The Vanderburgh and Warrick County Community Foundations are now accepting applications for their annual Community Good Grants Program. Community Good grants provide funding to charitable organizations for new or ongoing programs and projects that meet a broad range of local needs. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, February 21, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Community Good Grants are awarded to charitable organizations located in or directly serving Vanderburgh and/or Warrick Counties. Funding is available to support various local needs, with priority given to organizations that demonstrate: Evidence of realistic organizational planning and management Project methodology with a preventative approach to addressing issues and solving problems Clear, actionable plans for program/project evaluation A commitment to promoting collaboration among organizations or institutions to prevent duplication of services A focus on long-term planning, financial stability, and sustainability For full details on funding requirements and to access the grant application, visit vanderburghcf.org/community-good-grants-program or warrickcountycf.org/community-good-grants-program New prospective grant applicants are encouraged to attend the virtual Grant Application Orientation Session on Monday, January 27, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. To RSVP, please email Sidney Hardgrave at shardgrave@communityfoundationalliance.org

Community Foundation Alliance, in conjunction with Warrick County Community Foundation, has received a grant of $6,715,058 from Lilly Endowment Inc. through the competitive Community Leadership Implementation Grants component of the eighth phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VIII) initiative. This is one of 30 implementation grants awarded through GIFT VIII, a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative designed to support the efforts of community foundations and their partners to strengthen the quality of life for the people in the towns, cities, counties, and regions they serve. With the grant, Warrick County Community Foundation, in collaboration with Gibson, Posey, and Vanderburgh Community Foundations, affiliates of the Community Foundation Alliance, Inc., are partnering with Mission First, Inc. to develop Sanctuary on the Hill. Through collaborative community partnerships, Sanctuary on the Hill will be a retreat nestled on a tranquil 90-acre parcel of land in northern Warrick County that will offer a refuge for healing, treatment, and renewal for military veterans in the region and their families. The Sanctuary will be built in three construction phases and will include an activity center, main lodge, cabins, horse barn and arena, and recreational amenities. This grant will fund phases two and three of construction. Phase one, the construction of the activity center, has already begun. Phase two will begin in early 2025. The Sanctuary will finish construction of its facilities and open to serve veterans from multiple military branches in the four-county region initially, with a plan to work with all Indiana veterans south of I-70. “We envision this incredible regional asset as much more than a physical location where services are provided but as a place where veterans can feel like they belong,” said Jill Carpenter, President and CEO of the Community Foundation Alliance. “It is a hub for holistic support and a continuum of care. This investment aims to help veterans know they are appreciated, supported, and embraced by their community.” All buildings and spaces are being developed through a strategic, phased approach, focused on creating a veteran-centric environment. The design will address the unique mental health needs of veterans. Key features include open sightlines, acoustic treatments, calming aesthetics, and ample personal space to promote safety and comfort. This sets the Sanctuary apart as a truly supportive and healing environment for veterans. In 1990, Lilly Endowment launched the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative to help establish and further develop community foundations throughout Indiana. Lilly Endowment hoped that Indiana’s community foundations could enhance the quality of life in their communities by convening conversations among people of diverse ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, occupations, races, and cultural traditions about their communities’ most compelling needs and opportunities, as well as the best ways to address them.