Lilly Endowment concentrates large, strategic grants primarily in Indiana with substantial national investments in higher education, faith-based congregational strengthening, and youth/early-childhood initiatives. The foundation favors capacity-building, capital projects, and systems-level interventions (reading instruction, workforce attraction, community scholarship programs) while also funding disaster response and national education equity efforts. Recipients are often institutional partners — universities, statewide nonprofits, community foundations, and networks of congregations — receiving multi-year or multi-grant support. The giving reflects an emphasis on building institutional capacity and statewide economic and human capital in Indiana alongside targeted national programs.
Lilly Endowment Inc. pairs very large strategic grants with a strong Indiana focus, including a $150 million award to Indiana Economic Development Corp for READI 2.0 and an $82 million grant to Indiana Association of United Ways for statewide capital projects. Much of the recent portfolio supports statewide institutions that shape education, community life, and human capital: public agencies, universities, community foundations, United Ways, and faith-based organizations. The foundation also backs major capital and capacity-building efforts, such as parks, campus facilities, scholarship programs, and congregational initiatives. Indiana recipients appear repeatedly across the grant list, especially Indianapolis-based organizations, but the scope is not limited to one sector. Higher education is a major thread, with large awards to Purdue Research Foundation, Ball State University Foundation, Taylor University, Earlham College, and Wabash College. The funder also supports early childhood and K-12 work through Early Learning Indiana, the State of Indiana in Dept of Edu, and Indiana Youth Institute. Faith-related grantmaking is another defining feature, including support for clergy renewal, pastoral leadership, and sacred places preservation. Large disaster-response grants to national relief organizations show that the foundation also makes sizable national gifts when a systems-level need is identified.
In community development, Lilly Endowment Inc. gave $82 million to Indiana Association of United Ways for a statewide capital projects initiative and $25 million to Central Indiana Community Foundatn for the Connected Communities Initiative. Those awards point to a preference for institutional partners that can move money or build capacity across places. In early childhood and K-12 education, the foundation gave $55 million to Early Learning Indiana Inc for very young children programs and $50 million to State of Indiana in Dept of Edu for Advancing Science of Reading in IN. Those grants connect to the foundation’s emphasis on early learning and evidence-based reading instruction. Youth development also appears in grants such as $20 million to Indiana Youth Institute Inc for the Indiana Youth Worker Program and $30 million to Boys & Girls Clubs of America for strengthening youth programs in Indiana. In higher education, awards like $18,887,905 to Independent Colleges of Indiana for the Community Scholarship Program 2024 show a continued interest in college access and student support.
$3.9B
$105.9B
$5.1B
$4B
Most grants fall between $7K and $557K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$557K
N CLAY ROBBINS
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Lilly Endowment.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 7,528 | $8.9B | 99.7% |
| 2 | Canada | 22 |
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants with repeat funding to institutional grantees; mix of statewide Indiana investments and selected national partnerships. Emphasis on multi-year or multi-grant relationships, capital and programmatic scale-up, and capacity-building rather than many small one-off gifts.
Notable grantees: Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Purdue Research Foundation, Indianapolis Center for Congregations, Early Learning Indiana, United Negro College Fund
Typical grant size ranges from $7,000 at the 25th percentile to $50,000 at the median and $557,468 at the 75th percentile, but the recent list shows a long upper tail with many multimillion-dollar awards. The foundation operates as a regular funder and makes both very large strategic grants and smaller programmatic awards. Its recent portfolio includes repeated support to the same institutions across different years, such as Purdue Research Foundation and Independent Colleges of Indiana, suggesting recurring relationships rather than one-off gifts. The 990 data also indicates that it funds individuals and does not make program-related investments. Several programs accept unsolicited proposals, including the science-of-reading initiative, clergy renewal, the community scholarship program, and the creative renewal arts fellowship.
Grantmaking is heavily centered in Indiana: 64% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and Indiana is also the top state by grant count. Indianapolis appears most often, with large awards to Indiana Economic Development Corp, Indiana Association of United Ways, United Way of Central Indiana, Early Learning Indiana, Indiana Youth Institute, and the State of Indiana in Dept of Edu. Other Indiana cities that show up include West Lafayette, Muncie, Richmond, Upland, Crawfordsville, Martinsville, and Notre Dame. Outside the U.S., the recipient country distribution includes 10 grants to Canada; the rest are U.S.-based.
The recent grants list shows a strong preference for institutional partners: state agencies, universities, community foundations, United Ways, and faith-based organizations. Examples include Indiana Economic Development Corp, Purdue Research Foundation, Indiana Association of United Ways, and National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States.
The grant-size distribution is $7,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $557,468 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes much larger awards, including multiple grants in the tens of millions of dollars.
Indiana community development, higher education, early childhood and reading instruction, youth development, and faith-based leadership are the clearest themes. Named examples include READI 2.0, Advancing the Science of Reading in IN, the Community Scholarship Program, and clergy renewal and pastoral leadership initiatives.
Yes. The geography is national, and the recipient country distribution includes 10 grants to Canada. Recent examples outside Indiana include United Negro College Fund Inc in Washington, DC, American National Red Cross in Washington, DC, and Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, NC.
Yes. The science-of-reading initiative in Indiana accepts unsolicited applications, as do Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, and the Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship Program. Other named initiatives are invitational or do not list unsolicited access.
CHAIRMAN&CEO
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| $33.3M |
0.3% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INDIANA COMMUNITY DEVELPMNTPROJECTS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $400,000,000 | 2026 | STATEWIDE COMMUNITY PARKS INITIATIVE |
| INDIANA LIFELONG LEARNING PROJECTS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $400,000,000 | 2026 | INDIANA K-12 SCHOOLS INITIATIVE |
| FEEDING AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000,000 | 2026 | CAPACITY BUILDING FOR NATL NETWORK |
| NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY | WASHINGTON, DC | $57,036,726 | 2026 | ARCHIVES PRESERVATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME DU LAC | NOTRE DAME, IN | $50,868,725 | 2026 | DELTA NETWORK: AN AI PROJECT |
| INDIANA YOUTH INSTITUTE INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $48,000,000 | 2026 | STRENGTHENING YOUTH PROGRAMS IN IN |
| CICP FOUNDATION INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $44,000,000 | 2026 | CICP CHARITBLE EDUCL & SCIENTFC PROG |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $40,000,000 | 2026 | FORUM FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE PROJ |
| PERRY TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $40,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| STATE OF IN-DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATN | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $40,000,000 | 2026 | K-12 EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $35,000,000 | 2026 | EDUCATING CHARACTER INITIATIVE |
| MSD OF WARREN TOWNSHIP | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $30,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| CHURCH BENEFITS ASSOCIATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $30,000,000 | 2026 | CLERGY HEALTH AND WELLNESS HUB PROJ |
| FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY SCHOOL | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $29,553,117 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| MSD OF PIKE TOWNSHIP | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $25,501,863 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| HERRON HIGH SCHOOL INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $25,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| KIPP INDIANAPOLIS INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $25,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000,000 | 2026 | MORE PERFECT INIT FOR AMERICAS 250TH |
| GOODWILL EDUCATION INITIATIVES INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $25,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| CHRISTEL HOUSE ACADEMY INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $25,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| PHALEN LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES INDIANA | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $25,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| CITY SEMINARY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $24,837,000 | 2026 | MINISTRY IN THE CITY HUB PROJECT |
| ARCHDIOCESE OF INDIANAPOLIS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $22,562,012 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| CALVIN UNIVERSITY | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $20,000,000 | 2026 | CALVIN INST OF CHRISTIAN WORSHP PROG |
| AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE FUND | DENVER, CO | $20,000,000 | 2026 | TCU FUTURES PROJECT CAMPAIGN |
| ASPEN INSTITUTE INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $19,000,000 | 2026 | WEAVE: THE SOCIAL FABRIC PROJECT |
| INDEPENDENT COLLEGES OF INDIANA | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $18,500,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 2027 |
| INDIANAPOLIS CENTER FOR CONGREGATNS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $17,500,000 | 2026 | REGIONL CENTERS FOR IN CONGREGATIONS |
| FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY | PASADENA, CA | $17,000,000 | 2026 | TENX10 COLLABORATION PROJECT |
| COUNCIL OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES | WASHINGTON, DC | $17,000,000 | 2026 | VOCATION IN UNDERGRADUATE EDUC PROG |
| MSD OF DECATUR TOWNSHIP | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $16,693,673 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| COMMUNITY FDN OF ST JOSEPH COUNTY | SOUTH BEND, IN | $16,000,000 | 2026 | INDIANA COMMUNITY FDN INIT-GIFT |
| LEGACY FOUNDATION INC | MERRILLVILLE, IN | $16,000,000 | 2026 | INDIANA COMMUNITY FDN INIT-GIFT |
| WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT INC | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $15,000,000 | 2026 | CAPACITY BLDG-NATL MILITARY SERV ORG |
| NEIGHBORHOOD CHARTER NETWORK INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $15,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| INDIANAPOLIS FOUNDATION INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $15,000,000 | 2026 | INDIANA COMMUNITY FDN INIT-GIFT |
| ADELANTE SCHOOLS INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $14,400,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $14,100,000 | 2026 | CLERGY RENEWAL PROGRAMS SUPPORT |
| CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $14,100,000 | 2026 | CLERGY RENEWAL PROGRAMS SUPPORT |
| PURDUE POLYTECHNIC HIGH SCHOOL | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $13,264,308 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| WABASH COLLEGE | CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN | $12,500,000 | 2026 | WABASH CTR-TEACHING & LEARNING PROG |
| PARK TUDOR FOUNDATION INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $12,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| BREBEUF JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $12,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| OAKS ACADEMY INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $12,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| CATHEDRAL TRUSTEES INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $12,000,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| VICTORY COLLEGE PREP INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $11,163,800 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| INDIANA MATH AND SCIENCE ACADEMY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $10,816,219 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $10,532,000 | 2026 | MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $10,387,846 | 2026 | THRIVING CONGREGATIONS INITIATIVE |
| INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | MARION, IN | $10,000,000 | 2026 | PATHWAYS FOR TOMORROW INITIATIVE |
INDIANA COMMUNITY DEVELPMNTPROJECTS
$400,000,000STATEWIDE COMMUNITY PARKS INITIATIVE
INDIANA LIFELONG LEARNING PROJECTS
$400,000,000INDIANA K-12 SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
FEEDING AMERICA
$75,000,000CAPACITY BUILDING FOR NATL NETWORK
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
$57,036,726ARCHIVES PRESERVATION
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME DU LAC
$50,868,725DELTA NETWORK: AN AI PROJECT
INDIANA YOUTH INSTITUTE INC
$48,000,000STRENGTHENING YOUTH PROGRAMS IN IN
CICP FOUNDATION INC
$44,000,000CICP CHARITBLE EDUCL & SCIENTFC PROG
DUKE UNIVERSITY
$40,000,000FORUM FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE PROJ
PERRY TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS
$40,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
STATE OF IN-DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATN
$40,000,000K-12 EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
$35,000,000EDUCATING CHARACTER INITIATIVE
MSD OF WARREN TOWNSHIP
$30,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
CHURCH BENEFITS ASSOCIATION
$30,000,000CLERGY HEALTH AND WELLNESS HUB PROJ
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY SCHOOL
$29,553,117MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
MSD OF PIKE TOWNSHIP
$25,501,863MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
HERRON HIGH SCHOOL INC
$25,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
KIPP INDIANAPOLIS INC
$25,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS
$25,000,000MORE PERFECT INIT FOR AMERICAS 250TH
GOODWILL EDUCATION INITIATIVES INC
$25,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
CHRISTEL HOUSE ACADEMY INC
$25,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
PHALEN LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES INDIANA
$25,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
CITY SEMINARY OF NEW YORK
$24,837,000MINISTRY IN THE CITY HUB PROJECT
ARCHDIOCESE OF INDIANAPOLIS
$22,562,012MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
CALVIN UNIVERSITY
$20,000,000CALVIN INST OF CHRISTIAN WORSHP PROG
AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE FUND
$20,000,000TCU FUTURES PROJECT CAMPAIGN
ASPEN INSTITUTE INC
$19,000,000WEAVE: THE SOCIAL FABRIC PROJECT
INDEPENDENT COLLEGES OF INDIANA
$18,500,000COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 2027
INDIANAPOLIS CENTER FOR CONGREGATNS
$17,500,000REGIONL CENTERS FOR IN CONGREGATIONS
FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
$17,000,000TENX10 COLLABORATION PROJECT
COUNCIL OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES
$17,000,000VOCATION IN UNDERGRADUATE EDUC PROG
MSD OF DECATUR TOWNSHIP
$16,693,673MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
COMMUNITY FDN OF ST JOSEPH COUNTY
$16,000,000INDIANA COMMUNITY FDN INIT-GIFT
LEGACY FOUNDATION INC
$16,000,000INDIANA COMMUNITY FDN INIT-GIFT
WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT INC
$15,000,000CAPACITY BLDG-NATL MILITARY SERV ORG
NEIGHBORHOOD CHARTER NETWORK INC
$15,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
INDIANAPOLIS FOUNDATION INC
$15,000,000INDIANA COMMUNITY FDN INIT-GIFT
ADELANTE SCHOOLS INC
$14,400,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
$14,100,000CLERGY RENEWAL PROGRAMS SUPPORT
CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
$14,100,000CLERGY RENEWAL PROGRAMS SUPPORT
PURDUE POLYTECHNIC HIGH SCHOOL
$13,264,308MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
WABASH COLLEGE
$12,500,000WABASH CTR-TEACHING & LEARNING PROG
PARK TUDOR FOUNDATION INC
$12,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
BREBEUF JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
$12,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
OAKS ACADEMY INC
$12,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
CATHEDRAL TRUSTEES INC
$12,000,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
VICTORY COLLEGE PREP INC
$11,163,800MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
INDIANA MATH AND SCIENCE ACADEMY
$10,816,219MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$10,532,000MARION COUNTY K-12 EDUCATION INIT
DUKE UNIVERSITY
$10,387,846THRIVING CONGREGATIONS INITIATIVE
INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
$10,000,000PATHWAYS FOR TOMORROW INITIATIVE
Current and upcoming funding from Lilly Endowment that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Charitable organizations with requests that fit the Endowment’s guidelines and priorities. The Endowment generally does not support loans to private individuals, debt discharge, healthcare projects, mass media projects, endowments/endowed chairs, or most public libraries outside Marion County, Indiana.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.