Lilly Endowment gift gives boost to humanities’ future in Indiana

Needless to say, we’re excited and grateful. 

The $5 million Lilly Endowment gift transforms Indiana Humanities’ future, allowing us to invest in our infrastructure and programs so we can launch new initiatives and expand current programming, while also establishing an endowment to ensure that the humanities play a long-term role in shaping Indiana’s future.

This means:

• more programs like ALL-IN and Food for Thought in more areas of the state
• more opportunities for communities to connect through initiatives such as Next Indiana Bookshelf and Community Conversations
• more big ideas like Next Indiana Campfires, our program combining literature with outdoor excursions in state parks, nature preserves and other wild places.

To make sure we honor this gift with good stewardship, in the coming year we’ll focus on our core programs while also thoughtfully planning new programs for implementation starting in 2017. Key strategies driving this planning include:

• Innovative programs reaching more communities and better serving rural areas
• Investments in emerging humanities leaders
• Increased grantmaking
• Raising support for future projects

One final note: This gift also will allow us to make some much-needed needed repairs and upgrades to the historic Meredith Nicholson House that serves as our headquarters. While a minor part of the grant, this work provides a wonderful metaphor for how the Lilly Endowment gift serves the humanities in Indiana: It will have a tangible immediate impact while also ensuring long-term viability. For that, we are grateful.

Thanks for your continued support and we look forward to the year ahead.