Lilly Endowment Challenge
The Lilly Endowment Challenge Grant Program of Cumberland Community Foundation is made possible by the Ashton W. Lilly Fund for Philanthropy, a charitable fund created in honor of the great philanthropy of Ashton Lilly. The program is designed to assist non-profit organizations to build sustainable support for their missions through permanent endowment funds with Cumberland Community Foundation.
Eligibility: This grant application is competitive. Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Applicant has a fully funded agency endowment at Cumberland Community Foundation, Inc.
- Applicant has an active endowment committee of two or more board members and a board adopted endowment goal.
- Applicant has demonstrated board engagement in endowment building throughout the last two years.
- Applicant has participated in one or more planned giving and endowment building presentations/meetings with Cumberland Community Foundation staff.
- Applicant is engaged in promoting its endowment fund.
Challenge Guidelines: An application may be any amount up to $50,000, not to exceed 50% of the organization's board-adopted endowment goal. Unless otherwise agreed, the grant period will be two years. Organizations that have received a Lilly challenge grant within the last four years will have lower priority in a competitive awards cycle.
The dollars raised and the matching dollars (supplied by Cumberland Community Foundation) will be placed as irrevocable gifts into the endowment fund owned, held, and managed by Cumberland Community Foundation for the sole benefit of the non-profit organization.
Organizations should be clear that an endowment fund is not an operating reserve. This challenge grant is to create a permanent endowment. Principal and gifts to the endowment fund may not be taken back to meet current needs.
Questions? Attend one of the monthly Grantseeker Information Meetings. (Registration required. CLICK HERE) Contact Kendra Murray, Community Grants Manager -- Kendra@CumberlandCF.Org or 910-483-4449 ext. 102 with any questions.
