Community Foundation of Southern Indiana Releases 2025 Update on Community Priorities

Report provides post-COVID check-in on Clark, Floyd County well-being

NEW ALBANY, Ind. – The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana (CFSI) has released its latest report, Priorities for Progress in Southern Indiana: 2025 Update, offering an important snapshot of community needs and opportunities in Clark and Floyd counties. This is the third iteration of the report, following similar assessments in 2015 and 2020, and the first to take stock of community priorities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new study, which was produced by the Indiana University Southeast Applied Research and Education Center, highlights what residents say matters most to working families in Southern Indiana, with input gathered through listening sessions, gallery walks, and nearly 500 community surveys. Building on the 2020 Priorities for Progress: Assets and Aspirations in Southern Indiana, this update identifies shared challenges and opportunities while also examining how community needs have shifted since the pandemic.

Among the key takeaways:

• Housing affordability remains a pressing issue. Residents consistently identified the cost of housing as one of the most significant barriers to stability.
• Education and workforce development are top of mind. Community members emphasized the importance of preparing the next generation for success in a changing economy.
• Youth development continues to be a priority. Many families voiced concern for young people’s access to safe spaces, mentorship, and opportunities.
• Basic needs and health matter. Food security, affordable healthcare, and support for aging residents were also cited as ongoing concerns.

“The Foundation commissioned this report because understanding our community’s needs is essential to guiding investments that make a real difference,” said Linda Speed, CFSI President and CEO. “By listening to the voices of our residents – especially working families and those with lower incomes – we are better equipped to target resources where they are needed most. This update helps us work with our partners from a shared understanding of both the challenges and the opportunities ahead.”

The report builds on CFSI’s long-term commitment to community learning. While previous assessments in 2015 and 2020 offered a comprehensive look at assets and aspirations, this 2025 update serves as a focused check-in, shaped in part by lessons from the pandemic and informed by residents who are often underrepresented in traditional surveys.

“Listening to families living and working in our community gives us insight into the strengths we can build on and the barriers we need to address,” said Dr. Melissa Fry, who authored much of the report. “The priorities highlighted here – housing, education, workforce development, and youth development – reflect both the challenges and the hopes of Southern Indiana residents.”

In addition to being a standalone resource, the 2025 update is also intended to complement the Community Foundation’s recently commissioned housing study, Housing: The Affordability Challenge in a Growing Region. Together, these reports provide a fuller picture of how residents experience life in Clark and Floyd counties and where community partners can direct their efforts for greatest impact.

The full Priorities for Progress in Southern Indiana: 2025 Update report is available online here.