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.
$1.5B
$62.2B
$2.1B
$1.6B
Most grants fall between $7K and $557K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$557K
About 64% of grants go to recipients in IN.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Lilly Endowment.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 3,447 | $2.8B | 99.7% |
| 2 | Canada | 10 | $8.2M |
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
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.
N CLAY ROBBINS
CHAIRMAN&CEO
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
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 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $150,000,000 | 2024 | STRATEGIC ENHANCEMENTS READI 2.0 |
| INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF UNITED WAYS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $82,000,000 | 2024 | STATEWIDE CAPITAL PROJECTS INIT |
| PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $50,000,000 | 2024 | PURDUE COMPUTES INITIATIVE |
| UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR UNCF CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $50,000,000 | 2024 | MITCHELL E. DANIELS SCHL OF BUSINESS |
| AMERICAN CAMPING ASSOCIATION INC | MARTINSVILLE, IN | $45,535,623 | 2024 | FOSTERING CHARACTER IN CAMP PROGRAMS |
| BALL STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | MUNCIE, IN | $35,000,000 | 2024 | COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE |
| TAYLOR UNIVERSITY INC | UPLAND, IN | $30,000,000 | 2024 | COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL INDIANA INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $30,000,000 | 2024 | CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND |
| EARLHAM COLLEGE | RICHMOND, IN | $25,000,000 | 2024 | COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE |
| PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $25,000,000 | 2024 | COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE |
| WABASH COLLEGE | CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN | $25,000,000 | 2024 | COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE |
| INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY FDN | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $20,000,000 | 2024 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| LOUISVILLE PRESBYTN THEO SEMINARY | LOUISVILLE, KY | $18,000,122 | 2024 | LOUISVILLE INSTITUTE PROJECT |
| INDEPENDENT COLLEGES OF INDIANA | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $16,500,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 2025 |
| INDIANAPOLIS CTR FOR CONGREGATIONS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $15,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR CORE PROGRAMS & SERVICES |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $14,142,221 | 2024 | LEADERSHIP & CHARACTER EDUC PROG |
| NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP | DENVER, CO | $10,000,000 | 2024 | NATL EXPANSION OF HOME VISITING PROG |
| STATE OF INDIANA IN DEPT OF EDU | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $10,000,000 | 2024 | IMPROVING READING INSTRUCTION IN IN |
| INDIANA SPORTS CORPORATION | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $7,500,000 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT, CAPACITY BLDG & TECH |
| 16 TECH COMMUNITY CORPORATION | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $7,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | TERRE HAUTE, IN | $5,800,000 | 2024 | COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE |
| INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF UNITED WAYS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,688,125 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR SPECIAL PROGRAMS |
| INDIANAPOLIS PRIVATE INDUSTRY CCL | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,058,070 | 2024 | YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM IN INDPLS |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES INDIANAPOLIS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,000,000 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT, RESERVES, DEVELOPMENT |
| PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL FDN OF THE D OF C | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000,000 | 2024 | WASHINGTON NATL CATH RESTORATION |
| INDIGENOUS PATHWAYS US INC | SHORELINE, WA | $5,000,000 | 2024 | PATHWAYS FOR TOMORROW INITIATIVE |
| KEEP INDIANAPOLIS BEAUTIFUL INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,000,000 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT, CAPITAL IMPROV & DVLPMT |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000,000 | 2024 | DISASTER RELIEF |
| INDIANAPOLIS NEIGHBD HOUSINGPARTNER | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $4,850,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FUND FOR THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION | DECATUR, GA | $4,700,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR YOUTH THEOLOGY NETWORK |
| UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS INC | ARLINGTON, VA | $4,522,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL INDIANA INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $4,300,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR 2023 ANNUAL FUNDRAISING |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $4,265,931 | 2024 | THRIVING CONGREGATIONS INITIATIVE |
| CICP FOUNDATION INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $4,250,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE & EDUC PURPOSES OF ASCEND |
| RELIGION NEWS FOUNDATION | COLUMBIA, MO | $4,092,800 | 2024 | RELIGION NEWS SERVICE PROJECT |
| PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $3,500,000 | 2024 | MILITARY FAMILY RESEARCH INST PROJ |
| NORTHWEST CENTRAL IN CMTYPARTNERSHP | LAFAYETTE, IN | $3,490,000 | 2024 | WABASH HEARTLAND INNOVATION NETWORK |
| ASSOCIATION OF BDS IN THEOLOGICALED | WILMINGTON, DE | $3,289,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE |
| CALVIN UNIVERSITY | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $3,090,450 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR WEB-BASED RESOURCES |
| CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $3,000,000 | 2024 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| COALITION FOR HOMELESSNESS INTRVNTN & PREVENTION-GR INDIANAPOLIS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $3,000,000 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT, CAPACITY BLDG & DVLPMT |
| PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $3,000,000 | 2024 | INDIANA 4-H CAPACITY & PROGRAMMING |
| PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $3,000,000 | 2024 | US RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPESURVEY PROJECT |
| KOSCIUSKO COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATN | WARSAW, IN | $2,838,800 | 2024 | LEARNING & DVLPMT OF YOUNG CHILDREN |
| CONVERSATION US INC | WALTHAM, MA | $2,754,965 | 2024 | PHILANTHROPY JOURNALISM COLLAB |
| CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM INC | FISHERS, IN | $2,667,990 | 2024 | EMPLOYEE MATCHING GIFT(S) |
| UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,651,248 | 2024 | LANDSCAPE STUDY: REMOVING BARRIERS |
| INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | MARION, IN | $2,598,475 | 2024 | CHRISTIAN PARENTING &CAREGIVING INIT |
| ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR THE MORE PERFECT INIT |
INDIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP
$150,000,000STRATEGIC ENHANCEMENTS READI 2.0
INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF UNITED WAYS
$82,000,000STATEWIDE CAPITAL PROJECTS INIT
PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$50,000,000PURDUE COMPUTES INITIATIVE
UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND INC
$50,000,000SUPPORT FOR UNCF CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$50,000,000MITCHELL E. DANIELS SCHL OF BUSINESS
AMERICAN CAMPING ASSOCIATION INC
$45,535,623FOSTERING CHARACTER IN CAMP PROGRAMS
BALL STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$35,000,000COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE
TAYLOR UNIVERSITY INC
$30,000,000COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE
UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL INDIANA INC
$30,000,000CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND
EARLHAM COLLEGE
$25,000,000COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE
PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$25,000,000COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE
WABASH COLLEGE
$25,000,000COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY FDN
$20,000,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
LOUISVILLE PRESBYTN THEO SEMINARY
$18,000,122LOUISVILLE INSTITUTE PROJECT
INDEPENDENT COLLEGES OF INDIANA
$16,500,000COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 2025
INDIANAPOLIS CTR FOR CONGREGATIONS
$15,000,000SUPPORT FOR CORE PROGRAMS & SERVICES
WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
$14,142,221LEADERSHIP & CHARACTER EDUC PROG
NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP
$10,000,000NATL EXPANSION OF HOME VISITING PROG
STATE OF INDIANA IN DEPT OF EDU
$10,000,000IMPROVING READING INSTRUCTION IN IN
INDIANA SPORTS CORPORATION
$7,500,000ENDOWMENT, CAPACITY BLDG & TECH
16 TECH COMMUNITY CORPORATION
$7,000,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$5,800,000COLLEGES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE
INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF UNITED WAYS
$5,688,125SUPPORT FOR SPECIAL PROGRAMS
INDIANAPOLIS PRIVATE INDUSTRY CCL
$5,058,070YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM IN INDPLS
CATHOLIC CHARITIES INDIANAPOLIS
$5,000,000ENDOWMENT, RESERVES, DEVELOPMENT
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL FDN OF THE D OF C
$5,000,000WASHINGTON NATL CATH RESTORATION
INDIGENOUS PATHWAYS US INC
$5,000,000PATHWAYS FOR TOMORROW INITIATIVE
KEEP INDIANAPOLIS BEAUTIFUL INC
$5,000,000ENDOWMENT, CAPITAL IMPROV & DVLPMT
AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS
$5,000,000DISASTER RELIEF
INDIANAPOLIS NEIGHBD HOUSINGPARTNER
$4,850,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FUND FOR THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION
$4,700,000SUPPORT FOR YOUTH THEOLOGY NETWORK
UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS INC
$4,522,500SUPPORT FOR TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS
UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL INDIANA INC
$4,300,000SUPPORT FOR 2023 ANNUAL FUNDRAISING
DUKE UNIVERSITY
$4,265,931THRIVING CONGREGATIONS INITIATIVE
CICP FOUNDATION INC
$4,250,000CHARITABLE & EDUC PURPOSES OF ASCEND
RELIGION NEWS FOUNDATION
$4,092,800RELIGION NEWS SERVICE PROJECT
PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$3,500,000MILITARY FAMILY RESEARCH INST PROJ
NORTHWEST CENTRAL IN CMTYPARTNERSHP
$3,490,000WABASH HEARTLAND INNOVATION NETWORK
ASSOCIATION OF BDS IN THEOLOGICALED
$3,289,000SUPPORT FOR GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE
CALVIN UNIVERSITY
$3,090,450SUPPORT FOR WEB-BASED RESOURCES
CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY INC
$3,000,000CAPACITY BUILDING
COALITION FOR HOMELESSNESS INTRVNTN & PREVENTION-GR INDIANAPOLIS
$3,000,000ENDOWMENT, CAPACITY BLDG & DVLPMT
PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$3,000,000INDIANA 4-H CAPACITY & PROGRAMMING
PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS
$3,000,000US RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPESURVEY PROJECT
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATN
$2,838,800LEARNING & DVLPMT OF YOUNG CHILDREN
CONVERSATION US INC
$2,754,965PHILANTHROPY JOURNALISM COLLAB
CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM INC
$2,667,990EMPLOYEE MATCHING GIFT(S)
UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND INC
$2,651,248LANDSCAPE STUDY: REMOVING BARRIERS
INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
$2,598,475CHRISTIAN PARENTING &CAREGIVING INIT
ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS
$2,500,000SUPPORT FOR THE MORE PERFECT INIT
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; the Endowment generally does not support individuals, debts, healthcare projects, mass media projects, endowments/endowed chairs, or most requests outside its geographic and program priorities.
Who can apply: Open to Christian congregations whose pastors are serious about congregational ministry and have a strong relationship, mutual trust, and support with their congregations.
Track these deadlines, get reminders, and see how well your nonprofit fits — free with a Kindora account.
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.