Perry 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 Perry County, Indiana today and for generations to come.
The Community Foundation can help you...
Greater Good Together
The Perry 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 Perry County Community Foundation announced that more than $110,000 has been awarded to 21 local nonprofits through its Community Good Grants Program. These grants support projects that strengthen the Perry 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 Perry 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 impact.” 2025 Community Good Grant Recipients $15,000 to Catholic Charities Tell City for emergency food distribution food services through the partnering agencies of the Perry County Food Pantry Coalition $3,000 to Cannelton City Schools to equip classrooms, offices, and cafeterias with safety bags $3,960 to Cannelton Police Department for mobile computer updates for the Department $6,449 to Crisis Connection Inc for advocacy and prevention services to Perry County residents $5,000 to Grow Southwest Indiana Workforce Board, Inc. to provide work-based learning support to Perry County teachers, counselors, and students $10,000 to Perry County, Indiana Habitat for Humanity for the construction of a new home for a Perry County partner family $5,000 to Junior Achievement of West Kentucky, Inc. for the purchase of student program materials and volunteer/teacher guidebooks and training for Perry County programs $8,000 to Lincoln Hills Development Corporation to assist individuals in establishing and meeting goals to obtain employment or educational opportunities $2,500 to Perry County Memorial Hospital to provide education and materials to newborn families during their initial visit following hospital discharge $5,000 to Perry County Council on Aging for the Meaningful Meals initiative to provide hearty meals to senior citizens $2,000 to Perry County Public Library to install Perry County Public Library signage at the Cannelton Branch $7,250 to Perry County Sheriff’s Office for the purchase and installation of a medical sensor in the Detox area $1,830 to Perry Childcare Initiative for the purchase of an interactive smart board and stand to be utilized in classrooms as part of the “Little Learners, Big Technology” initiative $3,600 to Safe Haven Recovery Engagement Center for the purchase of food to provide a hot meal once a week for the unhoused population in Perry County $3,700 to Servants at Work (SAWs) for the construction of ADA-compliant wheelchair ramps for low-income Perry County residents with a disability $5,498 to Tell City Police Department for the Tell City Police Department Public Safety Drone Program $1,400 to Tell City Regional Arts Association to host quarterly Artist Lectures and Demonstrations in 2026 to inspire and educate Perry County's diverse community in unique art forms $2,000 to Tri-State Food Bank for supplemental food for 100 households at risk of hunger in partnership with Cannelton Food Pantry in Cannelton, Indiana $8,000 to United Way of Perry County for the Laced with Love project that provides a pair of new shoes to children in Perry County who are facing economic hardship during the holiday season $8,000 to Youth First, Inc. for Youth First Social Workers to provide students with free, easy-to-access, skilled mental health support in Perry County partner schools $2,850 to William Tell Elementary School to update technology for the VEX robotics program 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 Perry County. Why This Matters The Perry 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 812.547.3176.
The 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application is now available in Perry County through the Perry County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation Alliance. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) will provide 147 scholarships statewide and one scholarship in Perry County. LECSP scholarships may be used for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year. The special allocation may cover the costs for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis, leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. The program, administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and locally in Perry County through the Perry County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation Alliance, is open to all Indiana residents who: graduate from an accredited Indiana high school by 2026 and receive their diploma no later than June 30, 2026; intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an eligible college or university in Indiana; and meet the criteria specific to Perry County Community Foundation. Visit perrycountycf.org/lilly-endowment-community-scholarship-program for complete information regarding the Perry County application criteria. Students can learn more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Perry County and apply for this scholarship by visiting the Perry County Community Foundation website. Applications must be completed and submitted by August 25, 2025, to be considered. Applications will be evaluated on, but not limited to, the following criteria: academic performance, school and community activities, leadership roles in activities, essays, special circumstances, and interview. Three finalists will be nominated by the Perry County Community Foundation, and their names will be submitted to ICI for final selection of the recipients. Scholarship recipients will be notified in December. Lilly Endowment created LECSP for the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million. More than 5,400 Indiana students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships since the program’s inception. The primary purposes of LECSP are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state. Perry County Community Foundation is again pleased to offer LECSP for its 29th year in Perry County. “We are so grateful for the opportunity to administer the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program in Perry County. This opportunity is truly life-changing for students,” said Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact.
