Spencer County
Community Foundation
The Community Foundation is a charitable resource devoted to our local community. We help people make meaningful gifts that improve life in Spencer County, Indiana today and for generations to come.
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Greater Good Together
The Spencer County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Community Foundation Alliance, a network of nine community foundations serving counties in southwestern Indiana. The Alliance provides management and administrative expertise to county-wide community foundations, empowering each to promote philanthropy, build endowment and improve wellbeing in our local communities. Learn more!
Recent News
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
The Spencer County Community Foundation announced that more than $197,000 has been awarded to 26 local nonprofits through its Community Good Grants Program. These grants support projects that strengthen the Spencer County community and improve the quality of life for local residents. “At its heart, the Community Foundation is here to build a stronger future for Spencer County,” said Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact. “When our donors invest through the Foundation, they’re helping local organizations tackle real issues and create lasting im pact.” 2025 Community Good Grant Recipients $1,860 to Albion Fellows Bacon Center, Inc. for a one-year subscription to Bloomerang Volunteer Management System $9,250 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana to grow and support the number of youth served in Spencer County by recruiting more Bigs to be paired with Littles in the community $10,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Evansville to support staffing and supplies essential to delivering year-round club programming for students in Rockport, Indiana $2,100 to Bread of Life Ministry Inc. to cover the cost of freight for donated food and purchase food items for low-income families $8,300 to Chrisney Baptist Church to provide weekend backpacks of food to students who qualify for free or reduced lunches at Chrisney Elementary School $5,500 to Deaconess Foundation to provide mammograms and necessary follow-up care to uninsured or underinsured Spencer County women $150 to Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra for 3rd–5th grade Spencer County students to attend the Orchestra’s Helen M. McKinney Young People’s Concerts in March 2026 $6,270 to Heritage Hills PATS to provide a safe, supervised space and sporting equipment for all students to participate in various team sports one night a week $3,500 to Holly’s House, Inc. for child abuse prevention programming to Spencer County elementary students $4,375 to Honor Flight of Southern Indiana to honor America’s senior veterans by providing them with an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. $13,275 to Isaiah 117 House Spencer/ Perry for the purchase of a mower, trimmer, and blower for yard upkeep at the House in Chrisney, Indiana, and a yard barn to store the equipment $7,000 to Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana to serve Spencer County students through hands-on, volunteer-led classroom programs and real-world learning experiences $4,938 to Luce Elementary School to install a rock climbing/traversing wall at Luce Elementary School to promote physical fitness, social development, and student engagement $4,000 to Luce Elementary School for the continuation of Family Shopping Night for families served through the South Spencer Schools Food Pantry $8,000 to North Spencer Community Action Center, Inc. for the purchase of food for the food pantry $2,834 to North Spencer County School Corporation for monthly sets of take-home art supplies for low-income students $10,000 to Operation Parent to provide Spencer County youth parents with a Parent Handbook that addresses relevant topics $8,500 to Saint Meinrad Volunteer Fire Dept. for the purchase of a headset system to communicate on scenes in noisy situations $9,000 to Santa Claus Volunteer Fire Department INC. to purchase battery-powered rescue equipment $1,850 to SAWs (Servants At Work Inc) to support the construction of at least one ADA-compliant wheelchair ramp for low-income Spencer County residents with a disability $15,000 to SonShine Early Learning Ministry to expand tuition assistance and improve facilities for young children $2,500 to Spencer County CASA for volunteer recruitment $5,000 to Spencer County Council on Aging for the purchase of equipment to safely secure O2 tanks while in transport with Spencer County residents $5,000 to Spencer County Emergency Management Agency to purchase the equipment and supplies needed for Project Lifesaver $20,000 to Spencer County Historical Society for the digitization of Spencer County Newspapers into a searchable “Optical Character Recognition” database for public use $20,000 to St. Meinrad Chamber of Commerce for the electrical infrastructure project at the St. Meinrad Park $8,925 to Stir-N-Up Hope Inc. for the completion of the exterior insulation The Community Good Grants Program is just one of the powerful ways the Foundation connects local generosity to real community needs. Grants are funded through endowments established by donors who are deeply committed to the future of Spencer County. Why This Matters The Spencer County Community Foundation is more than a grantmaker. It’s a trusted local partner, connecting people who want to make a difference with the causes and organizations that make our community thrive. Each gift is invested for long-term growth, creating a permanent resource for local needs both now and for generations to come. To learn more about how you can give back or create your own fund, contact Rachael Goldsberry at rgoldsberry@communityfoundationalliance.org or 812.649.5724.
The Women’s Fund of Spencer County, held and administered by the Spencer County Community Foundation, recently awarded more than $6,900 in grants to nine nonprofit organizations serving Spencer County. Grants were announced at a small reception celebrating local organizations working to improve the lives of residents. Since its founding in 2006, the Women’s Fund has been a permanent resource dedicated to strengthening Spencer County through collective giving. Its mission is to improve the quality of life in Spencer County by supporting programs that provide opportunities, encouragement, knowledge, and hope. This year’s grants support a wide range of programs—from equine-assisted learning and prevention education to mentoring, financial literacy, music, and more: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Indiana for the High School Bigs Sustainability project Isaiah 117 House Spencer/Perry for food and kitchen supplies for the House in Chrisney, Indiana Lincoln Hills Development Corporation to provide health insurance navigation services in Spencer County through the Covering Kids & Families program and expand outreach Holly’s House, Inc. for prevention programming for Spencer County students in Kindergarten–6th grade Stir-N-Up Hope Inc. for instructor certifications and continuing education in Equine-Assisted Learning Dale Women’s Organization for school supplies and Christmas gifts for Spencer County students in need Junior Achievement of Southwest Indiana to equip students with essential skills in financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra to add a music component to the Learn with Lincoln program for 4th grade Spencer County students Boys and Girls Club of Evansville for the SMART Girls program at Rockport Elementary “The Women’s Fund was established in 2006 and gave out the first grants in 2009. It has been a collaboration of a lot of women putting their thoughts, money, talents, and treasures into a Fund that they thought would pay off someday. Today demonstrates that pay off,” said Marlene Parsley, President of the Women’s Fund of Spencer County. Parsley noted that the Fund’s work continues to grow thanks to the generosity of community members. “We typically have a Mother’s Day mailing, and that is our one single fundraiser each year, but we take donations year-round. The leadership group, which is ten women, got together and reviewed all the grant applications, which were all really good requests, and we were able to grant to nine different organizations. We’re grateful for that and hope to grow grantmaking down the road.” The impact of these grants demonstrates how local giving can create lasting change. To learn more about the Women’s Fund or how to create a legacy of giving in Spencer County, contact Rachael Goldsberry at rgoldsberry@communityfoundationalliance.org
