Give Today 
2025 Annual Report
Thank you for taking the time to explore the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana’s 2025 Annual Report!
This past year was defined by generosity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to strengthening the communities of Clark and Floyd counties. Inside, you’ll find stories of neighbors helping neighbors, students pursuing their dreams, and local partnerships turning ideas into lasting impact.
From record-breaking scholarships to investments in housing, parks, and youth leadership, each story reflects the power of philanthropy to bring people together and improve quality of life across our region. We’re grateful for the donors, partners, volunteers, and community members who make this work possible – and we’re honored to share the progress we achieved together.
Table of Contents: (Click on picture to jump to story)
A Letter from the President
Affordable Housing
Quality of Place’s Impact
Community Needs Assessment
Matching Grant Campaign
Youth Philanthropy Council
Scholarships Surpass $1M
Advisor Spotlight: CLLB Law
Legacy Spotlight: Patty Cress
GIFT IX Preview
2025 Financial Highlights
Board of Directors
A Letter from the President: Strengthening Our Southern Indiana Community … Together
In a world where everyone is chasing stronger signals – faster Wi-Fi, better service, more bars on the screen – the thing that really holds a community together isn’t digital at all. It comes from people: neighbors who care, who show up, and who believe their generosity can change lives.
At the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana, our role is to be that connector – linking people who care with causes that matter. Every day, philanthropy plays a quiet, yet powerful role in shaping life across Clark and Floyd counties.
This past year, we’ve seen incredible examples of generosity at work. From supporting families in crisis to investing in projects that strengthen our sense of place, each act of giving adds to a ripple of impact that moves our community forward.
Our Community Needs Assessment continues to guide our efforts, helping us focus on what matters most: housing, recovery, education, and livability. Through initiatives like our Quality of Place program, we’ve helped revitalize spaces that bring people together. Grants to organizations like the Homeless Coalition of Southern Indiana and Serenity House have provided safe shelter and new opportunities for those rebuilding their lives.
No matter the changing landscape around us, our mission remains clear: to improve the quality of life for everyone in our region. The heart of philanthropy has always been about people – and the belief that, together, we can build a stronger, more vibrant Southern Indiana.
Thank you for being part of this work and for helping create lasting change that will be felt for generations.
Housing: The Affordability Challenge in a Growing Region
Safe, affordable housing is more than shelter – it’s the foundation for stability, economic opportunity, and community. Yet for many families across Clark and Floyd counties, finding a home within financial reach has become increasingly difficult.
Earlier this year, the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana commissioned Housing: The Affordability Challenge in a Growing Region, a comprehensive study conducted by the Applied Research and Education Center at Indiana University Southeast (IUS AREC). The report revealed what many already felt firsthand: too many working families are spending more than they can afford on housing, leaving little room for savings, stability, or growth.
In response, the Foundation’s board of directors committed $400,000 to jumpstart local solutions and move from insight to impact. Partnering with The Wheatley Group and IUS AREC, this initiative will bring together local governments, developers, lenders, and nonprofits to create a shared roadmap for change – one that aligns data, policy, and investment to expand affordable housing options.
The three-year effort will culminate in a regional 10-year strategic plan designed to make homeownership and stable housing attainable for more residents, with the goal of beginning construction on up to 100 new affordable units by Year 3.
By connecting research with real-world action, the Community Foundation is helping ensure that every family – regardless of income – has a place to call home in Southern Indiana.
DID YOU KNOW: In Clark and Floyd counties, home prices have risen far faster than household incomes since 2016 – making it increasingly difficult for working families to afford housing close to where they live and work.
Multiplying Impact: Turning Local Giving into Lasting Places
When neighbors come together to improve their community, the results can be transformative. Through its Quality of Place: Pathways to Progress program, the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana has turned local generosity into lasting impact – helping revitalize parks, greenways, and gathering spaces across Clark and Floyd counties.
Since launching in 2021, the initiative has invested $700,000 in six community projects, leveraging more than $2.3 million in additional public and private support. From the new ADA-approved playground at Borden Community Park to the first public paddle access launch at Origin Park in Clarksville, these projects are connecting residents to one another and to the places they love most.
Each investment represents more than bricks and benches; it’s about creating opportunity. A train-themed pocket park outside the Jeffersonville Library has tripled child library card sign-ups. New sidewalks in Georgetown will soon link neighborhoods, parks, and schools. Across the region, inclusive playgrounds, trails, and green spaces are giving families safe, welcoming places to gather and play.
These projects demonstrate the power of partnership – showing how local giving, when combined with collaboration and vision, can multiply its reach and ripple through generations.
“Our role is to support the efforts that bring people together,” said Linda Speed, CFSI President and CEO. “When we invest in the spaces where life happens, we strengthen the connections that make our communities thrive.”
DID YOU KNOW: Just six Quality of Place projects are already serving an estimated 34,000 community users, creating safer, more accessible spaces for residents of all ages and abilities.
Listening to Our Community: Understanding What Matters Most
Good solutions start with good listening. That’s why the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana continues to ground its work in what matters most to local residents.
In 2025, the Foundation released Priorities for Progress in Southern Indiana: 2025 Update – the latest in a series of reports designed to capture community needs and opportunities in Clark and Floyd counties. Produced by the Indiana University Southeast Applied Research and Education Center, this third assessment provides a vital post-pandemic check-in on how residents are experiencing life in Southern Indiana.
Through listening sessions, gallery walks, and nearly 500 community surveys, residents shared their top concerns: housing affordability, education and workforce development, youth opportunities, and access to essentials like food and healthcare.
“The Foundation commissioned this report because understanding our community’s needs is essential to guiding investments that make a real difference,” said Linda Speed, President and CEO. “By listening to the voices of our residents – especially working families and those with lower incomes – we can better target resources where they are needed most.”
Together with the Foundation’s recent affordable housing study, Priorities for Progress offers a clear roadmap for future collaboration. By listening first and investing strategically, the Community Foundation is helping local partners focus on shared priorities – and building a stronger, more equitable Southern Indiana for everyone.
DID YOU KNOW: Priorities for Progress gathered input from residents, nonprofit leaders, and community stakeholders across Southern Indiana to identify shared challenges and opportunities.
A Shared Vision for Southern Indiana: GIFT VIII Matching Grant Update
When the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana launched its GIFT VIII Matching Grant Campaign in early 2024, we knew we had an ambitious goal in front of us. But we also knew something even more powerful: when Southern Indiana comes together around a shared vision, incredible things happen.
Through the generosity of individuals, families, and businesses across Clark and Floyd counties, we are proud to share that together, we raised $1,507,000 to strengthen our community’s unrestricted Community Impact Fund.
This achievement represents more than dollars raised. It’s a long-term investment in the future of our region. Thanks to the $2-for-$1 matching opportunity provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VIII) initiative, every local contribution was tripled, multiplying the power of community generosity and creating a permanent source of support for generations to come.
The Community Impact Fund is the heart of the Foundation’s grantmaking. It provides flexible, responsive funding to address our region’s most pressing challenges: from food insecurity and housing affordability to education, workforce development, and youth programs.
“The funds we raised during this match are a testament to what’s possible when our community unites around shared purpose,” said Linda Speed, CFSI President and CEO. “This effort wasn’t about any single person or organization. It was about all of us working together to build a better foundation for the future.”
Thank you to every donor who gave, championed, or encouraged others. Your belief in the power of philanthropy has multiplied our collective ability to meet today’s needs – and prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.
DID YOU KNOW: The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana raised more than $1.5 million for the GIFT VIII Match, marking the largest-ever fundraising effort in our Foundation’s nearly 35-year history.
Education & Impact: Youth Philanthropy Council’s Successful 2025
While balancing being athletes, student body leaders, and full-time students, a dedicated group of 20 high school students from across Clark and Floyd counties have served as members of the Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC) – a program of the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana that empowers young people to give, serve, and lead in their communities.
Throughout the school year, members met with community leaders from across the region to explore topics such as stewardship, the impact of nonprofits, how to make an effective philanthropic “ask,” and ways to lead with purpose. The cohort also learned professional skills and built connections with peers from other schools, gaining firsthand insight into how philanthropy strengthens communities.
In the end, YPC members apply what they’ve learned by administering their own competitive grant cycle: reviewing applications, evaluating proposals, and awarding grants of up to $1,000 to organizations serving local youth. This year’s efforts culminated in an award ceremony at Prosser Career Education Center, where students presented grant checks to 10 nonprofit recipients totaling $9,450.
“The event is a wonderful way to celebrate our council members for their dedication and to connect them directly with the nonprofits their work supports,” said Crystal Melcher, CFSI Vice President of Community Philanthropy. “It’s inspiring to see these students take ownership of the grantmaking process and witness how their decisions make a tangible difference.”
Since its inception, CFSI’s Youth Philanthropy Council has awarded over $180,000 in grants to programs benefiting local youth.
DID YOU KNOW: The Youth Philanthropy Council has worked with more than 300 local high school students throughout Clark and Floyd counties since the program’s inception in 2004.
CFSI Surpasses $1 Million in Scholarships for Second Time
A record-breaking 167 scholarships totaling $1,086,369 have been awarded this year to students from Clark and Floyd counties by the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana – the most individual awards (and the largest amount) in the Foundation’s history.
The scholarships support both graduating seniors and current college students, helping them pursue degrees and career goals that strengthen the future of Southern Indiana.
Of the total, $532,000 was awarded to four recipients of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which covers full tuition, required fees, and books for four years at any accredited Indiana college or university.
“The Lilly Scholarship not only rewards hard work and perseverance – it changes lives,” said Isaiah Green, a 2025 recipient and New Albany High School graduate. “It lifts a huge financial weight and opens doors I never thought possible.”
Since 1991, CFSI has awarded nearly $10.4 million in scholarships to local students. Through this program, the Community Foundation continues to help young people achieve academic success while investing in the next generation of Southern Indiana’s leaders.
“We’re incredibly thankful for the generosity of our fundholders and for the continued partnership of Lilly Endowment Inc.,” said Linda Speed, CFSI President and CEO. “As the cost of education continues to rise, these scholarships make a powerful difference for local students – giving them the opportunity to achieve their dreams and return as leaders in our community.”
DID YOU KNOW: The Lilly Endowment Community Scholar recipients for 2025 were Isaiah Green (New Albany H.S.); Maddox Kasier (New Albany H.S.); Makayla Doherty (Silver Creek H.S.); William Trask (Floyd Central H.S.).
Rooted in Community: How Three Local Attorneys Build Trust Across Generations
Southern Indiana is more than a place on a map for attorneys Gary Banet, Steve Langdon, and Bridget Cantrell. It’s the backdrop to their childhoods, their careers, their families, and where the people who walk through their doors are far more likely to be neighbors than strangers.
Their estate planning practice is grounded in those ties. Whether guiding a young family through their first will or helping long-established landowners prepare for generational transfers, the trio leads with compassion, simplicity, and honesty.
“You can’t plan for someone’s future until you understand their story,” Gary says. That approach, grounded in kindness and trust, is why families come back generation after generation.
Each attorney brings different strengths: Gary with extensive tax and estate planning experience, Steve with a hands-on, meet-you-where-you-are philosophy, and Bridget with a gift for navigating sensitive transitions and making complex decisions feel manageable.
Together, they operate without ego, passing clients among themselves freely to ensure each family gets the right expertise at the right moment.
Their work naturally intersects with the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana, particularly when families want to make a difference beyond their lifetime. The attorneys value the Foundation’s ability to help clients turn personal stories into lasting impact—whether through scholarships, family funds, or gifts that support the wider community.
“We trust CFSI because they understand the people we serve,” Gary says. “It’s a local partnership built on shared purpose.”
In the end, their practice reflects the heart of Southern Indiana: practical, generous, deeply rooted, and grounded in relationships.
As Bridget puts it: “These aren’t transactions. These are families trusting us with their legacy. That’s an honor.” At CFSI, we feel the same.
– Click here to read the full story –
DID YOU KNOW: At Church, Langdon, Lopp & Banet, every attorney sits on a community board, and each staff member is expected to participate and invest in organizations or causes they care about.
A Life of Purpose: How Patty Cress Turns Love for Her Community into a Lasting Legacy
When Patty Cress talks about Southern Indiana, her stories come alive with details: a warm greeting from a familiar usher at a concert; the excited chatter of students discovering new types of music; the quiet pride she felt watching families explore the Falls of the Ohio.
These everyday moments, stitched together over a lifetime, shaped the way she and her late husband, Hugh, understood community: not as an abstract idea, but as a collection of real people whose lives intersect in meaningful ways.
That perspective guided nearly everything they did. Together, they built a life defined by presence – showing up, pitching in, and believing deeply that even small acts of care can widen someone else’s world. As Patty considers the future, that same spirit continues to guide her. She hopes her story encourages others to think about how their own gifts, large or small, can shape the next generation.
“So many people think, ‘I’ll give later,’” she says. “But you can start now. Your time, your passion, your resources – whatever you have can make a difference.”
Patty has ensured her own generosity will continue through a bequest established with the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana. The fund will carry forward the causes she and Hugh cherished, from students pursuing their education to programs that enrich the cultural and environmental life of the region.
She doesn’t talk about legacy in grand terms. She talks about people – the student who will receive a scholarship in Hugh’s name, the volunteers who will welcome guests at performances, the families who will discover fossils along the riverbank. For Patty, giving is a way of staying connected.
“When you see something good happen because of a gift you made, you feel part of it,” she says. “And I think we all want that – to know we’ve helped, even in a small way.”
– Click here to read the full story –
DID YOU KNOW: Patty Cress chose to make meaningful gifts during her lifetime – and also created a bequest that will support students through a scholarship long after she’s gone.
A New Era of Philanthropy: Preparing Southern Indiana for GIFT IX
For more than three decades, Lilly Endowment’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative has shaped how Indiana communities understand and respond to local needs. With the arrival of the next GIFT initiative, called GIFT IX, up to $271.5 million will be made available statewide to strengthen community foundations and enhance quality of life across the state.
For Southern Indiana, this new phase aligns directly with what our region has been working toward. Over the past several years, the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana has convened community leaders, nonprofit partners, educators, business professionals, and local residents to better understand the most pressing challenges facing Clark and Floyd counties. Through needs assessments, collaborative planning sessions, housing and workforce studies, and ongoing stakeholder conversations, our region has built a clear picture of where strategic investment can make the greatest impact.
GIFT IX supports this work through two primary opportunities: Community Support Grants for near-term local needs, and Matching Grants designed to strengthen long-term philanthropic capacity. For CFSI and our partners, the Matching Grant represents a meaningful way the broader community can help sustain regional progress. By growing unrestricted resources that support future projects, our region ensures it has the flexibility to address evolving needs as they arise.
As Southern Indiana prepares for this next chapter, our focus remains guided by years of research, community input, and shared vision. GIFT IX is not the beginning of this work – it is an extension of the collaborative momentum our region has already built. With continued community support for the matching opportunity, we can strengthen the foundation for long-term progress and ensure that Southern Indiana continues to thrive for generations to come.
DID YOU KNOW: Through its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) Initiative, the Lilly Endowment has strengthened permanent philanthropic resources for community foundations in every Indiana county, expanding their ability to address local needs.
