Indianapolis Catholic schools receive $22.5 million Lilly Endowment grant

Criterion staff report

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis announced on Dec. 8 that it has received a grant of more than $22.5 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support Catholic schools in Marion County.

The grant will support Project Magi: Know Your Gifts, Grow Your Gifts, Share Your Gifts—an effort launched earlier this year to strengthen academic achievement, enhance student wellness, improve postsecondary success, and deepen faith formation for nearly 11,000 students in 29 Catholic schools across Marion County.

The project reflects the archdiocese’s mission to form saints and scholars by integrating rigorous academics with Catholic values, according to Brian Disney, superintendent of Catholic schools in the archdiocese.

“We are deeply grateful to Lilly Endowment for its extraordinary investment in Catholic education,” Disney said. “This grant allows us to build on the foundation established earlier this year and expand Project Magi’s reach and impact. Together, we are preparing students for life beyond high school through rigorous academics, vibrant extracurriculars and a deep commitment to Catholic values.”

Although Project Magi is focused on the archdiocese’s presence in Marion County, Disney noted the initiative promises even greater impact by expanding insights and best practices gained in Indianapolis schools to all its 69 Catholic schools serving nearly 23,000 students in all 39 central and southern Indiana counties of the archdiocese.

Earlier this year, funding from Lilly Endowment through Phase 1 of its Private Schools Initiative helped the archdiocese focus the direction for Project Magi through extensive engagement with stakeholders, including school leaders, educators, parents, students and community partners.

A steering committee analyzed data from thousands of surveys and focus groups to identify priorities that would most impact student success.

With this new Phase 3 funding, Project Magi will strive to make a difference in several areas:

• Provide individualized professional development for all school staff members to meet their needs and achieve their goals.
• Enhance student wellness by providing more school nurses and expanding partnerships with health care providers.
• Assist students with post-secondary exploration and discernment by partnering with parents, expanding career exploration opportunities in elementary schools and enhancing high school career discernment.
• Expand high school career preparation by increasing college-level course offerings, expanding career courses and growing work-based learning opportunities.
• Expand elementary academic programs by growing STEM education, increasing high school credit course offerings and exploring specialized programing.

The Marion County K-12 Private Schools Initiative is part of Lilly Endowment’s broader effort to strengthen educational outcomes for students in Indianapolis through complementary initiatives for both public and private schools.

Large-scale implementation grants to public schools in Indianapolis were awarded through a separate, complementary selection.

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 its pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion.

The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

For more information about Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, visit: www.archindy.org/schools. †