Lilly Foundation
To extend Lilly’s reach and impact, the company established the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation in 1968. The Foundation is a private, tax-exempt organization that makes strategic and philanthropic investments consistent with Lilly’s purpose.
The Lilly Foundation supports:
Improving global health for people living in communities with limited resources. The Foundation provides support for Lilly 30x30, the company’s goal to improve health care for 30 million people, each year, by 2030.
Strengthening communities – with a focus on our hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana – by partnering with organizations dedicated to driving measurable social impact, including United Way.
Matching employee and retiree donations to educational, cultural and health-related nonprofit organizations through one of the most generous matching-gift programs in the U.S.
Improving educational opportunities for children living in underserved communities in Indianapolis. The Foundation focuses on early childhood education, supporting quality schools and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.
Making Indianapolis an even better place to live by supporting select community development and cultural organizations.
Combatting racial injustice and inequity by supporting initiatives and projects to expose, challenge and eradicate racial injustice and inequity. Our geographic emphasis is Indiana, the site of our headquarters and largest R&D footprint. The Foundation focuses on improving educational, health, criminal justice and social mobility outcomes for people of color.
In Fall 2022, the Lilly Foundation awarded several grants, including:
$1,400,000 to the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Foundation to support management of Business Equity for Indy and to aid Ascend Indiana in implementing strategies to improve employment opportunities for communities of color.
$780,000 to the Ivy Tech Foundation to support Ivy Tech Indianapolis in improving college enrollment and retention among men of color by implementing the Brother-to-Brother initiative.
$750,000 to the Center for Leadership Development to expand the STEM pathways programs and expand the academic and college readiness, career preparedness and character formation activities for youth.
$750,000 to the Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA) to expand the reach of the PLA University workforce development program to support more adults in the PLA community with career workshops, occupational training, job placement and coaching to ensure job retention.
$340,000 to the Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation for Project Lead the Way to provide five programs that come together to form comprehensive Pre-K-12 pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, providing hands-on learning opportunities from the first day of preschool through senior year.
$320,000 to MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation for an educational film project by the Medical Marvels Initiative to produce a film highlighting scientists and patients behind scientific innovation.
$250,000 to Girls Scouts of Central Indiana to expand the STEM Experience Center at Camp Dellwood.
$250,000 to Crossroads of America Council – Boy Scouts of America to provide STEM enrichment activities and education programs for children of color.
$200,000 to Central Indiana Community Foundation as the fiscal sponsor of GANGGANG to launch a pilot of GANGGANG Teen, a cultural immersion experience for 8th and 10th graders exploring culture and identity.
$125,000 to Timmy Global Health to expand health care access through BANELINO’s health program to help Haitian migrants in the Dominican Republic.
$100,000 to 16 Tech Community Corporation to provide operational support for 2023.
In Spring 2022, the Lilly Foundation awarded several grants, including:
$856,600 to the Pacers Sports & Entertainment Foundation to support bringing NBA Math Hoops, a math curriculum of a fast-paced basketball board game and digital board game, to Indianapolis Public Schools and other students across Indianapolis to help students develop an appreciation for math.
$190,000 to the Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, Inc. for STEM learning experiences targeting elementary school, middle school and high school students.
$135,000 to Indiana University to support installing art exhibits across Indiana of the Unmasked: Anti-Lynching Art and Public Community Remembrance project that will reimagine two historic 1939 art exhibitions, create public awareness of lynching and racial violence, and catalyze community discussion in Indiana.
$100,000 to the Girls Incorporated of Indianapolis, Inc. for the STEM experience which includes the 2022 summer camp for girls ages 6-14 and the Empower Hub for girls in grades 3-8.
In Fall 2021, the Lilly Foundation awarded several grants, including:
$2,838,000 to the Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation to accelerate and enhance STEM curriculum, enrichment activities and career exploration for Indianapolis Public Schools students.
$1,000,000 to Teach for America to support the organization’s efforts to double the number of Teach for America Indy STEM teachers of color in K-12 by 2025.
$900,000 to the Mind Trust’s Advancing Educational Equity strategic plan.
$900,000 to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in its aims to showcase unrepresented diverse composers and artists and bring unjustly overlooked works by marginalized composers to light.
$250,000 to Connor Prairie to support the development of a permanent transformational exhibition and experience which will examine African American history.
$115,000 to the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site to support its efforts to transform its grounds to be more accessible and its inaugural Juneteenth event in summer 2022.
In Spring 2021, the Lilly Foundation awarded the following grants:
$812,222 to the Indianapolis Public Schools Education Foundation for general operating support, including specific support for STEM career academics and planning/implementing of an equity and inclusion plan for families
$450,000 to the Boys and Girls Club to support the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative
$800,000 to VOICES Community Arts Outreach Programs for the Day Reporting Program to support youth and their families with obtaining high school equivalence preparation and completion as well as the arts as healing programming to help youth, who have been involved in the juvenile justice system heal from trauma, grow and become economically self-sufficient
$100,000 to Girl Scouts of Central Indiana to support the creation of their STEM Center of Excellence in Indianapolis
$450,000 to the Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Broadcasting, Inc. (WFYI Public Media) to support the development of an educational equity centered newsroom
$1,650,000 to the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and Central Indiana Corporate Partnership in support of the Business Equity for Indy Committee to address inequities in business opportunities for Black Americans
$125,000 to the IU Lilly School of Philanthropy to research board diversity of Indianapolis non-profit boards