About Judd Leighton Foundation
The Judd Leighton Foundation concentrates sizable, locally focused gifts in the South Bend–Elkhart region, supporting higher education, health care, community economic development, and civic/cultural institutions. Grants are often unrestricted or for general operations, enabling core capacity building at universities, regional nonprofits, and medical institutions. The foundation shows a clear interest in strengthening regional infrastructure—education, health, finance (CDFI), and arts—through multi-year or repeat commitments to a handful of organizations.
Focus Areas
University-backed research and campus programs in South Bend (University of Notre Dame, IUSB Innovation Center)Regional medical and health infrastructure (Mayo Foundation support, Indiana University School of Medicine, Hospice Foundation)Community economic development and financial inclusion in South Bend–Elkhart (EnFocus, CDFI Friendly South Bend, South Bend–Elkhart Regional Partnership)Local cultural and youth-serving institutions (Morris Performing Arts Center, YMCA Camp Eberhart, Youth Services Bureau of St. Joseph County)Community foundation and place-based capacity building (Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, general operating support for regional nonprofits)
About Judd Leighton Foundation
A $2.1 million grant to the University of Notre Dame for general operations and specific programs is the clearest signal of how Judd Leighton Foundation Inc gives: large, place-based support for institutions that anchor the South Bend region. The foundation’s recent awards also show repeated commitments to health care, civic life, and local economic capacity, with seven-figure support reaching Indiana University School of Medicine and continued backing for Mayo Foundation, Hospice Foundation, and community intermediaries. Its giving pattern favors organizations that hold regional infrastructure together. Universities, medical institutions, cultural venues, and place-based nonprofit networks appear alongside workforce and development groups, suggesting a portfolio built around sustaining core institutions rather than short-term project funding. Several recipients return across multiple years, including University of Notre Dame, EnFocus, IUSB - Innovation Center, South Bend - Elkhart Regional Foundation, and Community Foundation of St Joseph County. That repeat pattern points to ongoing relationships and multi-year support. The foundation’s grants also include general operating support for organizations serving youth, housing, and community services, such as The Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries of Michiana Inc, and St Margaret's House. Across the recent record, the throughline is steady investment in organizations that shape civic, educational, medical, and economic life in and around South Bend.
What Judd Leighton Foundation Funds
Higher education is a central theme. Judd Leighton Foundation Inc gave $1,110,000 in 2024 and $1,015,000 in 2025 to University of Notre Dame for general operations and specific programs, following a $2,100,000 grant in 2023 for the same broad purpose. The size and repetition of those awards show sustained support for the university’s base capacity. Health care and medical infrastructure are another clear lane. In 2023, the foundation gave $870,000 to Indiana University School of Medicine for general operations, and in 2025 it gave $750,000 to Mayo Foundation for general operations. Hospice Foundation also received $503,000 in 2023 for general operations, placing health-related institutions among the foundation’s larger commitments. Community economic development appears through recurring support for EnFocus, CDFI Friendly South Bend, and South Bend - Elkhart Regional Partnership. The foundation also backed Iusb - Innovation Center with $400,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicating attention to local innovation and regional capacity building.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$11.2M
Total Assets
$149.6M
Total Revenue
$11M
Total Expenses
$13.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $7K and $126K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$126K
Geographic Reach
Local7 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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