Over $3 million in grants awarded
The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette Grants $3,028,275 to Local Nonprofits
For Immediate Release
The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette completed a transformative grant cycle this summer, awarding more than $3 million in Impact Grants to local nonprofits – the most The Foundation has ever awarded in a single grant cycle.
This funding was made possible by Lilly Endowment Inc. through the Community Support Grant component of the ninth phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT IX) initiative. This is one of 92 Community Support Grants being awarded through GIFT IX, a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative designed to support the efforts of community foundations to strengthen the quality of life in the communities they serve.
Lilly Endowment created the GIFT initiative in 1990 to help local communities in Indiana develop the philanthropic capacity to identify local needs and challenges and work with other organizations and residents to help their communities thrive. Through GIFT IX, Lilly Endowment has allocated up to $271.5 million to support Indiana’s community foundations in growing their financial resources and further strengthening their ability to address their community’s highest-priority challenges and opportunities.
The Community Support Grant is designed to provide community foundations with flexible funding to enhance their grantmaking capacity to address compelling, near-term needs in their counties.
“The Community Foundation was thrilled to have its proposal of $3 million granted in full by the Lilly Endowment Inc. These funds enabled us to identify and support both ‘big idea’ projects and critical infrastructure improvements that address pressing local needs and strengthen the quality of life for Tippecanoe County residents,” said David Lasater, the James Kirby Risk Endowed President and CEO of The Foundation.
The Foundation announced the opportunity in early February and accepted Letters of Intent through the end of that month. A total of 42 project proposals requesting $27.3 million in funding were reviewed. After several highly competitive rounds of review, five projects were selected to receive funding:
- Cars for Keeps to assist the organization in securing a permanent facility and subsequently the ability to obtain an auto dealer’s license
- Homestead Resources in support of the purchase and renovation of a building to serve as a “home” of their own
- LTHC Homeless Services in support of several capital projects including the completion of the McCarty Hope Apartments and critical infrastructure stabilization for existing housing
- Lafayette Urban Ministry to support a critical shelter expansion and improvements
- Lafayette Family YMCA to help facilitate a capital revitalization of Camp Straight Arrow, an outdoor day camp established in 1969 to serve area youth
“As excited as we are to play a small role in these projects, I also found inspiration in the reactions of the organizations whose projects were not selected for funding,” said Karen McCullough, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Grants. “Despite disappointment, every response expressed gratitude in being considered and confidence in the amazing impact that will come from the projects that were funded. The support and collaboration that exists within our nonprofit community is exceptional and inspires me every day.
“I would also be remiss if I failed to thank our wonderful Grants Committee on behalf of The Foundation. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their thoughtful dedication to this process.”
About Lilly Endowment
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
