LILLY ENDOWMENT, INC.

Contact information:

2801 N. Meridian St.
P.O. Box 88068
Indianapolis, IN 46208
Phone: 317-924-5471
Fax: 317-926-4431

Type of foundation: Independent

Types of grants: Operating, program, teacher fellowships, clergy sabbaticals, employee matching gifts.

Description: The Lilly Endowment was created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family -- J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli -- through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. 

Gifts of stock in Eli Lilly and Company remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment. Approximately 95 percent of its assets are Lilly stock, which has lost 70 percent of its value since its peak in 2000 (at the time, the Endowment was the second wealthiest foundation in the country). The Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location.

Approximately 75 percent of the Endowment's grants go to Indiana organizations. Most of its media funding goes to national broadcasters for religion content. Some funding goes to Indiana media organizations (see Sample Grants, below).

Giving priorities are:

• Community Development: Grantmaking focuses on human service needs, central-city and neighborhood revitalization, low-income housing, and arts and culture in Indianapolis. Grants also support facilities and programs that help advance the city's economic revitalization and community recreational opportunities. Statewide, the Endowment provides major support for the development of the endowments of community foundations.
• Education: Grantmaking focuses on improving education in Indiana, with special emphasis on higher education and on programs designed to increase the number of Indiana residents with bachelor's degrees. The Endowment also supports work to improve higher education opportunities throughout the country for African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans. In recent years, the Endowment has invested in improving science, technology and math education in Indiana.
• Religion: Grantmaking focuses on deepening and enriching the religious lives of American Christians, principally by supporting efforts to encourage, support and educate a new generation of talented pastors and to strengthen current pastors in their capacities for excellence in ministry. Most of the Endowment's media funding comes out of this area.
• Youth and Philanthropic Leadership Education: The Endowment awards grants in support of youth development and philanthropic leadership education. Youth grants support direct-service organizations in central Indiana, build the capacity of intermediary organizations throughout the state and provide professional development for the staffs and volunteer leadership of these organizations. In philanthropic leadership education, the Endowment funds scholarship on good governance and also funds efforts to create a body of reliable knowledge about giving and fundraising.

Sample grants:

• $6,250,000 to Educational Broadcasting Corporation for Religion & Ethics Newsweekly (2008).
• $6,250,000 to Educational Broadcasting Corporation for Religion & Ethics Newsweekly (2007).
• $3,700,000 to Heartland Film Festival for an expanded operations plan and promotional initiatives (2005).
• $1,556,750 to Minnesota Public Radio for expansion of Speaking of Faith educational resources project (2007).
• $1,400,788 to Washington Educational Telecommunications Association (WETA) in supplemental support for a documentary film about World War II (2005).
• $300,000 to Heartland Truly Moving Pictures (formerly Heartland Film Festival) (2008).
• $285,000 to Y-Press, a youth media program based in Indianapolis for operating and program support (2008).
• $250,000 to Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations for a statewide assessment and planning initiative (2005).
• $120,000 to National Public Radio in continued support for coverage of religion (2005).

Fit for public broadcasting: Although the majority of Endowment giving goes to Indiana organizations, most of its media funding is for national initiatives focused on religion. The Endowment has funded some Indiana-based media projects, and there may be room for media projects that directly converge with its other giving areas and past grants (e.g., STEM education, youth journalism).

Eligibility: Approximately 75percent of grants go to Indiana organizations. The Endowment's work in religion is national in scope. The Endowment generally does not provide support for:

• Individuals.
• Prior debt.
• Health care projects.
• Mass media projects. The Endowment limits consideration to projects that fall squarely within its program areas.
• Endowments or endowed chairs.
• Libraries.
• Projects outside Indianapolis. Requests usually are declined for building campaigns, elementary/secondary education, arts and culture, human service projects, general operating funds and neighborhood projects (except as part of invitational grant programs).

Deadline: No deadlines for letters of inquiry. The Board of Directors considers grants in March, June, September, November and December. The grant-review process takes three to six months.

How to apply: Letter of inquiry (no more than two pages). If interested, the Endowment will request a full proposal. Faxed requests will not be considered. Please direct correspondence to the Grant Services Office at the address provided above.

Giving range: As high as $15 million. Most grants are below $500,000.

Assets: $5,718,809,817 (2008); estimated at $4.8 billion in 2009.

Total giving: $314,850,416 (2008)

Download 2008 Annual Report.