Latest news with #LillyEndowmentInc.
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- General
- Indianapolis Star
We brought Indiana's third-grade reading scores from crisis to celebration
Just two years ago, Indiana faced a sobering reality: nearly 1 in 5 third-graders could not read proficiently, and our state was grappling with what many rightfully called a literacy crisis. That moment demanded more than acknowledgment — it demanded action. And Indiana acted. This week, we received news that reflects just how far we've come: our 2025 IREAD assessment results show a nearly 5 percentage point increase in third grade reading proficiency in just one year — the largest gain in Indiana's recorded history. This equates to 73,500 third-grade students reading. We know that these are more than just numbers. These are individual students' lives that have been impacted for the better. To put that into perspective, for states across our country, increasing proficiency rates even one to two percentage points in one school year can be challenging, even with significant investment and effort. In Indiana, the previous record for the largest year-over-year increase was set in 2024, and was less than 1 percentage point. The momentum we are seeing now across Indiana is nothing short of extraordinary — and it signals more than just progress. It signals a movement. Opinion: Let Hoosier kids have summer. School shouldn't start in late July. That movement is fueled by the daily, tireless work of Indiana's educators — our teachers, instructional coaches, school leaders, and support staff — who are bringing science of reading to life in classrooms through evidence-based literacy practices and an unwavering belief in every student's potential. It is equally powered by the dedication of parents and communities, who are reinforcing this approach at home and cultivating environments where reading is supported, encouraged, and celebrated. To every educator: thank you. Your commitment is changing lives. Schools that received embedded instructional coaching and support through the Indiana Literacy Cadre had a 7 percentage point increase in students passing IREAD, or nearly double that of schools that did not participate in the Literacy Cadre. From the start, we knew that improving literacy would take all of us — and now we're seeing the incredible progress that's possible when we rise to that call together. This success is a testament to the power of unprecedented collaboration and synergy in schools and communities in every corner of our state. With a combined $170 million investment from the Lilly Endowment Inc. and the Indiana General Assembly, Indiana has launched one of the most ambitious early literacy initiatives in the nation — rooted in science of reading and strengthened by aligned policy, robust training, and strategic resources. Opinion: Indiana should cap out-of-state student enrollment to solve brain drain This is just the beginning. Every child deserves to be a confident, capable reader by the end of third grade. We must stay focused, stay aligned, and keep our foot on the gas pedal in order for us to reach our goal of 95% proficiency by 2027. So this week, let's celebrate what happens when a state comes together for its kids. Because this is what real impact looks like.
Time Magazine
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time Magazine
N. Clay Robbins
In the past year, giving at Indiana's Lilly Endowment Inc., long led by chairman and CEO N. Clay Robbins, has gone into overdrive. Under Robbins' direction, the nation's second-largest private foundation, with more than $62 billion in assets, awarded a stunning string of nine-figure grants. Among them: $100 million to the United Negro College Fund; $100 million to the National Park Foundation; $100 million to Purdue University; $138 million to establish a biosciences business accelerator program at Indiana University, $250 million to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to support a statewide effort to attract and launch businesses; and $600 million for grants to teachers and schools across Marion County with innovative approaches to improving student achievement. All told, the foundation awarded more than $2.5 billion last year, focused mainly on public works projects, education, and Christian institutions—a striking jump from $1.7 billion in grants approved in 2023 and a five-fold increase from 2018. At the center of it all is Robbins, who started at the foundation in 1993 and became CEO in 2012. But his affiliation goes back much farther: his education at Wabash College, where he majored in religion, was paid for by a Lilly Endowment scholarship. In November, his longevity and contributions to the community won Robbins the state's highest honor, the Sachem Award, with Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb calling him "a transformational leader" and an "exemplary Hoosier."
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
$8.5 million awarded to preserve 30 Historically Black Churches across the U.S.
WASHINGTON, DC — The National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is awarding $8.5 million in grants to 30 historically Black Churches as a part of its third annual Preserving Black Churches grant program. Having raised more than $150 million in total funding since its founding in 2017, the Action Fund is the nation's largest resource dedicated to preserving historic African American sites. 'We are honored to support the ongoing legacies of these churches, which have stood at the forefront of social progress for generations,' Brent Leggs, Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Fund, said. 'This $8.5 million investment marks a critical step in safeguarding historically Black Churches as enduring symbols of faith, strength, and community leadership. By preserving them, we ensure that their powerful presence continues to live on in their communities and inspire future generations.' The Preserving Black Churches program is a $60 million initiative supported by Lilly Endowment Inc. that provides congregations with the funding and technical expertise needed to protect their historic assets and legacies. This year's grants, ranging from $50,000 to $500,000, will help congregations address urgent preservation challenges such as demolition threats, deferred maintenance, and structural issues, in addition to providing critical resources to help congregations strengthen their stewardship plans, enhance asset management, and grow fundraising capacity nationwide. With generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc., the Action Fund is expanding its efforts to preserve and sustain historically Black Churches during this third iteration of the Preserving Black Churches program. Sites selected for this year's Preserving Black Churches grants include: - The a.m.E. Zion Church in Charlotte, North Carolina: The African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) Church, a Christian denomination established in 1796, is known as 'The Freedom Church' and has been a long-standing champion of abolition, Civil Rights, and spiritual empowerment. Its historic members include Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Frederick Douglass. Funding will help the AME Zion Church Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, NC, to establish a denomination-wide Preservation Endowment to ensure historic AME Zion churches across the country are preserved and maintained for future generations. - Historic Bethel Baptist Church Community in Birmingham, Alabama: A National Historic Landmark, Historic Bethel Baptist Church was constructed in 1926 and is home to a congregation dating back to 1904. Under the leadership of Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, Historic Bethel was instrumental to the Civil Rights Movement and is one of seven sites included in the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. Funding will support the expansion of interpretation and programming using virtual and augmented reality to help visitors learn about the Civil Rights era and Historic Bethel's leadership role in the movement. - St. Paul United AME Church in Birmingham, Alabama: Founded in 1869, St. Paul United Methodist Church was the site of the first mass meeting following the first major campaign to desegregate Birmingham's public bus system. The church is one of seven sites included in the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. Funding will support the development of interactive exhibits to tell the story of its role in Civil Rights activism in Alabama. - Boynton United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas: Boynton United Methodist Church was founded in 1880 and has been a long-term fixture of Houston's Third Ward community. The church's current Mid-century Modern building was completed in 1958 and designed by Texas' first licensed Black architect, John S. Chase. It was named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 2023. Funding will support several preservation projects to restore the church's windows and masonry. - First Congregational Church of Marion in Marion, Alabama: First Congregational Church of Marion was founded in 1869 by formerly enslaved people and the American Missionary Association. It is the oldest unaltered historically Black church remaining in Marion. The church was the first one led by Civil Rights Movement leader Rev. Andrew Young, who later became the first African American U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Funding will provide for critical repairs, including the stabilization of the church's steeple, and accessibility and systems upgrades. - New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan: Commissioned in 1961 by Rev. C.L. Franklin, father of musical icon Aretha Franklin's father, New Bethel is a prominent site in Detroit's civil rights history. Several significant events, including the planning of the 1963 Walk to Freedom, occurred at New Bethel. Funding will allow continued efforts to reverse the water damage the building has suffered. To learn more about our mission to tell the full American story, visit us
