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About Us
Vision Statement
To be the partner and trusted resource for philanthropy in our community, providing stewardship of charitable intent so the impact of generosity will last for generations.
Mission Statement
To build enduring charitable resources used to positively impact our community by:
– Serving as a partner and resource for donors, their advisors, and area nonprofits.
– Making it simple for donors to fulfill their individual goals in giving back.
– Providing stewardship of donor gifts and charitable intent for generations to come.
– Fulfilling a leadership role on important community issues.
Our Values
Integrity/Ethical Behavior – Do the right thing every time
Stewardship – Preserve donor intent and charitable value across generations
Excellence – Exceed expectations in all we do
Passion – Love what we do; believe what we do makes a real difference
Leadership – Know our community and its needs; act on that knowledge
Donor Service – Create an environment of personal engagement and fulfillment of charitable wishes for each donor
History
1990s: The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana was formed by a group of Southern Indiana residents who wanted to build charitable resources that would benefit nonprofits and residents of Southern Indiana, forever. Through their support, and funds from the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc., the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana was established in 1991 with nearly $1 million and a handful of funds.
The 1990’s were full of growth as the market surged and helped the Foundation grow quickly, with over $1.7 million in grants awarded in 1999.
Early 2000s: In 2002 the Foundation granted funds to put early warning emergency sirens throughout Clark and Floyd counties. Those sirens still operate today to warn residents. During the 2000’s the Community Foundation went through a number of changes. Scott, Crawford and Harrison County community foundations all were originally affiliates of CFSI, but over the years each one grew to a self-sustaining level and became an independent foundation.
Additionally, the Foundation formed new supporting organizations to renovate the historic Carnegie Library in Jeffersonville (formerly Jeffersonville Carnegie Library Foundation Inc.), to implement the vision of the Southern Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s Southern Indiana 2020 – now One Southern Indiana – project (the OSI Foundation, Inc.), to support the New Albany Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation (New Albany Floyd County Education Foundation Inc.), and to own and manage the building that houses the Community Foundation and One Southern Indiana (4100 Charlestown, Inc.).
2010s: In 2016, the Foundation worked with the Floyd County Government to establish the Floyd County Fund, a $70 million designated fund establish with the proceeds from Floyd Memorial Hospital. The Floyd County Fund will provide perpetual support to the County. In 2018, Lilly Endowment Inc. announced the seventh phase of the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow initiative. This provided $2 million in matching funds to CFSI and the match was met by the deadline. GIFT VII also provided $200,000 in unrestricted funding from the Lilly Endowment as a result of 100% board giving during the grant period. In addition to the matching fund component, GIFT VII also provided grant funding for two important initiatives of the Foundation – United Community and Align Southern Indiana, which allowed those programs to expand and develop across our region.
2020s: Lilly’s GIFT initiative continued in 2023, when CFSI was awarded a $3.75 million matching grants. To receive the full funding, CFSI is responsible for raising half of that amount, which corresponded to a $2-for-$1 match for donors. That funding will directly benefit the unrestricted Community Impact Fund.
Today: Since 1991, the Community Foundation has continued to grow, granting more than $71 million in scholarships and grants to community . Today, the Foundation administers over $150 million in assets, annually granting roughly $6 million to causes that impact our community. In addition to stewarding approximately 285 individual funds, CFSI provides leadership on important community issues.