Community Development

Union County Foundation has received a matching fund grant totaling $736,083 as part of the Lilly Endowment Inc.’s GIFT VIII initiative (Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow). The Foundation will use the funding to build our unrestricted endowments for community projects, such as the expansion project for the Union County Public Library.

Qualifying matching funds raised to support the community foundation’s unrestricted endowment will be eligible for a $2(grantor)-to-$1(grantee) match from the Endowment, while qualifying matching funds raised for the Union County Public Library will be eligible for a $1(grantor)-to-$1(grantee) match.

“The Union County Foundation is known for its community leadership and serves as a sounding board and support for many projects in our county,” said Olivia Chewning, executive director of Union County Foundation.

Through GIFT VIII,  Lilly Endowment has awarded matching fund grants totaling $133.8 million to community foundations throughout all 92 of Indiana’s counties. Eligible community foundations submitted proposals requesting grants ranging from $100,000 to $15,000,000 based on the population of the counties they serve.

In 2023, Lilly Endowment launched GIFT VIII to help community foundations strengthen the towns, cities and counties they serve. Matching fund grants help support community foundations in their efforts to promote long-term viability; further strengthen their abilities to lead; encourage board engagement; and implement strategies to enhance quality of life in their communities.

The Union County Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit community foundation established in 1989 to serve our community with the aim to improve the quality of life for Union County Citizens. We strive to help individuals, families, businesses and non-profit organizations achieve their charitable goals by offering tools and resources that make giving easy and effective.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with its own staff, location, and values. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and especially religion. Though it sponsors programs nationally, the Endowment maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.