Fort Wayne (March 13, 2019) – The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne has received a grant of $2 million as part of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s seventh phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative. With GIFT VII, the Endowment is making up to $125 million available to help Indiana community foundations strengthen the towns, cities and counties they serve.
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne is using this matching fund grant to build financial assets and to support charitable activities. The matching fund grant is designated to support the growth of the Community Foundation’s unrestricted endowments, which over time will provide flexibility to help the Community Foundation meet community needs. Lilly Endowment will provide $2 for every $1 contributed to the unrestricted endowments such as the Community Impact Fund during the matching period, October 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020.
“We are so appreciative and fortunate to have such a wonderful partner in Lilly Endowment,” said Brad Little President and CEO at the Community Foundation. “Lilly Endowment continues to support community foundations across the state by offering resources and financial investment in our respective communities. Our goal is to use this 2:1 match to both engage and encourage our existing donors and to reach out to prospective donors. This is the perfect opportunity to leverage a gift that will strengthen our ability to invest in some pretty amazing non-profits.”
The GIFT initiative is part of Lilly Endowment’s grantmaking to strengthen Indiana communities and has been a priority of the Endowment since the first phase of GIFT in 1990. The initiative’s primary aim is to help Indiana community foundations develop the philanthropic capacity to identify, prioritize and address local opportunities and challenges.
Starting in 2019, the Community Foundation will have the opportunity to apply for more funds through GIFT VII’s community leadership grants. This component includes both planning and implementation grants, which are available to help the Community Foundation deepen its understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing its community; convene key local stakeholders and explore how it can effectively play a leadership role in implementing initiatives and strategies that enhance the quality of life in Allen County.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family – J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons Eli and J.K. Jr. – through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly & Company. The Endowment exists to support causes of community development, education and religion. Lilly Endowment’s community development grantmaking is designed to support efforts that enhance the quality of life in Indianapolis and Indiana.
For nearly 100 years, the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne has been a public charitable foundation serving Allen County since 1922. The Community Foundation had assets of approximately $141.7 million at December 31, 2018 and awarded more than $6 million in charitable grants and scholarships in that year. The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne does three things: help people make their charitable giving more impactful, connect funding to nonprofits through effective grantmaking, and provide leadership to address community needs to improve quality of life. Every day we connect people and resources to build a more vibrant community.