Free, in-person listening session on Thursday, November 19, 2026, will help shape the Foundation’s future grantmaking in Gibson County and across the region
FORT BRANCH, Ind. – The Community Foundation of Southwest Indiana invites everyone who lives or works in Gibson County to a free community listening session on Thursday, November 19, 2026, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. CT at Vincennes University Fort Branch, Room 201, 8100 US Hwy 41, Fort Branch.
The Gibson County session is one of nine held between November 2 and November 20 in Daviess, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick counties. The sessions are part of a county-level needs assessment the Foundation is conducting with Transform Consulting Group, an Indiana-based consulting firm. What residents share will help guide how the Foundation focuses on its grantmaking and partnerships in each county and across Southwest Indiana in the years ahead.
“Every resident of Gibson County has a perspective worth hearing,” said Amy Smith, Community Impact Director at the Community Foundation of Southwest Indiana. “Whether you are a parent, a business owner, a teacher, or a longtime volunteer, we want to know what you see as the county’s strengths and its biggest needs. What we learn will help guide how the Foundation invests in Gibson County going forward.”
The listening session is a chance for residents to tell the Foundation, in their own words, what life in Gibson County is like today. Discussion will touch on the areas the Foundation focuses on across the region: quality of life, including recreation, arts, and culture; economic mobility, including affordable housing, child care, and education; community health and well-being, including physical, mental, and social health; and how organizations, sectors, and counties can work together on shared challenges.
The session is open to anyone who lives or works in Gibson County. The Foundation especially hopes to hear from:
- Residents of all ages and backgrounds, including parents, older adults, young people, and people who use local services
- Staff and volunteers from nonprofits, food pantries, housing providers, and family resource centers
- Educators, school leaders, and child care providers
- Faith leaders and members of faith communities
- Health care and mental health professionals
- Business owners, employers, and local elected officials
No experience or preparation is needed. Every perspective is welcome.
The session runs two hours and combines an interactive portion with a facilitated group discussion. Attendees will visit feedback stations that share information about Gibson County, add their own reactions, and then talk through priorities with neighbors in small groups. Attendees are welcome to come for part of the session if their schedule does not allow them to stay for the full two hours.
Attendance is free. Registration at https://doodle.com/sign-up-sheet/participate/319325f1-1da8-49fd-98ab-b15a669b8d4c/select helps with planning, but it is not required and walk-ins are welcome.
Questions? Contact Mandy Williams at Transform Consulting Group (m.williams@transformconsultinggroup.com).