Piece of the PI: Newsletter

A monthly publication for the members of Prosperity Indiana

We REAP prosperity by providing Resources, Engagement, Advocacy, and Programs that support our members' work!

Delivering on our efforts to create a Governors Housing Commission 

On September 22, leaders from Prosperity Indiana's Board, Members, and staff delivered our letter signed by nearly 700 Hoosiers and organizations urging Governor Mike Braun to create and convene a Commission on Housing Safety, Stability, & Affordability. A Governor's Housing Commission would use the Governor's office to bring together public and private stakeholders to align available resources, make recommendations, and give voice to the Hoosiers and communities most impacted by Indiana's housing crisis. 
 
Special thanks to Senior Policy Advisor Robert Ordway for representing the Governor's office in a very productive discussion about how Governor Braun has the opportunity to become Indiana's first 'Housing Governor' by providing vision and structure to existing statewide partnerships. Thanks also to PI Board Chair Steven Meyer of Intend Indiana, PI Policy Committee Chair Marie Morse of Homestead Resources, and PI Member Jennifer Trowbridge of CoAction who joined PI Executive Director Aspen Clemons and Senior Director of Policy & Strategy Andrew Bradley for the meeting. 

Join the Prosperity Indiana Board

Want to represent the farthest reaches of our state or share your unique perspective in a PI leadership role? Prosperity Indiana is actively seeking applications for new board members. While preference is given to those representing nonprofits, we welcome applications from any member.

• September 30: Building Inclusive Leadership Pipelines, United Way of Central Indiana

• September 30 - October 1: Preservation Conference, Indiana Landmarks

• October 2: Imagining the Future for Church Properties, Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity

• October 10: Reimagine Conference 2025, CoAction

• October 14: Culture-Driven Strategy: Aligning Organizational Values with Long-Term Vision, United Way of Central Indiana

• October 21: Disaster Recovery and Community Development Opportunities in the Midwest Region, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

• October 22: 2025 Annual Conference, Indiana Public Health Association

Resources

Rural Housing Development Summit 

Prosperity Indiana would like to thank our sponsors for the 2025 Rural Housing Development Summit: Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, and Flagstar Bank! We also thank our event partners: LISC Indianapolis, Urban Land Institute Indiana (ULI), Intend Indiana, and United States Department of Agriculture Indiana (USDA). Finally, our gratitude to the panelists and attendees who fostered innovative conversations, developed partnerships, and shared resources on the following challenges to rural housing development:  

1. Finding Win-Wins for Rural Housing Development 
2. Creating or Revising Local Ordinances  
3. Attracting Developers & Professional Service Providers  
4. Cultivating Partnerships that Work 
5. Planning for The Cost of and Timeline for Rural Housing Development   
6. Defining Roles for Local Government in Rural Housing Development 
7. Funding Rural Housing Development 

• Rural LISC Broadband Planning Help Hub: LISC’s Broadband Planning Help Hub, part of the National Broadband Technical Assistance Marketplace, helps communities by providing high-quality analysis and actionable recommendations to solve local broadband issues.

• Brookings Institution and LISC Report on Advancing Inclusive Development in Rural America: This practitioner-oriented report draws from an in-depth, multiyear engagement with three diverse rural communities in Indiana, as well as insights from rural economic and community development leaders across the country.

• Citizen Planners Guide

• ULI's Urban Plan

Housing Navigation Training 

Congratulations to all participants who completed the five (5) Housing Navigation Trainings that have occurred in 2025 – your interest in the content, participation in the course, and valuable feedback has helped PI make this training successful and effective!  

Watch for more opportunities to participate in this training. 2026 training dates will be posted on our Upcoming Events and Training page and/or our Monthly Newsletter for HN101 training updates and announcements.

Housing 4 Hoosiers 

Don't miss the latest updates to Prosperity Indiana’s Housing4Hoosiers website! In addition to new posts and informational updates, PI has created an events section where housing events and training programs are posted. If your organization has any upcoming housing events and/or training programs to include on the website, please reach out to Danielle Drew at ddrew@prosperityindiana.org with the event/training details.  

You are also invited to check out some of the site’s newest posts: 

• Getting the Most from Indiana's New Eviction Sealing Law: for Tenants, Housing Providers, and Community Organizations

• Safe Park Indy, a pilot program that offered free parking to unhoused individuals living in their vehicles, has officially seized operations

• PAHRC Preservation Dashboard finds that Indiana will lose 7,395 more affordable homes in the next 5 years without policy action!

Engagement

Member Site Visits 

As a reminder, we offer member site visits and virtual visits as an opportunity to connect with you directly. These visits help us better understand your current work, challenges, and needs, while also giving you the chance to request specific resources or connections. 

If you’re interested in scheduling either an in-person or virtual visit, please contact Destinee Lewis at dlewis@prosperityindiana.org. We look forward to the chance to support you! 

Let’s Extend Your Reach 

We also spotlight our members’ events and career opportunities in our monthly newsletter, with job openings featured on our website. If you have an event or job posting you’d like to share, please send the details to Destinee Lewis.

Advocacy

Keep an eye out for the 2025 PI Policy & Pizza Regional Legislator Meetings! 

In the coming weeks we will be announcing the dates and locations for our annual Policy & Pizza series. The purpose of this series to unveil our PI Policy Agenda for 2026, highlight urgent and emerging policy priorities, and connect members with legislators and staff from their region. We are closely monitoring reports that Governor Braun may call a special session of the General Assembly as soon as mid-November, and how that may impact the Policy & Pizza series timing.  

Thank you to all PI members who contributed to our annual Members Policy Survey that fueled the development of our soon-to-be-released 2026 policy agenda! Please also mark your calendars on February 12 for the 2026 PI Statehouse Day! 

Resources to keep track of policy developments and advocacy resources at the national level 

We know that policy and budget developments at the federal and state level are having serious impacts on the operations and services of PI members. We are in the process of creating a regular digest of updates and advocacy steps that members can use to keep track of federal policies and take action when needed. In the meantime, here are some of Prosperity Indiana’s national partners that you may want to follow or subscribe to: 

• Center for Community Progress 
• Community Opportunity Alliance 
• Consumer Federation of America 
  
• National Association to End Homelessness 
• National Council of Nonprofits 
• National Low Income Housing Coalition 
  
• National Community Reinvestment Coalition 
  
• Prosperity Now

PI & Member Jobs

• Administrative Specialist, Prosperity Indiana

• PR & Communications Coordinator, Downtown Indy, Inc.

• Diversion and Prevention Case Manager, Heading Home of South Central Indiana

• Landlord Engagement Specialist, Heading Home of South Central Indiana

• Street Outreach Case Manager, Heading Home of South Central Indiana

• Restore Associate, Habitat for Humanity GFW

• Director of Culture and Belonging, United Way of Central Indiana

• Manager of Volunteer Engagement, United Way of Central Indiana

• Marketing Director, United Way of Central Indiana

PI & Members in the News

Prosperity Indiana's Rural Housing Development Summit.

Connect with Prosperity Indiana on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see more of what we're out in the community doing for you!

Additional Information & Opportunities

Faith and Action Fall Event 2025: Stronger Futures Through Economic Mobility

Christian Theological Seminary invites you to an evening that explores how faith communities, nonprofits, and civic leaders can be powerful forces in expanding opportunity for children and families facing poverty.

Featuring renowned author and economist Raj Chetty, this event will highlight breakthrough research on economic mobility—offering a data-driven look at what’s working in cities across the country to reduce poverty and improve children’s outcomes.

Learn more about the September 25 event here.

Northwest Indiana's Economic Outlook

The Indiana University Kelley School of Business, in coordination with Indiana University Northwest and Legacy Foundation’s Lake County Advancement Committee (LCAC), will bring its statewide Futurecast 2025 economic outlook tour to Northwest Indiana on Friday, Nov. 15.

The Johnson County Community Foundation is offering a free Elevate Impact session for nonprofits

This Elevate Impact session is on “Using Taxes for Good: The Surprising Benefits of Tax-Efficient Charitable Giving.” The session takes place from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Compass Park Event Center, 690 S. State St., Franklin.

Learn more here.

Community Opportunity Alliance's Community Development Field Calendar

Community Opportunity Alliance invites you to explore the Community Development Field Calendar, a go-to hub for workshops, trainings, conferences. It should also provide opportunities that help you grow, connect, and make an impact in your community, and events that bring our field together and foster collaboration across sectors.

Generation Housing Justice Fellowship Application 2025-2026

Applications are now open for the 2025 – 2026 season of NLIHC’s Generation Housing Justice national fellowship program. This is the second season of this program, which helps to cultivate the next generation of housing justice leaders by equipping young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to drive housing policy change at the federal level. People directly impacted by housing instability or homelessness are encouraged to apply.

Learn more about the fellowship here.

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