Lilly Endowment believes that community foundations are uniquely positioned to play central roles in supporting and strengthening their communities. In 1990, the Endowment launched the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative to help establish and further develop community foundations throughout Indiana. Through many phases of GIFT over the years, the Endowment has granted funds to Indiana community foundations in the hope that they could enhance quality of life in their communities by convening conversations among local stakeholders and residents about their communities’ most compelling needs and opportunities as well as the best ways to address them.
Since 1990, the Endowment has invested more than in community foundations through the GIFT initiative, related programs and technical assistance for the field. The Endowment has been encouraged by the progress Indiana community foundations have made in establishing themselves as trusted institutions within their respective communities. When GIFT began, there were fewer than 12 community foundations in the state with assets totaling approximately $100 million. Today, a community foundation or affiliate fund serves every county in Indiana, and combined assets for community foundations that have regularly participated in GIFT have grown to approximately $5.4 billion as of the end of 2024. At the same time, community foundations have played increasingly important leadership roles across the state, working with local and regional partners to address community priorities.
GIFT IX
In 2025, the Endowment announced the ninth phase of its GIFT community foundation initiative. The Endowment has allocated up to$271.5 million through GIFT IX to support Indiana’s community foundations in their efforts to strengthen their capacity to respond to local challenges and opportunities, both now and in the future. LEARN MORE
GIFT VIII
The previous round of GIFT, Phase VIII, which launched in 2023, supported Indiana’s community foundations in their efforts to grow their financial resources to promote long-term viability and sustainability; further strengthen their leadership capabilities; and develop and implement strategic programs, projects and initiatives that enhance their communities’ quality of life.
Through GIFT VIII, the Endowment awarded more than $320 million to support Indiana’s community foundations. Together, these grants helped community foundations raise unrestricted endowment assets; build their internal capacity; engage residents and stakeholders in their communities; assess their communities’ highest priority challenges and opportunities; and develop and implement projects, programs and initiatives to address local priorities, including early childhood education, outdoor recreation amenities, mental health, affordable housing and social services, among others. Learn more
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