Lilly Endowment Touts Billions in Assets

May 31, 2012

News Release

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - For nearly 75 years, certain “constants” provided by Lilly Endowment’s founders have guided the efforts of the Indianapolis-based foundation. J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons, J.K. Lilly Jr. and Eli, determined that a top Endowment priority should be to help the people of their city and state build a better life. They also determined that its grantmaking should generally fall within the areas of community development, education and religion. Over the years, the Endowment has adhered to these priorities, and its current leadership intends to do so as well.

The executive message of the Endowment’s 2011 annual report notes that many compelling causes and challenges lie within these programmatic and geographic areas of interest that perennially need attention. Long-term and sustained strategies are needed to address them. “Perseverance is required,” notes the executive message. “Accordingly, the Endowment for years has worked to help establish or sustain organizations that play intermediary roles in key areas. They assemble relevant data about their areas of endeavor; provide educational programs and services; convene the relevant stakeholders and help forge consensus and collaborations; and create and maintain frameworks that support and enhance the impact of existing and new initiatives.”

Previous reports have focused on some of these organizations: United Way of Central Indiana for the human services, the Arts Council of Indianapolis for arts and culture, the Indiana Youth Institute for the youth development field, the Indianapolis Center for Congregations for Indiana congregations, and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Foundation for BioCrossroads, its initiative for life sciences, and Conexus, its initiative for advanced manufacturing and logistics.

The 2011 report centers on others: the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership, the Local Initiative Support Corp. and the Neighborhood Resource Center for building stronger neighborhoods; the International Center of Indianapolis for advancing Indiana’s global presence; and the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning at the University of Indianapolis for sustainable K-12 education reform in Indiana. A fourth story describes the Endowment’s Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Indiana Pastors.
The report also provides financial information about the Endowment and a listing of the grants approved in 2011.

As of Dec. 31, 2011, Lilly Endowment held $6.2 billion in unrestricted assets. During 2011 it made grant payments of $206.4 million and approved $208.7 million in new grants in its major areas of community development, education and religion.

In the grants-paid category, education grants accounted for $74.9 million (36 percent), community development grants totaled $67.3 million (33 percent), and religion grants added up to $64.2 million (31 percent).

As in previous years, most grants were paid to organizations in Indiana – a total of $141.2 million (68 percent). Of the payment total of $206.4 million, $96 million (46 percent) was paid to non-Marion County grantees in Indiana and $45.2 million (22 percent) to Marion County (Indianapolis) grantees. Organizations outside Indiana received $65.2 million (32 percent), mostly from religion grants.

During 2011 the Endowment approved $208.7 million to 757 grantees, 249 of them new to the Endowment. Education grants totaled the most dollars at $77.2 million (37 percent). Approvals for community development grants totaled $67.4 million (32 percent), while approvals for religion grants totaled $64.1 million (31 percent).

Similar to the geographic distribution of grants paid in 2011, 69 percent of the grants approved went to Indiana organizations. Of the $208.7 million in grants approved, $98.2 million (47 percent) was approved for non-Marion County grantees in Indiana and $45.5 million (22 percent) to Marion County (Indianapolis) grantees. Indiana organizations thus were awarded $143.7 million. $65 million (31 percent) in grants were approved for non-Indiana organizations.

Source: Lilly Endowment