How a $30 million Lilly Foundation gift reshaped Boys & Girls Clubs Across Indiana.
“If your nonprofit received a $25 million gift, how do you think it should be allocated, and how would that change your organization?” I ask leaders this question for two reasons: first, sometimes unexpected gifts like this actually are made; and second, leaders often need to think beyond their current financial reality to be truly strategic.
Sometimes, strategy can end up becoming a reality, as happened for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indiana. This is perhaps the clearest-cut case I’ve seen of the transformational effect a single gift can have, and I’d like to share it with you.
In 2022, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) received a historic $30 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Strengthening Youth Programs in Indiana initiative. This unprecedented investment—the largest single foundation gift in BGCA's history—was designed to enhance support for Indiana's youth through safe spaces, caring mentors, and transformative experiences.
"This investment is about building a stronger future for Indiana's youth right here in our local communities," said Joe Jordan, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northeast Indiana. "We are serving more kids than ever before and also setting them up for long-term success by providing safe spaces, guidance, and life-changing experiences that will shape their futures."
The grant helped BGCA work with 31 Boys & Girls Club organizations across Indiana to develop a five-year strategic plan and provided support for high-quality programs at 117 Clubhouses, staff training, and renovation projects. The promised impact on the future of Indiana’s youth is just beginning to emerge.
Strategic Planning for Statewide Impact
This unprecedented grant called for careful execution: BGCA didn’t want to risk using these resources in a haphazard, ineffective way. The planning process began with a collaborative approach. As the alliance of Indiana Clubs came together, they identified the biggest needs across the state: "We got together as a state and said, 'What are the biggest needs? What are the biggest capital needs? What are the biggest programmatic needs? What areas of emphasis should we have that would really move the needle in the biggest way for the state of Indiana?'" said Duane Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor.
The alliance—a separate 501(c)(3) dedicated to public funding and advocacy for the state of Indiana—encompasses 30 Club organizations to ensure that efforts are aligned and amplified across the state. Together, they identified key priorities: capital expenses, improving program quality, increasing membership (particularly teen membership), and building infrastructure to support growth.
Remarkable Results
Since receiving the grant in 2022, Boys & Girls Club organizations in Indiana have achieved significant milestones:
- More than 40 new Clubs have been established statewide;
- Youth served increased to 51,000—an increase of more than 11,000 in just two years;
- Nearly 3,000 staff members have been trained in trauma-informed care; and
- Teen engagement increased by 2,000, with more than 9,000 teens now actively participating.
To date, approximately 50% of the grant has been allocated to capital and renovation projects, 23% leveraged for new programming and enhancements, 17% used to increase capacity in buildings, and 10% utilized for training and consultations.
Expansion and Transformation
For some alliance members, the impact of the grant funding has been particularly profound. The Northern Indiana Corridor had been a “corridor’ of one county, but Lilly let them grow: "We were a one-county organization . . . because of Lilly, we expanded," said Wilson. They’ve grown to operate in six counties and twelve school districts, opening clubs in areas without any afterschool programs.
This growth transformed not just physical locations but operational approaches: "It really transformed how we trained, it transformed how we hired, and it transformed what we define as a great club." This changing approach to operations immediately translates to more youths having greater access to high-quality programs and mentors.
Success Stories That Inspire
The true measure of the grant's impact can be seen in the lives of youth like Rima Bahradine-Bell, a 17-year-old junior at Career Academy High School in South Bend. Rima, who overcame significant personal challenges, was named both the 2024 Indiana Youth of the Year and the 2024 Midwest Youth of the Year. She credits the supportive atmosphere and staff at the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County for helping her navigate trying times and develop a sense of leadership and empowerment. Her journey from the local Club to regional recognition exemplifies how the expanded programming for teens and enhanced quality initiatives funded by the Lilly grant are creating transformative opportunities for Indiana's youth.
Sustainability Challenges and Lessons Learned
The grant provided tremendous opportunities off the bat, but sustainability was a priority for both BGCA and Lilly. "Through biannual reporting, Lilly Endowment was updated on progress. As far as what was most appreciated in the reporting process—attention to detail and metric-driven reporting. Additionally, demonstrating the impact through data and facts as well as qualitative stories, narratives, photos, and quotes," shared Lindsay Chiavacci, Foundation Account Relationship Manager at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Club leaders emphasize that building organizational capacity is important for long-term success. “Ensure that you create the systems for sustainability and . . . on day one that you get the money, start creating the plan to replace the money," Wilson noted. It’s not a smart or sustainable strategy to rely on one-off major gifts and ignore what happens when the goose stops laying golden eggs.
This warning comes with real consequences, according to Wilson: "I know clubs that are struggling now because the money's gone and not spent well." The magnitude of growth—with some organizations adding eighteen additional sites—fundamentally changed organizational identity while maintaining mission focus. A significant gift like Lilly’s is cause for an organization to pause, consider their priorities, and make a plan for impactful use of these new resources.
If all goes well, as it has with BGCA and Lilly, a transformational gift has an impact that resonates across generations. As BGCA’s transformative work continues, the investment in Indiana's youth today promises to create lasting benefits for communities across the state for years to come.
