As the Community Foundation celebrates 35 years of serving our region, we are taking an important step forward to strengthen how we invest in our communities for the future. In FY27 (July 2026 through June 2027), the Foundation will conduct a comprehensive review of our unrestricted grantmaking approach, priorities, and processes to help ensure our community investments are deployed for the greatest possible impact. As part of this FY27 review year, the Foundation will not hold an open competitive application cycle for the Community Good Grants program. What to Expect in FY27 Even during this review year, the Foundation will continue making grants. Rather than offering an open Community Good Grants application process, we will use a more focused review process that considers historical grantmaking, community impact, and current community needs. In many cases, this will mean continued investment in organizations with an established history of partnership and impact through the Community Foundation. Most FY27 Community Good Grant support will be awarded as unrestricted operating support, providing flexible dollars that strengthen organizations where they need it most. Important Note This change applies only to our competitive unrestricted grantmaking program (Community Good Grants). Grantmaking through our donor-advised, designated funds, agency funds, and scholarship funds will continue as usual. Looking Ahead This year of review will help guide our future grantmaking strategy and ensure we are responsive to evolving community needs. The Foundation expects to launch a redesigned grant process in FY28 (July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028), and we will share details well in advance. Learn More and Ask Questions To help nonprofit partners understand the FY27 process and ask questions, our Program team will host virtual information sessions: Thursday, May 7, 2026 | 11:00 a.m. CST - Perry & Spencer Tuesday, May 12, 2026 | 1:00 p.m. EST - Daviess, Knox, & Pike Thursday, May 14, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. CST - Vanderburgh & Warrick Monday, May 18, 2026 | 11:00 a.m. CST - Gibson & Posey We encourage all nonprofit partners to attend a session.

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The Vincennes Parks and Recreation Department has been awarded a $15,000 grant to support the construction of a new Children’s Bike Park at Chicago Park—an exciting project championed by local advocate Jordan Daniels in partnership with the department. His leadership and passion for inspiring, enabling, and encouraging healthy activities such as biking have been instrumental in bringing the project to life. “The Community Foundation was the one single thing that got us there, and we wouldn't be where we are with this project without it,” Daniels shared. The park will feature a pump track and a surrounding dirt riding loop designed especially for younger riders, creating a safe and accessible space for kids and families of all skill levels to ride and play outdoors. Daniels emphasized the importance of designing the space with today’s young riders in mind: “Kids don’t ride training wheel bikes; they ride balance bikes. They learn the balance before the pedals. Those bikes are perfect for this. If you're trying to learn to ride a balance bike in town, it’s not the safest—so to have a safe spot to go that will further their skills is huge.” This grant was made possible by the Foundation’s unrestricted grantmaking, which allows us to respond quickly to promising opportunities. “The grant from the Community Foundation was the very key thing that got us over the hump,” Daniels said. “Without it, there was no meeting the deadline to have this finished in early July.” Beyond the park itself, Daniels sees this project as a starting point for deeper community connection. “There are more opportunities to get involved in the community,” he added. “It’s not just about bikes for us, but implementing as many community outreach events as possible.” And right now, unrestricted gifts have even greater impact. Every dollar given to unrestricted funds is eligible for a 2:1 match , helping stretch community support even further. Projects like this are only possible because of your generosity. Your giving continues to strengthen communities across our region, one meaningful investment at a time.

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Recent changes to federal tax law bring more certainty to long-term planning. That is good news if you are thinking about charitable giving in the years ahead. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law in July 2025, made several tax provisions permanent and introduced new rules that may affect how and when you give. Some changes create new opportunities. Others may require a different approach, depending on your income and strategy.  Understanding the basics can help you plan with confidence and make the most of your generosity. “What I’m telling clients is that the rules are clearer now, but strategy matters more. The One Big Beautiful Bill gives people the ability to plan ahead, coordinate their giving with their overall financial picture, and be more intentional about how and when they support the causes they care about,” said Jody Giles, Senior Vice President, Director of Wealth Advisory Group, CFP®, German American Bank, and member of the Community Foundation Alliance Board of Directors . “With new thresholds and caps, timing and gift type really count, and the Community Foundation can help donors understand how those details fit into their plans.”

The Community Foundation Alliance is proud to announce that applications are now open for its Community Scholarship Program, offering hundreds of opportunities for students across Southwest Indiana and in select areas of Illinois and Kentucky. These scholarships, made possible by generous local donors, provide financial support for students pursuing college, university, technical programs, or other post-secondary education paths. “Our scholarships reflect the belief that investing in students is investing in the future of our communities,” said Melinda Waldroup, Chief Program Officer of the Community Foundation Alliance. “We want every eligible student in Southwest Indiana and select areas of Illinois and Kentucky to have access to these opportunities and feel confident applying.” Scholarship Program Highlights Wide Range of Awards: Hundreds of scholarships for graduating seniors and high school graduates across Southwest Indiana and select areas of Illinois and Kentucky. Simple Application Process: Scholarships can be completed through our online Community Scholarships Common Application. Select special scholarship opportunities can be found on each community’s website. Deadline: Applications are open today and close on January 19, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. How to Apply Visit communityfoundationalliance.org/scholarships. Review the 2026 Scholarship Guidebook. Find your community and click through to its website. Review all available scholarship opportunities and their eligibility criteria for your community. Complete the 2025–2026 Community Scholarships Common Application. Receive your automatic matches to scholarships you qualify for. Submit all required materials, including essays and recommendation letters, by January 19, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Start your application early! All supplemental materials must be submitted by the deadline, so build in plenty of time for each step. Give your references time to complete their recommendations, allow yourself enough time to write thoughtful essays, and request your transcripts early so your Guidance Counselor has time to process them. If you have any questions or need additional resources, please contact the staff member in your community. Kentucky & Illinois Michele Gates, Program Assistant mgates@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.429.1191 Daviess County Laura Hazelman, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact lhazelman@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.254.9354 Gibson County Amy Smith, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact asmith@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.386.8082 Knox County Laura Hazelman, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact lhazelman@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.886.0093 Perry County Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact ealvey@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.547.3176 Pike County Laura Hazelman, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact lhazelman@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.890.4469 Posey County Amy Smith, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact asmith@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.838.0288 Spencer County Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact ealvey@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.649.5724 Vanderburgh County Alysia Rhinefort, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact arhinefort@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.422.1245 Warrick County Alysia Rhinefort, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact arhinefort@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.897.2030