Read More

It All Started With Three Sheets of Paper

By Scotty Patrick, Magoffin County Community Foundation chair   I grew up in Magoffin County and learned a lot in my early years there. My teachers taught us the three Rs and the importance of respecting each other. My education extended beyond the classroom as I realized how those around… Read More

LBPI Supports Breonna Taylor Legacy Project

The Lexington Black Prosperity Initiative at Blue Grass Community Foundation granted $2,500 to support the educational and community programming component of a mural commissioned by the Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative at the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning. The artwork, “The Weeping Wall,” will be created by artist Kiptoo… Read More

Lexington Black Prosperity Initiative Grant Provides Prosperity Backpacks

In the summer of 2021, Believing In Forever Inc facilitated its Community On The Corners initiative where Devine Carama and JK-47 engaged in community pop-performances in underserved neighborhoods in Lexington. During these performances, volunteers from several local organizations distributed free food, bottled water, baby products, household cleaning items and children’s books,… Read More

3.14 Going Forward Fund: Full STEAM Ahead!

More than $110,000 has been awarded to Fayette County public middle and high school STEM-related projects benefitting girls and minority students, thanks to an anonymous donor who established the 3.14 Going Forward Fund at BGCF in 2018. With COVID-19 disrupting the 2019-20 school year, the original plans that Gary DeBorde,… Read More