The 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application is now available in Spencer County through the Spencer County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation Alliance. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) will provide 147 scholarships statewide and one scholarship in Spencer County. LECSP scholarships may be used for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year. The special allocation may cover the costs for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis, leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. The program, administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and locally in Spencer County through the Spencer County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation Alliance, is open to all Indiana residents who: graduate from an accredited Indiana high school by 2026 and receive their diploma no later than June 30, 2026; intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an eligible college or university in Indiana; and meet the criteria specific to Spencer County Community Foundation. Visit spencercountycf.org/lilly-endowment-community-scholarship-program for complete information regarding the Spencer County application criteria. Students can learn more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Spencer County and apply for this scholarship by visiting the Spencer County Community Foundation website. Applications must be completed and submitted by August 25, 2025, to be considered. Applications will be evaluated on, but not limited to, the following criteria: academic performance, activities and leadership roles, family and personal statement, essays, and interview. Three finalists will be nominated by the Spencer County Community Foundation, and their names will be submitted to ICI for final selection of the recipients. Scholarship recipients will be notified in December. Lilly Endowment created LECSP for the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million. More than 5,400 Indiana students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships since the program’s inception. The primary purposes of LECSP are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state. Spencer County Community Foundation is again pleased to offer LECSP for its 29th year in Spencer County. “We are so grateful for the opportunity to administer the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program in Spencer County. This opportunity is truly life-changing for students,” said Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact.

The Women’s Fund of Spencer County, held by the Spencer County Community Foundation, is now accepting applications for its 2025 Grants Program. Nonprofit organizations serving Spencer County are invited to apply now through Monday, July 14, 2025. The Women's Fund of Spencer County holds an annual grant cycle to award funding to charitable partners addressing a wide range of local needs. Funding is available to support programs and projects that make a meaningful impact in Spencer County communities.  Organizations can find detailed grant guidelines and submit their application online at spencercountycf.org/womens-fund-grants-program . For questions or assistance, please contact Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact, at 812.649.5724 or ealvey@communityfoundationalliance.org.

The Spencer County Community Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2025 Community Good Grants Program. Nonprofit organizations serving Spencer County are invited to apply now through Monday, July 28, 2025. Community Good Grants are awarded to charitable partners addressing a wide range of local needs. Funding is available to support programs and projects that make a meaningful impact in Spencer County communities. Organizations can find detailed grant guidelines and submit their application online at spencercountycf.org/community-good-grants-program . For questions or assistance, please contact Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact, at 812.649.5724 or ealvey@communityfoundationalliance.org. 

The Spencer County Community Foundation distributed more than $78,000 to 21 local Spencer County students from its Community Scholarship Program. These scholarships are funded by generous donors who have established a scholarship fund with the Spencer County Community Foundation. This year’s recipients were celebrated and recognized at the Rise & Shine Scholars event with fund founders, recipients, and parents. Congratulations to the Community Scholarship Program recipients! Alieene Vance Memorial Scholarship - Alaina Rust, Heritage Hills High School Mike Ryan Memorial Scholarship - Alexis Paulin, Heritage Hills High School Randall L. Haaff Scholarship - Anna Begle, Heritage Hills High School Narl and Hazel Conner Scholarship – Bronson Pund, Heritage Hills High School Rockport American Legion Baseball Team Scholarship - Bronson Pund, Heritage Hills High School Cornelius R. Collignon Family Scholarship - Lucas Krzykowski, Heritage Hills High School Brauns Family Scholarship - Gabrielle Small, South Spencer High School Elisa and Brian Peters Memorial Scholarship - Grace Hopper, Heritage Hills High School Randall L. Haaff Scholarship - Jackson Carpenter, South Spencer High School Dale and Marilyn Hasler Memorial Scholarship - Kaden Frakes, Heritage Hills High School Narl and Hazel Conner Scholarship - Kaden Frakes, Heritage Hills High School Rockport American Legion Baseball Team Scholarship - Kaylee Schmitt, South Spencer High School Spencer County Farm Bureau, Inc. Educational Scholarship - Kendall Raaf, South Spencer High School Raleigh and Thelma Abshier Scholarship - Kendalyn Shourds, South Spencer High School Spencer Industries Incorporated Scholarship - Kylie Anastasiades, Cannelton High School Spencer Industries Incorporated Scholarship - Liz Gehlhausen, Purdue University Rockport American Legion Baseball Team Scholarship - Makayla Hulse, Cannelton High School Friends of IU Scholarship - Mayci Litherland, Heritage Hills High School Friends of Pioneer Scholarship - Molly Scherzer, Heritage Hills High School Harold and Thelma Hunter Scholarship - Paige Hart, Heritage Hills High School Othmar and Virginia Ringeman Family Scholarship - Samantha Alice Dilger, Heritage Hills High School Gene and Christina Schwindel Scholarship for Heritage Hills High School - Sawyer Wahl, Heritage Hills High School Mabel Mason Ryan Memorial Scholarship - Seth Beckort, South Spencer High School

The Spencer County Community Foundation is now accepting funding requests for its 2025 Impact Grant cycle. The Foundation seeks innovative projects or programs that address Spencer County’s most pressing challenges: breaking the cycle of poverty, improving mental health and addressing substance use, and increasing economic opportunities. Eligible projects should aim to tackle the root causes of these issues and offer transformational solutions that create lasting, positive change in the community. The 2025 Impact Grant Letter of Inquiry form will be open from March 14, 2025, to April 14, 2025. The Spencer County Community Foundation will award one $50,000 Impact Grant to support a project or program with a minimum total cost of $50,000. Eligible organizations are invited to submit a Letter of Inquiry through our online form by April 14, 2025. The Letter of Inquiry form is a preliminary step to assess whether the proposed project aligns with the Foundation’s funding priorities before moving forward with a formal grant application. The Foundation uses a two-step application process to review Impact Grant requests: Letter of Inquiry Form: The deadline for submitting the Letter of Inquiry form is April 14, 2025. After review by the Foundation’s grants committee, all applicants will be notified of their status by May 15, 2025. Formal Application: Successful applicants will be invited to submit a formal grant application by June 12, 2025. Charitable organizations can view detailed funding requirements and fill out the Letter of Inquiry form online at www.spencercountycf.org/impact-grant-program . For questions, contact Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact at 812.649.5724 or ealvey@communityfoundationalliance.org. These grants are made possible by generous donors who established unrestricted funds with the Spencer County Community Foundation. For more information about creating a fund, please contact Rachael Goldsberry, Regional Director of Development at 812.649.5724 or rgoldsberry@communityfoundationalliance.org.

A broad spectrum of diverse demand for a wide variety of professionals and professional services exists in southern Indiana, representing an array of actionable growth opportunities and potential market development. These opportunities were recently strategically documented in a comprehensive report funded by the Community Foundation Alliance and the Harrison County Community Foundation. The planning report, conducted in partnership with the Indiana First READI region, profiles and pinpoints specific growth opportunities for entrepreneurs in several categories, according to Jill Carpenter, President and CEO of the Community Foundation Alliance here. “Based on direct primary research conducted across multiple counties, the Indiana First Quality of Life Economic Impact Analysis report reveals market potential and entrepreneurial gaps on a county-by-county basis, demonstrating areas of real demand,” said Carpenter. “A careful review of key areas can yield some significant potential market growth for the right companies, professionals, and entrepreneurs.” The economic development executives in the First Indiana region noted that they intend to mine the report to determine opportunities for scalable market growth and talent attraction. The report offers an analysis of the potential economic impact for addressing and improving defined issues throughout the region. “This report can be a workbook for professionals looking to expand, relocate, or start up a business in multiple categories,” said Chris Pfaff, CEO of Knox County Indiana Economic Development. “It provides actionable data on what services and capacity presently exist within our counties and region, and what services residents travel outside of the county or region to buy or obtain.” “Those gaps represent a definable opportunity to be evaluated and captured,” he added. “It can serve as a talent attractor and entrepreneurial opportunity of the first order for our region.” The information is expected to help the region enhance its state and local investments from the READI program and other private investment opportunities. “In order to get feedback from each county, key stakeholders were invited to participate in community conversations regarding essential services in their county in addition to a public survey facilitated by consultants,” said Julie Moorman, President and CEO of the Harrison County Community Foundation. “We are appreciative of the input from community stakeholders in helping identify gaps in essential services and sharing their input of quality-of-life amenities in their communities.” The 191-page report, assembled by TPMA (Thomas P. Miller and Associates), includes significant data analysis and identified specific opportunities to enhance the quality of life in five southern Indiana counties, sketching out gaps that can be filled through initiative planning and growth, infrastructure investments, and elevation of talent opportunities. Actionable potential engagement highlights for growth range from healthcare and essential services to entertainment and dining, as well as professional and technical services. "The report confirms what we’ve heard anecdotally for years—many Perry County residents travel outside the county for veterinary services," said Erin Emerson, President and CEO of the Perry County Development Corporation. "Now, by pairing local insight with concrete data, we can make an even stronger case that additional veterinary services could thrive here - this is just one of many opportunities highlighted in the analysis that align with the needs of our community." The full report, which analyzes needs, assets, and potential advantages of Harrison, Knox, Perry, Pike, and Spencer counties, is available on the Southwest Indiana Development Council website in the Indiana First section: https://swidc.org/indiana-first/ The full report profiles current inventory of essential services and quality of life amenities for each county and includes recommendations for addressing growth needs. The research and planning report and related activities were funded by the Community Foundation Alliance and the Harrison County Community Foundation. Community Foundations in Pike, Perry, Knox, Spencer and Harrison counties served as partners for the planning and development of the comprehensive report. About the Community Foundation Alliance Community Foundation Alliance is comprised of affiliate Community Foundations serving nine counties throughout southwestern Indiana in Daviess, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick counties. Through the establishment of endowed funds created by caring donors to benefit community causes, the Alliance works to improve the quality of life in affiliate counties by providing annual grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to local students. For more information, please visit https://www.communityfoundationalliance.org/ About the Harrison County Community Foundation Harrison County Community Foundation was founded in 1996 by the Harrison County Commissioners, with an initial donation from Caesars Southern Indiana. HCCF’s mission is to inspire and assist everyone in experiencing philanthropy, producing positive and sustainable growth in Harrison County. To date, HCCF has awarded over $133 million in grants, scholarships, and other support to Harrison County nonprofits, entities, and award recipients. The Foundation serves in a community leadership role to help grow Harrison County into the best place to live, work, and raise a family. For more information, please visit https://hccfindiana.org/ About Indiana First Representing the Indiana counties of: Harrison, Knox, Pike, Perry, and Spencer, the region was awarded $15 million from the state’s READI program, intended to accelerate projects that will enhance the area’s quality of life, and increase competitiveness for economic growth. For more information, please visit https://swidc.org/indiana-first/

The Spencer County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Spencer County – Hadley Leibering, Heritage Hills High School . Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership. Scholarship award alternates were also announced. The first alternate, Sawyer Wahl, Heritage Hills High School will receive a $2,500 scholarship renewable for up to four years totaling $10,000. Sean Windell, Heritage Hills High School was named the second alternate. “The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is a life-changing opportunity for students,” said Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact. “The Community Foundation was thoroughly pleased with the quality of the applications submitted and the involvement of the applicants. Spencer County is fortunate to be the home of many talented youth.” Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years. The scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects both current scholars and alumni with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and Indiana Humanities. “I am honored and grateful to be the 2025 recipient of the Spencer County Community Foundation Lilly (Endowment Community) Scholarship,” said Hadley Leibering, 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar. “Thanks to God for the many opportunities I have had to learn and grow with the support of family and friends. I look forward to giving back to my community who has been so gracious and loving to me.” 

Many of our donors have chosen to honor their loved ones, communities, high schools, colleges, and professions by establishing scholarship funds through their local Community Foundations in Daviess, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick Counties. These funds support the annual Community Scholarship programs, providing valuable opportunities for students in Southwest Indiana. Thanks to their contributions, applications are being accepted now, with a deadline of Monday, January 20, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. "We are excited to once again provide scholarship opportunities to students in our Southwest Indiana region,” says Melinda Waldroup, Chief Program Officer at the Community Foundation Alliance. “By offering these scholarships, we are not only investing in individual students but also in the future of our communities. We encourage all eligible students to apply and take a step towards achieving their educational and career goals." Students may apply for one or more scholarships if they meet the eligibility requirements and selection criteria established by donors. Details about each scholarship and the application are posted on the website at communityfoundationalliance.org/scholarships. Each scholarship is unique and supports students with a variety of backgrounds, educational goals, and economic statuses. Awards are made without regard to race, creed, color, sex, religion, or national origin and are based on a competitive process that may consider academic achievement, extracurricular activities, personal aspirations, educational goals, and financial need. The deadline to apply is Monday, January 20, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Learn more and apply today!

Grants totaling $10,000 were awarded to eight organizations serving Spencer County, by the Women’s Fund of Spencer County, held by the Spencer County Community Foundation. Grant Recipients:  Holly’s House: $1,500 for the Preventing Violence through Education program Dale Women’s Organization: $800 for back-to-school supplies for Spencer County students in need Memorial Hospital Foundation: $1,500 for the Patient Assistance program for Spencer County women Isaiah 1:17 Project: $1,500 for the Hopes and Dreams for Children in Spencer County program Deaconess Hospital Foundation: $2,200 for the Mobile Mammography Outreach program in Spencer County Boys and Girls Club of Evansville: $1,000 for the SMART Girls program at Rockport Elementary School Mariah Hill Foundation: $500 for baby changing stations at the new community building Lincoln Hills Development Corporation: $1,000 for community outreach and free health insurance enrollment assistance for Spencer County children and families The Women’s Fund of Spencer County committee reviewed grant requests and made recommendations to the Spencer County Community Foundation. The types of charitable activities that were considered through this grant program were arts and culture, community development, education, health, human services, environment, recreation, and youth development projects and programs. This Fund was established in the fall of 2006, dedicated to supporting programs that give opportunities, encouragement, knowledge, and hope to the Spencer County community. “The Women’s Fund of the Spencer County Community Foundation is delighted to offer these grants,” says Joy Zook, chair of the steering committee. “I firmly believe we stayed on target with our mission when selecting these eight local organizations as recipients.” For more information about the Women’s Fund of Spencer County, contact Rachael Goldsberry, Regional Director of Development at rgoldsberry@communityfoundationalliance.org, or call 812.649.5724.