Beyond creating fun, the Festival’s mission is about improving the quality of life for this community. Many organizations work with Derby Festival volunteers to produce events that raise money for various charities or receive direct financial contributions from events produced by the Derby Festival Foundation.

Events on the Festival’s schedule help raise more than $300,000 annually for various projects, causes and other nonprofit organizations:

•  Actors Theatre, Easter Seals, Kentucky Center for the Arts, Louisville Ballet, Louisville Science Center, Louisville Slugger Museum, Waterfront Development
• At-Risk Youth
• Don Fightmaster Golf Tournament For Exceptional Children
• Children’s groups
• Children’s Youth Forum by 100 Black Men
• Dare to Care
• Derby Festival Foundation
• Diversity
• Foundation programs
• Knights of Columbus Charity Dinner
• Leukemia and lymphoma research
• Louisville Urban League programs
• Marathon/miniMarathon
• Mentally challenged citizens
• Plymouth Community Center
• Presbyterian Community Center
• Pro-Am Golf Tournament
• Ramble for the Roses
• Success by Six
• Taste of Derby Festival
• Thunder Over Louisville Fundraisers
• Urban League Moonlight Cruise
• Youth scholarships