OVERVIEW: The Community Foundation Alliance supports arts and culture, community development, education, health, human services, environment, youth development and recreation in Southwest Indiana.
IP TAKE: The Community Foundation Alliance is a collection of nine community foundations with broad interests and many different grant opportunities to explore. In a step toward transparency, it links its financial data on its website; however, it does not provide a clear way for grantseekers to reach out with questions beyond cold-calling its offices. A phone number is provided below.
Ultimately, because of the diversity of funding areas and its laser focus on southwest Indiana, this is a good funder for local nonprofits to know, just keep a close eye on your counties grants page for funding opportunities as they’re announced
PROFILE: Established in 1991, the Community Foundation Alliance (CFA) is a group of nine community foundations that is based in Evansville, Indiana. CFA provides management and administrative services to the community foundations so that they can improve the quality of life in their respective communities. CFA is a regional structure incorporated after the Lilly Endowment announced its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow initiative. It holds over 1,200 funds today. It funds local efforts for arts and culture, community development, education, health, human services, environment, youth development and recreation.
The Community Foundation Alliance consists of the Daviess, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh and Warrick community foundations.
Grants for Arts and Culture
Arts grants focus on strengthening the stability of art organizations and making the arts accessible. Previous grants have supported local museums and cultural heritage groups, like Evansville Museum of Arts History & Science, Daviess County Historical Society, and Reitz Home Preservation Society, but the majority of arts funding goes to performing arts organizations.
Past theater grantees include Veale Creek Players, Gibson County Youth Theatre, Evansville Civic Theatre, and Lincoln Boyhood Drama Association.
Music organizations that have seen support include Evansville Philharmonic and Washington Band Boosters Association.
Grants have also gone to Pike County School and Evansville Vanderburgh School for arts programs, including musical theater and orchestra.
Grants for Community Development
Human services and community development grants address civil rights, strong neighborhoods, and capacity building, as well as legal services, nutrition, housing, public safety, and disaster relief. Youth development and mentorship is a major funding interest.
Previous youth development grants have gone to Youth First, The Potters Wheel, Boys & Girls Club of Evansville, and United Methodist Youth Home.
Other human services grants have supported Aurora Inc, Ozanam Family Shelter, Spencer County Habitat for Humanity, Pike County Area Rehabilitation Centers, Blue Jeans Community Center, and North Knox Social Ministries, as well as YMCAs and YWCAs in the various counties.
One of CFA’s largest grants went to Perry County Business and Industrial Development Corporation for adult education and workforce training.
Grants for Education
Education grants fund efforts in and out of the classroom for children and adults. Local public school districts frequently see continued support, as do religious schools. Higher education grants support both universities and community colleges. In addition to grants, CFA also awards scholarships to local students to attend college.
Past K-12 grantees include Washington Community Schools, Warrick County School Corporation, Evansville Christian School, Washington Catholic Schools, Cannelton City Schools, and Pike County Schools.
Grants for general scholarships have gone to South Spencer Scholarship Foundation, Gibson Southern Scholarships, and Student Financial Aid Association.
Grants for higher education include Vincennes University, Ivy Tech Community College, University of Southern Indiana, Indiana State University, and Purdue University.
Grants for Public Health and Access
CFA’s health grants support physical, mental and rehabilitative health services. The majority of funding for healthcare has gone to area hospitals; however, grants have also supported groups focused on cancer and other conditions related to general health and wellness.
Hospitals that have seen support include Deaconess Hospital Inc Deaconess Hospital, Perry County Memorial Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital, Daviess County Hospital, and Memorial Hospital.
Cancer organizations that CFA has supported include Cancer Pathways Midwest and Chemo Buddies.
Grants have gone to Autism Speaks and Chordoma Foundation,
Grants for addiction, crisis intervention, and mental health counselling have gone to Holly’s House, The Gibault Foundation, Youth First, and Addiction Solutions Corp.
Grants for Environment and Animal Welfare
CFA also funds environmental efforts to protect natural resources and animals, recreation efforts to promote sports and parks and youth development activities related to athletics and other programs.
Past local environment grantees include Wesselman Nature Society, Warrick Humane Society, and Evansville Zoological Society for both wildlife support and plant biodiversity.
Sycamore Land Trust received more than $100,000 over the years to protect natural resources.
Important Grant Details
Grants range between about $100 and $100,000, but some have gone much higher; however, the most common amount is $1,000. The foundation gave more than $4.6 million in grants in a recent year and held more than $126 million in assets.
Grantmaking focuses on Southwest Indiana. The counties in focus are Daviess, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh and Warrick.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits with its discretionary grantmaking dollars.
CAF links to each local community foundation’s current grant opportunities on its website.
Each program has its own unique set of guidelines and deadlines.
Direct general questions to the staff at 812-429-1191 or via snail mail at 20 NW 3rd Street, Suite 820, Evansville, IN 47708.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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