Quality of Place – Pathways to Progress Program Awards First-Ever Grants
NEW ALBANY, Ind. – The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana has named the inaugural recipients of its newest grant program, Quality of Place – Pathways to Progress.
The Jeffersonville Township Public Library and the Floyd County Parks and Recreation were selected as recipients of the grants, which total $150,000. The Quality of Place – Pathways to Progress grant program focuses on projects by Clark or Floyd County nonprofits that serve people with the least access to safe, high-quality public places and amenities. This includes those community members with income or transportation barriers and/or mobility issues, or physical and/or mental differences.
Linda Speed, president and CEO for the Community Foundation said, "By opening this new grant program, we focused solely on quality of place projects that could help transform our region. After hearing from our community and learning from experts that when we make our parks, trails, and other public spaces and amenities more accessible to our most vulnerable residents, we make our community more open and welcoming to all, we knew we needed to make this a priority.”
The Jeffersonville Township Public Library was awarded $80,000, which will be used to construct a pocket park with structures for active, imaginative play designed to accommodate all children – including those with intellectual and physical differences.
The new pocket park, which will be thematically tied to the city’s history, will include a story walk and sustainable plantings of native flora. All components of the park will be guided by the community’s choice, designed by a landscape architect, and decorated by the Jeffersonville Public Art Commission.
Floyd County Parks and Recreation was awarded $70,000 to support a project that will provide an accessible playground for all children and adults with physical and mental disabilities in the Southern Indiana area.
The inclusive playground will be added to Kevin Hammersmith Memorial Park and will feature a zip line, swing sets, visually/hearing impaired play structures, and more. It will also meet the National Demonstration Site criteria for Inclusion, becoming a regional destination for children and adults with special needs.
Speed said, “We feel that by selecting both the Jeffersonville Township Public Library and the Floyd County Parks and Recreation Department, we have helped focus on not only improving our sense of community in both Clark and Floyd counties, but also aided in addressing local issues regarding access for our most vulnerable citizens. We look forward to seeing these projects come to life in the near future.”
For more information on the Foundation’s Quality of Place - Pathways to Progress grant program, please visit our website at www.CFSouthernIndiana.com.
About CFSI
The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana was founded in 1991 as the region’s partner, resource, and steward in philanthropy. The Foundation manages $161 million in charitable assets and more than 265 individual funds – each of which supports the unique charitable intent of the donor who established the fund. Annually, the Foundation awards millions in grants and scholarships and is a National Standards certified community foundation. For more information about the Community Foundation, contact 812-948-4662 or visit www.cfsouthernindiana.com.