Lilly Endowment Inc. Strategic Plan Strategic plan for Lilly Endowment Inc., one of the world's largest private philanthropic foundations focused on community development, education, and religion, with priority on improving quality of life in Indianapolis and Indiana. This strategic plan was extracted from publicly available information by AI (Claude, Anthropic) on February 10, 2026, including the foundation's website, grantmaking guidelines, program descriptions, and organizational materials. Lilly Endowment Inc. was founded in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The foundation holds $62.2 billion in assets as of 2023 and describes itself as "conservatively progressive." Lilly Endowment Inc. LEI uuid-a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7a8b-9c0d-1e2f3a4b5c6d A private philanthropic foundation established in 1937 for the promotion and support of religious, educational, and charitable purposes. The foundation primarily supports efforts in Indianapolis and Indiana while making substantial contributions to efforts of national significance, especially in religion. Assets consist primarily of Eli Lilly and Company stock. J.K. Lilly Sr. Founder (deceased), established the foundation with his sons in 1937 Eli Lilly Jr. Co-founder (deceased), managed foundation in early years and expressed hope to "help improve the character of the American people" J.K. Lilly Jr. Co-founder (deceased) A world where individuals reach their full potential, families thrive, and communities flourish, with improved character and human development viewed in the context of community and unselfish concern for the welfare of others. uuid-b2c3d4e5-f6a7-8b9c-0d1e-2f3a4b5c6d7e To nurture the human spirit, intellect, and character through grantmaking in community development, education, and religion. The foundation seeks to identify experienced organizations and emerging efforts that have the potential to address effectively important challenges and needs, helping them realize this potential through funding, consulting, technical assistance, research, evaluation support, and connections to other organizations. uuid-c3d4e5f6-a7b8-9c0d-1e2f-3a4b5c6d7e8f Philanthropy Belief in giving motivated by religious faith, as expressed by founder Eli Lilly: "Owing everything we are to the past and present generations, each of us must be willing to give unstinted help to others." Character Development Focus on improving the character of people, viewing character and human development in the context of community and encouraging unselfish concern for others' welfare. Community Focus Commitment to hometown Indianapolis and home state of Indiana, giving priority to efforts that improve quality of life in these locations. Innovation Support Supporting both traditional longstanding charitable organizations and emerging efforts, helping them adapt to quickly changing contexts and develop effective strategies. Impact Orientation Keeping foremost in mind the impact organizations have and will have on the individuals, families, and communities they serve. Community Development Enhance the quality of life in Indianapolis and Indiana through support for human and social needs, city and neighborhood revitalization, low- and moderate-income housing, arts and culture, community foundations, United Ways, disaster relief, veterans' affairs, and civic infrastructure. Foster greater community and regional prosperity through strategic initiatives that build on distinctive regional assets. uuid-d4e5f6a7-b8c9-0d1e-2f3a-4b5c6d7e8f9a 1 Indianapolis Residents Primary beneficiaries of community development efforts in the foundation's hometown. Indiana Residents Residents throughout the state who benefit from statewide community development initiatives. Community Development Division. Priority on Indianapolis and Indiana, with invitational national programs for disaster relief, veterans affairs, and research on charitable effectiveness. Human Needs Support organizations addressing human and social needs in Indianapolis, advancing prosperity of all residents including those affected by poverty and other societal challenges. uuid-e5f6a7b8-c9d0-1e2f-3a4b-5c6d7e8f9a0b 1.1 Urban Revitalization Fund city and neighborhood revitalization projects including restoration of historic buildings and construction of civic facilities in Indianapolis. uuid-f6a7b8c9-d0e1-2f3a-4b5c-6d7e8f9a0b1c 1.2 Affordable Housing Support development and preservation of low- and moderate-income housing in Indianapolis and Indiana. uuid-a7b8c9d0-e1f2-3a4b-5c6d-7e8f9a0b1c2d 1.3 Arts Culture Provide matching grants and support for arts and cultural organizations and facilities in Indianapolis. uuid-b8c9d0e1-f2a3-4b5c-6d7e-8f9a0b1c2d3e 1.4 Community Foundations Build capacity of community foundations throughout Indiana through Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative to help them build unrestricted endowments and develop leadership capacity. Support has helped grow from fewer than a dozen in 1990 to more than 92 community foundations and affiliate funds. uuid-c9d0e1f2-a3b4-5c6d-7e8f-9a0b1c2d3e4f 1.5 Regional Prosperity Support strategic community advancement initiatives in Indiana that build on work of community foundations, educational institutions, and business organizations to align education with employer needs and make regions more attractive places to live and invest. More than $210 million approved since 2007 for six initiatives. uuid-d0e1f2a3-b4c5-6d7e-8f9a-0b1c2d3e4f5a 1.6 National Causes Support compelling national causes on invitational basis including disaster relief and recovery, programs for veterans and their families, and research on charitable organization effectiveness and increased charitable giving. uuid-e1f2a3b4-c5d6-7e8f-9a0b-1c2d3e4f5a6b 1.7 Education Improve educational opportunities at all levels with priority on Indianapolis and Indiana. Support K-12 education, higher education, youth development, workforce readiness, and college completion. Advance success of students of color and students from low-income households. Support national programs on invitational basis that expand higher education opportunities for African Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. uuid-f2a3b4c5-d6e7-8f9a-0b1c-2d3e4f5a6b7c 2 K-12 Students Students in elementary and secondary education, particularly in Indianapolis and Indiana. College Students Students in higher education, particularly those from underrepresented groups and low-income backgrounds. Youth Young people participating in youth development programs, including those affected by poverty and other societal challenges. Education Division. Special interest in advancing success of students of color and students from low-income households. Indiana focus for K-12 and state institutions; national programs for underrepresented groups in higher education. K-12 Excellence Support elementary and secondary education initiatives in Indianapolis and Indiana to improve student achievement and educational quality. uuid-a3b4c5d6-e7f8-9a0b-1c2d-3e4f5a6b7c8d 2.1 Youth Development Help youth reach their full potential by fostering healthy development through programs and strategies that enhance what youth experience in school. Fund direct service organizations in Indianapolis and throughout Indiana, build capacity of youth intermediary organizations, and support professional development of staff and volunteer leadership. Serve all youth, including those affected by poverty. uuid-b4c5d6e7-f8a9-0b1c-2d3e-4f5a6b7c8d9e 2.2 Indiana Higher Education Support Indiana colleges and universities in strengthening programs, addressing implications of rapidly evolving technology, and enhancing educational quality for students. uuid-c5d6e7f8-a9b0-1c2d-3e4f-5a6b7c8d9e0f 2.3 Underrepresented Groups Expand and enhance higher education opportunities for African Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans through national programs offered on invitational basis. Support includes historic $100 million to United Negro College Fund for HBCU endowments and $50 million Career Pathways Initiative for historically black colleges. uuid-d6e7f8a9-b0c1-2d3e-4f5a-6b7c8d9e0f1a 2.4 Workforce Readiness Increase college completion and career readiness, prioritizing groups underrepresented in higher education. Align liberal arts curricula with skill development for meaningful employment after graduation. uuid-e7f8a9b0-c1d2-3e4f-5a6b-7c8d9e0f1a2b 2.5 Community Scholarship Administer Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program to provide educational opportunities for Indiana students. uuid-f8a9b0c1-d2e3-4f5a-6b7c-8d9e0f1a2b3c 2.6 Religion Deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States by supporting efforts that enhance vitality of congregations and strengthen pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. Help individuals explore and engage in Christian practices to address spiritual interests and questions, find community, nourish religious lives, and grow in faith. Improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions through fair and accurate portrayals of religion's role. uuid-a9b0c1d2-e3f4-5a6b-7c8d-9e0f1a2b3c4d 3 Christian Congregations Churches and Christian communities throughout the United States served by pastoral leaders. Pastoral Leaders Clergy and lay leaders serving Christian congregations who need preparation, support, and ongoing development. Theological Schools Seminaries and theological institutions preparing future pastoral leaders for Christian churches. Religion Division. National scope. Largest religion funding among foundations. Support for broad range of Christian denominations. Pastoral Leadership Strengthen and sustain institutional capacities of theological schools to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian churches through Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. Help schools explore leadership needs of congregations, gain clarity about their mission, and assess effectiveness of financial and educational strategies. Support more than 270 U.S. and Canadian ATS-accredited theology schools. uuid-b0c1d2e3-f4a5-6b7c-8d9e-0f1a2b3c4d5e 3.1 Christian Practices Multiply opportunities and increase access to settings that help individuals from diverse backgrounds explore and engage in Christian practices. Help faith-based organizations enhance opportunities for people to learn about Christian practices, cultivate experiences of awe and wonder, build community, and grow in faith. uuid-c1d2e3f4-a5b6-7c8d-9e0f-1a2b3c4d5e6f 3.2 Congregational Vitality Enhance the vitality of Christian congregations to strengthen their capacity to serve members and communities effectively. uuid-d2e3f4a5-b6c7-8d9e-0f1a-2b3c4d5e6f7a 3.3 Religious Institutions Strengthen religious institutions and networks to enhance their effectiveness and sustainability in serving Christian communities. uuid-e3f4a5b6-c7d8-9e0f-1a2b-3c4d5e6f7a8b 3.4 Public Understanding Improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe. uuid-f4a5b6c7-d8e9-0f1a-2b3c-4d5e6f7a8b9c 3.5 Faith AI Ethics Support faith-based approaches to artificial intelligence ethics, such as $50 million grant to Notre Dame for DELTA Network to address ethical implications of AI from religious perspectives. uuid-a5b6c7d8-e9f0-1a2b-3c4d-5e6f7a8b9c0d 3.6 Worship Enhancement Support congregations in enhancing worship practices through grants and technical assistance from organizations such as Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. uuid-b6c7d8e9-f0a1-2b3c-4d5e-6f7a8b9c0d1e 3.7 2024-01-01 2030-12-31 2026-02-10 https://lillyendowment.org Owen Ambur Owen.Ambur@verizon.net