Knox 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 Knox County, Indiana today and for generations to come.
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Greater Good Together
The Knox 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 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application is now available in Knox County through the Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox County through the Knox 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 Knox County Community Foundation. Visit knoxcountycf.org/lilly-endowment-community-scholarship-program for complete information regarding the Knox County application criteria. Students can learn more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Knox County and apply for this scholarship by visiting the Knox 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, community service and volunteer activities, personal statement of goals, work experience, and school activities. Three finalists will be nominated by the Knox 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. Knox County Community Foundation is again pleased to offer LECSP for its 29th year in Knox County. “The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program offers an amazing opportunity for students to pursue higher education with financial support, enabling them to achieve their career goals,” said Laura Hazelman, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact.
The Knox County Community Foundation distributed more than $37,000 to 16 local Knox County students from its Community Scholarship Program. These scholarships are funded by generous donors who have established a scholarship fund with the Knox County Community Foundation. This year’s scholarship breakfast to celebrate and recognize these exceptional students was held at The Pantheon, with fund founders, recipients, and parents attending. In addition to announcing the recipients, the Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact, Laura Hazelman reflected on how important the community is in stewarding education in Knox County.
Each year, the Knox County Community Foundation announces the recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Knox County, which covers full tuition, required fees, and includes a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and equipment, for up to four years. Alongside, two alternates are designated, ensuring readiness in case the initially selected scholar cannot accept the award due to special circumstances. This year, after the initially named recipient, Savannah Staggs, graciously declined the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, the scholarship was offered to the First Alternate, Zoe Herron, Lincoln High School. “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to attend a college here in Indiana without worrying about finances. I know the Lilly [Endowment Community Scholarship] community will allow me to continue developing my leadership skills and will support me throughout my college journey and beyond,” said Herron. The initial recipient, Savannah Staggs declined the scholarship after accepting a full ride to attend Indiana University. The scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects both current scholars and alumni with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and Indiana Humanities. Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1997-98 school year. Since then, grant funding in excess of $490 million has supported more than 5,300 Indiana students who have received scholarships through the program. The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program 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.
