Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette GIFT VIII Grant to Support Childcare Initiatives

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette has received a grant of $7,061,721 from Lilly Endowment Inc. through the Community Leadership Implementation Grants component of the eighth phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VIII) initiative. This is one of 30 implementation grants being awarded through GIFT VIII, a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative designed to support the efforts of community foundations and their partners to strengthen quality of life for the people in the towns, cities, counties and regions they serve.

Through partnerships with Greater Lafayette Career Academy, Right Steps Child Development Centers and Ivy Tech Community College, The Foundation will facilitate the development and evaluation of programs that will seek to incentivize careers in the childcare workforce, increase the availability of childcare slots in our community, and reward childcare employees for tenure in the field.
By providing clear pathways for career advancement, practical experience opportunities, and increased wages for childcare workers, this initiative aims to strengthen the early education workforce in Tippecanoe County.

“One of the key roles of The Foundation is community convening and leadership. We are proud to support an important issue facing Greater Lafayette. Accessible, high-quality early education and childcare are essential for the well-being of children and families and play a pivotal part in driving economic growth by supporting workforce sustainability and expansion throughout Greater Lafayette,” said David Lasater, The James Kirby Risk Endowed President and CEO of The Foundation.

“GLCA is thrilled to offer a high school program that not only provides a crucial workforce development solution but also helps aspiring educators save on educational costs and time. The Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship also highlights the importance of collaboration with local community partners. By working together, we are ensuring a well-rounded, sustainable program that will provide long-term benefits for both apprentices and the families they serve,” said Miranda Hutcheson, Director of Career and Technical Education at the Greater Lafayette Career Academy.

“We at Right Steps are thrilled by this game-changing opportunity to continue our work as an early care and education leader in Greater Lafayette! We will build a sustainable pipeline of passionate and trained early educators through these partnerships. This funding will impact children and their families for years to come,” said Tammey Lindblom and Victoria Matney, Co-CEOs of Right Steps.

Efforts included in this grant will take place over the next 4 years, with important initiatives at GLCA and Right Steps beginning as early as the second quarter of 2025. Additional information will be available through The Foundation’s publications.

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette has been a force for philanthropic good in Tippecanoe County since 1970. The Foundation exists to inspire, nurture and practice philanthropy. Its assets include more than 344 funds and endowments valued at more than $89 million. In 2023, The Foundation awarded over $2.6 million through 125 grants to nonprofits and 58 scholarships.
In 1990, Lilly Endowment launched the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative to help establish and further develop community foundations throughout Indiana. Lilly Endowment hoped that Indiana’s community foundations could enhance the quality of life in their communities by convening conversations among people of diverse ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, occupations, races and cultural traditions about their communities’ most compelling needs and opportunities as well as the best ways to address them.