LILLY ENDOWMENT INC

Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation that is based out of Indianapolis. The company was founded in 1937 by the Lilly family, namely J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli, through contributions from the Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical business. Lilly Endowment Inc. itself operates as a separate entity, existing to support causes of religion, education and community development. The company grew from its inception and would employ its assets and resources in a variety of projects including the Readiness for Ministry for the Association of Theological Schools. One Lilly Endowment Inc’s most notable programs is its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow, which has been in operation since its inception in 1987 and has been responsible for a variety of Indiana community foundations. The company would also fund a landmark study in 1988, the Effective Christian Education: A National Study of Protestant Congregations study. Lilly Endowment Inc. would start its Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation in 1999, providing over $135 million in total grants to 88 colleges and universities to establish or strengthen various key religious programs and be able to enhance the capabilities of these programs. The company has added a more national focus in recent years but still retains a majority focus on organizations operating out of Indiana, allocating approximately three quarters of its total grants to Indianapolis and various Indiana charities. Eli Lilly and Company remains at the core of its financial foundation, making up the entirety of its assets. The company currently has a market value of $9.5 billion, which has been rising steadily in recent years, growing from a $6.7 billion market value just two years prior to one and a half times that today. The chairman for Lilly Endowment, who has also acted as its chief legal counsel, passed away in 2015 and the company is currently headed by president and CEO N. Clay Robbins.