About Legacy Foundation
Legacy Foundation Inc’s giving is shaped by Lake County, with 87% of its grants going to recipients in Indiana and a local scope centered on nearby communities. One of its clearest patterns is sustained support for Merrillville institutions: the Town of Merrillville received the largest recent award at $787,320 for community center support, and it also received another large operating grant of $754,774 in 2023. That mix points to a funder that backs both place-based infrastructure and ongoing organizational needs.
The foundation funds community development, education and scholarships, nature, culture and wellness, nonprofit capacity building, and programs for women and children. Recent awards also show support for food access, recovery services, student housing, and resident-serving organizations across Lake County. A notable education-related grant went to Indiana University Fund for program support, while other grants reached colleges, libraries, food pantries, and community organizations.
Legacy Foundation Inc also administers multiple grant programs, including Community Grants, Lake County Forever, Women in Philanthropy, and scholarship funding, which helps explain the range of recipients and purposes seen in recent grantmaking.
What Legacy Foundation Funds
Community development is a clear theme in the foundation’s recent grants. It awarded $787,320 to the Town of Merrillville for community center support and $98,627 to the Maria Reiner Center for center renovations, showing attention to local facilities and neighborhood-serving spaces.
Education and student support appear through several distinct awards. Indiana University Fund received $688,000 for program support, while Calumet College of St Joseph received $118,353 for student housing. The foundation also funded Ivy Tech East Chicago with $150,084 for campus renovation and Valparaiso University - Office of Institutional Advancement with $150,000 for engineering and science.
Food security and human services are another visible area. Tradewinds Services Inc received $217,504 for a pantry and sensory room, Hobart Food Pantry Incorporated received $66,035 for food and capital improvements, and The Methodist Hospitals Foundation Inc received $100,000 for the Star Recovery Center.
How Legacy Foundation Gives
Typical grant size is modest: the 25th percentile is $8,809, the median is $12,500, and the 75th percentile is $25,126. At the same time, the recent grants list includes several larger awards, which suggests a layered pattern of many smaller grants with occasional major commitments. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF, and it also funds individuals through scholarships. Recurring support is visible in the recent grant list, with organizations such as Tradewinds Services Inc, Crisis Center, Hammond Community Corporation, and Trinity Lutheran School appearing across multiple years. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including Community Grants and scholarship funding.
