Lilly Endowment’s Capital Project Initiative for Residential Youth Camps aims to help Indiana residential youth camps improve the overall camp experience and outcomes for youth through new, enhanced and expanded facilities integral to quality youth camp programming.

The Endowment has allocated up to $166 million for this multi-phase initiative.

  • Phase 1 Planning Grants: Planning grants of up to $150,000 each will help organizations assess and prepare for a potential capital project or projects.
  • Phase 2 Non-competitive Capital Project Grants: Phase 2 grants will help organizations upgrade or renovate existing facilities, build new facilities or purchase equipment or furnishings that enhance camp facilities.
  • Phase 3 Competitive Large-scale Capital Project Grants: Phase 3 grants will help organizations partially support large-scale capital projects that are designed to significantly enhance and expand camp programs for youth. The Endowment expects to award grants on a competitive basis to camps in amounts of up to $2.5 million, up to $5 million or up to $10 million based on the average annual number of youth they served during the last three calendar years. Phase 3 grants will be made in April 2026.

This initiative is closed for submissions.

For questions about this initiative, read the FAQ or email camps@lei.org.