Heaven Hill Brands today launched the Spirited Neighbor Community Grant Program, an extension of its Spirited Neighbor initiative, designed to bolster the California neighborhood and other West Louisville communities near where the company operates its Bernheim Distillery. Heaven Hill will allocate up to $50,000 annually for five years, through grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 a year, to fund specific projects led by local non-profit organizations that support California residents and nearby communities.
The grant program is one pillar of the company’s overarching Spirited Neighbor Initiative, comprising a five-year $800,000 investment aimed at fostering collaboration with nonprofits, public organizations, and the community at large. The multifaceted initiative prioritizes key areas such as education, mental health, economic development, and more broadly across a number of critical areas.
The Spirited Neighbor Community Grants are in addition to Heaven Hill’s partnerships announced last year with its key partner organizations in the West End community, including Change Today, Change Tomorrow, Neighborhood House, AMPED, Louisville Central Community Center and West End School. These partnerships, formed under the Spirited Neighbor Initiative, have already made significant strides in addressing the community’s specific needs.
“There are a number of vital organizations working tirelessly to address the diverse needs of the California neighborhood,” said Kate Latts, co-president of Heaven Hill Brands. “Having called Bernheim our distilling home for 25 years, we’re honored to support the existing efforts and help drive growth and tangible change where it’s needed most.”
Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations and churches that meet the section 501(c)(3) requirements are eligible to apply for a Spirited Neighbor Community Grant. Applications must be submitted online at spiritedneighbor.com/community-grants during one of the two application cycles offered each calendar year. Applications are reviewed by a panel of Heaven Hill employee volunteers based on criteria including project alignment to Spirited Neighbor goals, feasibility, and potential impact. Applications are now being accepted online for projects that will be conducted between July 2024 and June 2025.
“Our commitment to the California neighborhood extends beyond financial support,” added Allan Latts, co-president of Heaven Hill Brands. “We’re dedicated to nurturing our existing long-term partnerships and fostering new collaborative efforts that create lasting positive change for the community and its residents.”
Under the Spirited Neighbor Initiative, Heaven Hill Brands has taken strides to enhance the infrastructure of the California neighborhood, including significant investments in Louisville MSD sewer system improvements, as well as neighborhood beautification efforts such as planting trees and shrubs along roadways and at Perry Elementary and at Victory Park.
For more information on Heaven Hill’s Spirited Neighbor Initiative and the new Spirited Neighbor Community Grant program, visit spiritedneighbor.com.
