Curt Smith: Fighting blood cancer is easier with a group effort
More people suffer from this malady than you might guess.
Philanthropy
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Big gifts bring in $472.9M for Hoosier schools, nonprofits in 2025
Higher education continues to benefit from both quantity and amount when it comes to Indiana donations, according to data submitted to IBJ. Only two of the 13 gifts of $10 million or more did not go to universities and college.
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Mark Cuban sums up his IU donations as belief in cutting-edge ‘CigGPT’
High-profile Indiana University alum Mark Cuban said he appreciates Curt Cignetti’s entrepreneurial approach to college football.
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Nominations are open for Be Better Awards honoring Jim Morris
IBJ is overseeing the nomination process and selection of 10 people who demonstrate the values of Morris, a longtime business and civic leader who died in 2024. The awards are part of a larger campaign associated with the NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis.
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Mission-driven Indy furniture maker partners with national distributor
In reaching its first large-scale supply agreement, Purposeful Design intends to further its mission of training and employing men who have experienced homelessness and addiction.
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Articles
White Family Foundation’s $25M gift to support Purdue hospitality program expansion
Part of the funding will help expand the White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management program to Indianapolis.
Audiochuck announces $1M gift to nonprofit that supports LGBTQ+ youth, young adults
Nonprofit IYG plans to use the unrestricted grant to nearly double its ability to offer services and gathering spaces to young Hoosiers.
Eskenazi Health Foundation names new CEO
The new hire succeeds Ernest Vargo II, who retired Jan. 15 after serving as CEO for 15 years.
The 5 biggest donations by Hoosiers in 2025
The $20 million donation to the Indiana University Health Foundation by Sarah and John Lechleiter and Deborah and Randall Tobias was the largest contribution by Indiana givers to an Indiana organization last year.
Philanthropist Lois Eskenazi—who helped fund a hospital, architecture school and more—dies at 92
Lois and Sidney Eskenazi have funded a long list of projects across Indiana, including a downtown Indianapolis hospital, an art museum renovation at Indiana University and the IU architecture school.
New Riley Children’s Foundation CEO looks to exceed $300M fundraising goal
Courtney Roberts’ job is to help ensure that when children with serious illnesses, injuries and conditions must be in the hospital, Riley Health is fully funded to meet their medical and care needs and to advance research to also improve care.
Most US adults aren’t making year-end charitable contributions, poll finds
December serves as a deadline of sorts for donors, with the National Philanthropic Trust estimating that nearly one-third of annual giving happens in the final month.
What if you just gave cash to needy? Program explores guaranteed income
The expansion of the IndyEast Guaranteed Income Initiative pilot program will provide $500 a month to 125 families over 18 months.
Purdue Polytechnic school renamed following $10M gift
The gift to the School of Construction Management Technology at Purdue Polytechnic Institute is expected to enhance the school’s offerings in both West Lafayette and Indianapolis.
With $2M gift, UIndy to establish endowed professorship in engineering
The R.B. Annis Distinguished Professor of Engineering is the namesake of Hoosier inventor Robert B. Annis, who died in 1999 and is remembered as an expert in magnetics and balancing instruments.
Americans gave $4B on GivingTuesday, topping last year’s total
More people also volunteered their time on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving this year, with 11.1 million people in the U.S. volunteering.
Lilly Endowment gives Marion County schools $460M but delays grant decision for IPS
The grants will support a wide range of initiatives like new student programming, teacher training, and updated STEM and performing arts spaces.
Dells donate $6.25B to encourage families to claim ‘Trump Accounts’
The historic gift has little precedent, with few single charitable commitments in the past 25 years exceeding $1 billion, much less multiple billions.
Nonprofits face uncertainty ahead of GivingTuesday
The Tuesday after Thanksgiving has become one of the biggest fundraising days of the year for nonprofits in the United States.
Charities, tell us about the donations you need
IBJ’s Holiday Wish List—our annual effort to connect nonprofits to people and businesses that can help them—will begin appearing in the Dec. 5 issue of IBJ and will reappear weekly through Dec. 19.
Indianapolis-based Ren Inc. lands big growth investment from Boston-based investor
This is the second large, outside investment secured by Indianapolis-based Ren Inc., which provides technology and services for the philanthropic sector, in recent years.
Indianapolis launches cash-assistance fund for expectant mothers
Using more than $2 million in philanthropic funding, 100 pregnant women in the city’s poorest ZIP codes will be given monthly cash-assistance allocations.
Lilly Endowment offers up to $500M to Indiana colleges, universities for AI study, strategies
The initiative is expected to “support Indiana colleges and universities in their ongoing efforts to address the implications of a rapidly evolving technology in their institutions and the lives of their students,” Lilly Endowment said.
City leaders direct $1M toward food banks to offset possible SNAP loss
City leaders, local companies and food banks have teamed up to create a $1 million-plus partnership and fundraising push to help more than 200 food pantries in Indianapolis.