Strengthening Youth Programs
in Indiana
New Grants Support Indiana Youth-Serving Organizations
Indiana Youth Institute awarded 168 grants to youth-serving organizations totaling more than $40 million to help them sustain and strengthen their work. IYI made the grants in connection with Strengthening Youth Programs in Indiana, an initiative Lilly Endowment Inc. launched in 2023.
Organizations receiving these grants provide a broad range of programs and services that support youth development and well-being. Offerings include foster care placement, youth employment, college preparation, STEM education, art therapy, health and wellness activities, grief counseling, leadership and character development, outdoor education, tutoring, mentoring, and before- and after-school enrichment.
Grantees will use this funding to sustain effective programs and develop capacities such as evaluation, fundraising, marketing, technology, as well as staff and board development.
Read the full press release to learn more about the grants and IYI’s role in supporting participating organizations.
Youth-serving nonprofit leaders understand the importance of building strong organizational capacity focused on sound management, strong governance, and dedication to assessing results to support mission-driven work. But finding the time and resources to support, strengthen, and sustain this capacity often conflicts with the demands of serving the youth in their programs.
Indiana Youth Institute has worked to improve the lives of all Indiana children and youth by being an active and purposeful leader in Indiana’s youth-serving field for over 30 years. Thousands of youth-serving organizations turn to IYI each year to help build their capacity to fulfill and advance their missions – putting us in the unique position to tackle the important issue of capacity building and sustainability for youth-serving organizations.
SYPI Grant Success Stories and Lessons Learned
Lilly Endowment launched the Strengthening Youth Programs in Indiana initiative in September 2023 to champion nonprofit leaders as they balanced the demands of day-to-day work serving Hoosier kids and long-term goals and sustainability.
Grants ranging from $16,870 to $1 million were awarded to 187 organizations to build organizational capacity, improve programs, and support capital improvement projects to ensure youth-serving organizations can meet the needs of communities now and in the future.
As a trusted leader in the field of youth work, Indiana Youth Institute walked alongside organizations to provide additional resources, data, training, and consultations.
