Community Vitality Program
Purdue Extension, through the Downing Endowment for Community Vitality, is excited to announce the inaugural cohort of the Community Vitality Program. This partnership opportunity aims to cultivate thriving Indiana communities by delivering research-based education and resources that strengthen economic opportunity, enhance personal and family well-being, foster environmental stewardship, and build inclusive leadership capacity, creating vibrant places where all can flourish.
Program Information
The local team in each selected community begins the process by working with the Purdue Extension CVP team to schedule Purdue Extension programs that support communities in planning together and completing community projects. Offerings related to non-profit board development, planning for public spaces, grant-writing, action planning with community stakeholders, and more are tailored to fit the needs of each community.
Purdue Extension staff provide coaching to the local team to support community groups as they plan, implement projects, seek funding, and engage the community in their projects. Projects will be focused in one of the five thematic areas listed on the Community Vitality landing page.
For the Community Vitality Program, community is defined as a group of people who share a readiness to act on a community need/opportunity and a shared geography. Examples of shared geography may include an unincorporated area in a township, partnering towns, a neighborhood association, a single city, or adjoining counties.
In 2026, Attica Recreation Inc., Jay County Development Corporation, Lincoln Neighborhood (Lafayette) were selected as partners in the inaugural cohort. We expect to open eligibility to communities across Indiana in 2027.
The application window for the Community Vitality Program is currently closed.
To be considered, communities must submit a letter of intent and an application. This two-step process allows time to assist communities interested in applying to the Community Vitality Program. An informational webinar about the Community Vitality Program was held during the 2026 application window. If you would like to view the recording please use the link below.
All Community Vitality Program applications are being carefully considered by a review panel of Purdue Extension staff and external partners. Scoring is guided by a rubric that communities could request and review during the application window.
If you have any questions about the Community Vitality Program please contact:
Jeff Walker, Community Vitality Specialist
walke526@purdue.edu
859-553-4117